Coolant in plug valley

[dnice1864]

Hi All,

New to the forum and looking for help. My 87 n/a has a coolant leak, but It's leaking into the spark plug valley, in other words, coolant is settling into the plug housing aroung the ceramis portion of the plug. A few of the plugs were wet, I cleaned up the area, replaced the plugs, rotor, distributor cap and wires. The electordes are dry, but coolant is still leaking into the valley, but not as bad as before, and has a rough idle. It seems to be coming from two of the three plugs with the 14mm bit opening. They won't break loose, but it seems somehow coolant is leaking from there. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[webbs7mgte]

i had a simmilar problem when i first got my first mk3 than dropped all ge motors cus of the gay ass Y pipe u have b ut on ur throttle body theres the two hoses that run i bleive on the front of the tb there are two hoses and one ont eh other side that has coolant running through it so if u live in a cold area you dont ahve ice form on ur throttle plate or ur intake mani check if thsoe lines are pinched or ur opening in ur throttle body is cloged casuing the coolant to back up and leaks out and down on to the sprak plus galley than into the the area....also can you help me out by pulling a plug and taking a pic and posting ti so i canc what hte plugs look :1zhelp:

 

[jgcable]

There is a coolant rubber hose line that runs to the throttle boddy/purge tank. It carries coolant to cool the intake. Its shaped like a large S. Its the one that is directly next to the large line that is also shaped like an S. If it leaks at the fitting it will drop coolant directly into the spark plug galley.

 

[AJ'S 88NA]

There is a coolant rubber hose line that runs to the throttle boddy/purge tank. It carries coolant to cool the intake. Its shaped like a large S. Its the one that is directly next to the large line that is also shaped like an S. If it leaks at the fitting it will drop coolant directly into the spark plug galley.

I think the coolant line to the TB is used to keep ice from forming, not cool it.

 

[dnice1864]

I should have mentioned that the previous owner disconnected the lines running through the TB. (I would like to reconnect them though.) I'll try to upload pics later today.

 

[jetjock]

The 14 mm plugs lead to the head coolant jacket. If those are leaking you'll need to reseal them.

 

[dnice1864]

If you mean the 3, 14 mm "seals" that sit between the spark plugs,

eg: spark plug (*) , 14mm seal (0), my "drawing" -> *0* *0* *0*

then yep, after looking at them today, that seems to be the spot. What torque setting should I use to break them free? Is there a seal underneath them, or do they just need to be re-tourqued?

 

[jetjock]

I dunno frankly. Never had them out. I'd imagine pipe dope or teflon tape (ugh, bad news that stuff) would do it. You can also get crush washers to use there, the composite/plastic type similar to oil pan drain plug gaskets. Napa has them. Or O rings, which is what I use on the upper plugs that lead to the oil drain area of the head. Everywhere else I use a product called Tite Seal. No matter what you use I'd pressure test before refilling with coolant. As far as removal torque, whatever it takes....

 

[dnice1864]

I'll give it a go, and post an update. Thanks!

 

[AJ'S 88NA]

Torque spec to get those suckers out is "a lot". They are usually kind of welded in there from years of heat cycles and corrosion.

 

[jgcable]

If you mean the 3, 14 mm "seals" that sit between the spark plugs,

eg: spark plug (*) , 14mm seal (0), my "drawing" -> *0* *0* *0*

then yep, after looking at them today, that seems to be the spot. What torque setting should I use to break them free? Is there a seal underneath them, or do they just need to be re-tourqued?

The 3 you are referring to VERY rarely leak or need to be replaced. I think the ones he is talking about are the 14mm bolts that hold the center (3rd) valve cover plate on. If they leak, they leak oil... not coolant.

 

[jgcable]

I think the coolant line to the TB is used to keep ice from forming, not cool it.

Thanks for the info.. but regardless.. if that coolant hose is leaking it will drip directly into the spark plug galley and fill up one of the 14mm plugs that are in the galley itself.

 

[Poodles]

No, there are 3 more plugs down in the actual spark plug wells...

http://www.cygnusx1.net/Supra/TechTips/head_coolant_leak.aspx

 

[jgcable]

No, there are 3 more plugs down in the actual spark plug wells...

http://www.cygnusx1.net/Supra/TechTips/head_coolant_leak.aspx

I know.. they are similar to freeze out plugs. If you read the articles online they all mention that they RARELY if ever leak. The exact same thing happened to me last week when I was retorquing my head. One of those 3 bolts was filled up with nice clean green antifreeze. I thought the worst and then I did the research and because these 3 plugs harldy ever.. if ever leak I lookes elsewhere and noticed that when I pulled the hose off the purge tank some antifreeze squirted out and landed in the galley.
I would certainly check everything else before I would tackle removing those 14mm bolts.

 

[dnice1864]

Spoke to the previous owner and he says he had the HG replaced a few months back, and the leak started after that. Maybe the didn't get them as tight as they thought?

 

[dnice1864]

Got the plugs off! Well corroded, don't think they're worth trying to clean up. Anyone have an idea of how much the coolant plugs sell for?

 

[Finnon]

ive just done this on my car. it was a combination of the coolant pipes at the throttle body leaking (must have for a while as the pipe spigot was all coroded) and oil geting past those big bolt things that hold the spark plug cover on.

 

[jetjock]

The 3 you are referring to VERY rarely leak or need to be replaced. I think the ones he is talking about are the 14mm bolts that hold the center (3rd) valve cover plate on. If they leak, they leak oil... not coolant.

He's there looking at it while you (and others) are shooting from the hip. Maybe you feel the OP is too stupid or blind to figure out where his leak is coming from but I have more faith in him. You might want to try actually reading the thread next time too...

 

[webbs7mgte]

My opinion take everyones advice and go back and check I have those 14 mm seals things on a ole ge head if u want to buy used if u do PM me and also don't ignore that tb pipe it could b a major problem check it even if everyone says not too never do it half ass

 

[Poodles]

TB pipe was already bypassed (does anyone read threads anymore?)