damn coolant leak!! - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

gunchamp · 04-11-2020, 07:08 PM

So as some of you know, I'm finishing my build as stated in my build thread. Well I was able to completely button everything up this evening. Car is ready to be tuned. Now for the shitty part. The other day I was under the car and noticed a couple small coolant drips at the back of the motor, on the cross beam where the oil filter is. It seemed like left over coolant that went everywhere when I tore the engine down. I dried it all and left it for a week. There are now 2 drips and they are coming from the very back corner of the head, right on the deck where the small corner of gasket sticks out from under the head. WTF!

I used the snap on cooling system bleeder when I filled back up. I pulled 25" of vacuum and left it sit for 5 min. It held perfectly and never moved. Now i has a slight drip, only 2 drips in a weeks time, but the car has yet to be started. Am I tearing this **** back down already? Brand new GPI heads and LS7 head gaskets. ARP head bolts all torqued correctly. Thoughts?

ariZona28 · 04-11-2020, 08:01 PM

That sucks a**! I hate when I meticulously assemble something and a glitch shows up. If it were me I would run it gently, take it for a sane drive staying close to home base. After normal operating temperature has been reached I would return home and let it sit overnight. Re-torque heads the following day and hope for the best. This is all old-school advice, maybe someone with LS build experience can chime in with additional info.

Aqua Blue RS/SS · 04-11-2020, 08:30 PM

If it’s 2 drips in a week I’d start it up and get a good heat cycle on it and see what it does.it may seal up for good once everything gets nice and hot. Keep a good eye on it while it’s running.

gunchamp · 04-11-2020, 08:35 PM

Man i hope and pray that works guys. Probably the route im going to go. Going to throw the pressure tester on it tomorrow hopefully and see whay it does.

mrimpala02 · 04-12-2020, 01:14 AM

Do you still have the stock engine oil cooler/heater? Those are known to leak as you describe.

Greenhornet2 · 04-12-2020, 06:27 AM

Last thread i read about this the guy had muckled up the dowel pins and the head wasn't sitting flush. A gasket head gasket shouldn't leak coolant cold, hot, or new once the head is torqued, if that is in fact where the leak is coming from. I would run it and pinpoint it, or get a cooling system pressure tester on it. If it's leaking with no pressure it will just leak more under pressure.

gunchamp · 04-12-2020, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrimpala02

Do you still have the stock engine oil cooler/heater? Those are known to leak as you describe.

Deleted it

gunchamp · 04-12-2020, 06:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greenhornet2

Last thread i read about this the guy had muckled up the dowel pins and the head wasn't sitting flush. A gasket head gasket shouldn't leak coolant cold, hot, or new once the head is torqued, if that is in fact where the leak is coming from. I would run it and pinpoint it, or get a cooling system pressure tester on it. If it's leaking with no pressure it will just leak more under pressure.

Dowel pins are brand new. They are offset .030 though. GPI gave instructions and i spoke to the many times. Its how they are installed.
Your other point is what worries me. If it is the head gasket, it souldnt be leaking with zero pressure. Thats not going to be good. May be tearing the damn thing back down

gunchamp · 04-12-2020, 07:35 AM

Jammed my phone up in there and took a couple pics. You can see a tiny amount of coolant at the back corner of the driver side head. It takes days before a drip will actually come out

free picture host

Greenhornet2 · 04-12-2020, 07:53 AM

It definitely shouldn't be doing that. I would send your pictures to GPI. Is that a plug in the back of the head like a freeze plug type? Can you get a picture better of the back, maybe it's coming from that?

gunchamp · 04-12-2020, 08:38 AM

It is a freeze plug and i cant quite get my phone there. But i did push a towel there and i can feel there and its dry. It seems to just be coming out of that corner at an extremely slow rate. I will be contacting GPI for sure.

Greenhornet2 · 04-12-2020, 09:20 AM

If that's a leak at the gasket i'm leaning towards a seating issue with the dowel pins. it's hard to tell but that gasket doesn't look squished at all like its not under pressure usually tho not always you can see how the gasket is squished a little at the edge of the head.

WHAMMO · 04-12-2020, 11:27 AM

Are your heads stock? Because I have the same leak now and I am sure it's the steam vent plug that is not sealed properly(in the back just above that leak). You still have those plugs right? Or what You run instead?

