I just got home from work and noticed a pool of coolant dripping down from the engine. I jacked the car up and tried to pin point the leak.

It looks like it's coming up from around the crank pulley, so I am guessing it could be coming from the water pump?
It's the "wettest" under the front axle but I think it's just trickling down the engine making it seem like it's coming from right under the block.

FYI I flushed my coolant a week ago and didn't bleed the air out of the system. Maybe this was my bad?


Heres a picture of what I could see:
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...eat=directlink

 

Link isnt showing up

 

Probably water pump gaskets, one problem with the aluminum engine.

 

Fixed, thanks.

Good call. I can't see where the leak source is, but I wouldn't doubt that you are right about the gaskets.
Since I need to remove the pump to get at the gaskets, I might as well buy a new pump so I know I won't have to deal with it again, right?

 

That's what I did.

 

Water pump gasket.

 

Can I use gasket maker temporarily or do I need the alum. gaskets?

 

Do you really want to do it again?

 

You should also replace the water pump bypass hose too, my leak was coming from that.

3.8L-V6 Camaro Firebird Pump Elbow Heater Hose Lower

 

Today I took the pump off and started scraping the gaskets off. It had either a paper gasket or was the liquid gasket, either way it's tough to get off. I bought some water pump liquid gasket, but I will be returning it tomorrow and ordering the 2 new gaskets off ebay since none of the parts stores have them here.

There are the paper gaskets on ebay for $2.50 + $18 shipping and the alum ones are $10 + $32 shipping to Canada. -OUCH!!
Can I get away with using the paper ones?

Will I need to use anything with the gaskets or just throw them back on after I clean it?