Coolent leaking at front of engine?

[8Mud]

Is this spring loose? Can I transfer it from the one on there now to the new hose or is it built in?

If you can find one with the spring already in there buy it. Taking the old spring out (it´s rusted and will snap off, or catch and stretch) is a pain. Getting the new or used spring in there is even a bigger pain. Noticed the guys at the Jeep dealership, cut the spring in three pieces, then stick the pieces in there.
If you have the standard clamp type hose clamp, toss it and buy a screw type, heavy duty if you have a choice. But don´t overtighten or it can cut your new hose.
When I get a hose joint, that doesn´t seem to want to seal with a little tightening, I clean up the water pump inlet with a 3M pad, clean the inside of the radiator pipe with a rag and some hot water and put a very thin coat of RTV on the inlet. Isn´t really any harder to take off, than a radiator hose thats been on there for awhile. Silicon rarley sticks to the hose and comes off the inlet pretty easy. A small tool of some type that will fit between the hose and the inlet pipe (to gently pry them apart), is often more productive than brut force. I heated and bent a thin screwdriver 90 deg. about an 1-1 1/4" from the end, use it for various things, including getting between stubborn hoses and the pipes. I rounded the sharp edges just a bit, works well.

 

[8Mud]

Nice reply 8mud. It's nice to see others with technical expertise have inputs and help out the other guy. Sounds like you have changed a few waterpimps :laugh3:

The tip on the threaded pipe was right on target. That one bit me once. Sealer or pipe dope on the threads is almost manditory on that stupid thing or it will leak as well.

My technical expertise is once a mistake, twice a fool, three times an idiot. I try not to make it to the idiot stage very often. I really hate, people making the same dumb arsed mistakes I´ve made over the years. Glad I noticed my pump was stretching, while I tightend the pipe into it, before it split, close call.

 

[Spanky414]

Just wanted to thank everyone for their help.

I think its fixed now, I didn't replace the water pump, just the lower rad hose, and I don't even think that was the problem. After taking off the hose I noticed a bunch of crystlized coolent sludge built up on the water pump conection for the rad hose, I cleaned it all off with a scraper and a wire brush and put the new hose on and its not leaking now, I've been checking it a couple times a day for the last 2 days and havn't seen anything yet.

I think that sludge had just been letting some coolent seep by when the pressure was high in the system. Examining the old hose didn't turn up anything, it looks fine but I figured if i had it off and had a new one I might as well put it on.

I'm going to hold on to the water pump for the rest of the week and return it if there isn't any more leaks by saturday.

Thanks again.

Oh and the new one does have a spring, and the spring in the old one was still shiny, I'm going to keep it for an emergency spare.