Greenhornet2 · 04-12-2020, 12:00 PM

He's running GPI heads

04-11-2020, 07:08 PM	#1
gunchamp Drives: 15 Camaro SS Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Mountains of central PA Posts: 1,442	damn coolant leak!! So as some of you know, I'm finishing my build as stated in my build thread. Well I was able to completely button everything up this evening. Car is ready to be tuned. Now for the shitty part. The other day I was under the car and noticed a couple small coolant drips at the back of the motor, on the cross beam where the oil filter is. It seemed like left over coolant that went everywhere when I tore the engine down. I dried it all and left it for a week. There are now 2 drips and they are coming from the very back corner of the head, right on the deck where the small corner of gasket sticks out from under the head. WTF! I used the snap on cooling system bleeder when I filled back up. I pulled 25" of vacuum and left it sit for 5 min. It held perfectly and never moved. Now i has a slight drip, only 2 drips in a weeks time, but the car has yet to be started. Am I tearing this **** back down already? Brand new GPI heads and LS7 head gaskets. ARP head bolts all torqued correctly. Thoughts? __________________ 15 Camaro SS- GPI max top end, ESS Vortech V3 9psi, ID 1050s, ZL1 pump, JMS bap, Long tubes, Corsa extreme, Circle D pro 5C, 391 rear, DSS carbon drive shaft, poly cradle bushings, tuned by Ted Jannetty and much much more

04-11-2020, 08:01 PM	#2
ariZona28 Give speed a chance Drives: 2015 Camaro 2LS, 2015 Camaro Z/28 Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: Mesa, Az Posts: 2,234	That sucks a**! I hate when I meticulously assemble something and a glitch shows up. If it were me I would run it gently, take it for a sane drive staying close to home base. After normal operating temperature has been reached I would return home and let it sit overnight. Re-torque heads the following day and hope for the best. This is all old-school advice, maybe someone with LS build experience can chime in with additional info. Attached Images __________________ 2LS: a TREMENDOUS machine. Z/28: it's a BIT MORE POWERFUL, of course.

04-11-2020, 08:30 PM	#3
Aqua Blue RS/SS Drives: ABM #93 Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Lotaburger Posts: 2,695	If it’s 2 drips in a week I’d start it up and get a good heat cycle on it and see what it does.it may seal up for good once everything gets nice and hot. Keep a good eye on it while it’s running. __________________ ABM #2399 2SS/RS:SOLD ABM #93 2SS/RS Black Rally stripes, Titanium Interior 4,000 miles: GM GFX side skirts and diffuser waiting on paint, GM dovetail, GM heritage, RPI ZL1 style splitter. ‘87 IROC-Z Iroc blue. all original unmolested with 50K miles.

04-11-2020, 08:35 PM	#4
gunchamp Drives: 15 Camaro SS Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Mountains of central PA Posts: 1,442	Man i hope and pray that works guys. Probably the route im going to go. Going to throw the pressure tester on it tomorrow hopefully and see whay it does. __________________ 15 Camaro SS- GPI max top end, ESS Vortech V3 9psi, ID 1050s, ZL1 pump, JMS bap, Long tubes, Corsa extreme, Circle D pro 5C, 391 rear, DSS carbon drive shaft, poly cradle bushings, tuned by Ted Jannetty and much much more

04-12-2020, 01:14 AM	#5
mrimpala02 Drives: Black 2SS RS w/White Stripes Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Katy, TX Posts: 775	Do you still have the stock engine oil cooler/heater? Those are known to leak as you describe. __________________ 2010 2SS/RS "ChriSStine": Pat G Custom Turbo CamMotion Camshaft \| AGP TT BB Garrett 62/65's \| AGP/Fore Triple Pumps \| ID1700X Injectors \| Alky Control Twin Nozzle Meth \| Custom 3" Exhaust \| 3.27 gear set w/ Tru Trac \| McLeod Twin RXT \| Barton Short Throw Shifter \| 6th Gen ZL1 Wheels \| BMR 1.4" drop springs \| Pfadt rear trailing arms & tie rods \| Installed by Me & Tuned by Pat G

04-12-2020, 06:27 AM	#6
Greenhornet2 Drives: 2011 Camaro 2SS LS3 Whipple Join Date: May 2019 Location: Connecticut Posts: 1,925	Last thread i read about this the guy had muckled up the dowel pins and the head wasn't sitting flush. A gasket head gasket shouldn't leak coolant cold, hot, or new once the head is torqued, if that is in fact where the leak is coming from. I would run it and pinpoint it, or get a cooling system pressure tester on it. If it's leaking with no pressure it will just leak more under pressure. __________________ Whipple 2.9 CAI ID1050x injectors ZL1 Pump JRE FPCM JMS Voltage booster JRE Rough Idle blower cam BTR .660 springs CHE trunnion kit 1 7/8 Speed Engineering Borla Atak JRE scoop 1.5" lowering springs BMR trailing arms and toe links Cradle inserts 704WHP 603WTQ 93 octane

04-12-2020, 07:35 AM	#9
gunchamp Drives: 15 Camaro SS Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Mountains of central PA Posts: 1,442	Jammed my phone up in there and took a couple pics. You can see a tiny amount of coolant at the back corner of the driver side head. It takes days before a drip will actually come out free picture host __________________ 15 Camaro SS- GPI max top end, ESS Vortech V3 9psi, ID 1050s, ZL1 pump, JMS bap, Long tubes, Corsa extreme, Circle D pro 5C, 391 rear, DSS carbon drive shaft, poly cradle bushings, tuned by Ted Jannetty and much much more

04-12-2020, 07:53 AM	#10
Greenhornet2 Drives: 2011 Camaro 2SS LS3 Whipple Join Date: May 2019 Location: Connecticut Posts: 1,925	It definitely shouldn't be doing that. I would send your pictures to GPI. Is that a plug in the back of the head like a freeze plug type? Can you get a picture better of the back, maybe it's coming from that? __________________ Whipple 2.9 CAI ID1050x injectors ZL1 Pump JRE FPCM JMS Voltage booster JRE Rough Idle blower cam BTR .660 springs CHE trunnion kit 1 7/8 Speed Engineering Borla Atak JRE scoop 1.5" lowering springs BMR trailing arms and toe links Cradle inserts 704WHP 603WTQ 93 octane

04-12-2020, 08:38 AM	#11
gunchamp Drives: 15 Camaro SS Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Mountains of central PA Posts: 1,442	It is a freeze plug and i cant quite get my phone there. But i did push a towel there and i can feel there and its dry. It seems to just be coming out of that corner at an extremely slow rate. I will be contacting GPI for sure. __________________ 15 Camaro SS- GPI max top end, ESS Vortech V3 9psi, ID 1050s, ZL1 pump, JMS bap, Long tubes, Corsa extreme, Circle D pro 5C, 391 rear, DSS carbon drive shaft, poly cradle bushings, tuned by Ted Jannetty and much much more

04-12-2020, 09:20 AM	#12
Greenhornet2 Drives: 2011 Camaro 2SS LS3 Whipple Join Date: May 2019 Location: Connecticut Posts: 1,925	If that's a leak at the gasket i'm leaning towards a seating issue with the dowel pins. it's hard to tell but that gasket doesn't look squished at all like its not under pressure usually tho not always you can see how the gasket is squished a little at the edge of the head. __________________ Whipple 2.9 CAI ID1050x injectors ZL1 Pump JRE FPCM JMS Voltage booster JRE Rough Idle blower cam BTR .660 springs CHE trunnion kit 1 7/8 Speed Engineering Borla Atak JRE scoop 1.5" lowering springs BMR trailing arms and toe links Cradle inserts 704WHP 603WTQ 93 octane

04-12-2020, 11:27 AM	#13
WHAMMO Drives: 13' 1LE Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Canada Posts: 2,642	Are your heads stock? Because I have the same leak now and I am sure it's the steam vent plug that is not sealed properly(in the back just above that leak). You still have those plugs right? Or what You run instead? __________________ 13' 1LE Old setup: TSP 231-236/Tick 660/.105 PR, UDP, SW LT 2'' & HFC, stock NPP & H pipe, VR-DRX CAI, air scoop, Goertz1 manifold, 102mm BBK, 26" Toyo DRs, Forgestars R17x10 & F18x8, rear seat delete, remote Pat G tune Autocal, 7400 limiter, Spec Mini Twin. 91oct. 11.90@122.3, 0-60ft 2.0 / 11.99@123.6, 0-60ft 2.1 DA+819 ...519RWHP SAE Solid roller SBE LS3, FED, LLSR, 91oct, 605rwhp N/A. Tuned by Pat G. Build by me.

04-12-2020, 12:00 PM	#14
Greenhornet2 Drives: 2011 Camaro 2SS LS3 Whipple Join Date: May 2019 Location: Connecticut Posts: 1,925	He's running GPI heads __________________ Whipple 2.9 CAI ID1050x injectors ZL1 Pump JRE FPCM JMS Voltage booster JRE Rough Idle blower cam BTR .660 springs CHE trunnion kit 1 7/8 Speed Engineering Borla Atak JRE scoop 1.5" lowering springs BMR trailing arms and toe links Cradle inserts 704WHP 603WTQ 93 octane