Dat Fox

I bought my 86 gt back in February from a private party seller. It drove perfectly until it started getting warmer, then it would overheat like crazy in town. I noticed I stopped hearing the fans start up on ignition and found out it was a bad bearing and replaced one of the fans. Since then it has still overheated just a little bit, but nothing major when driving in stop and go traffic and is fine on the highway. On the way home today, I noticed a weird sound coming from the passenger side whenever I was close to a curb so sound bounced back into the cabin. When I got home, I popped the hood to find the source and found a massive coolant leak down the block as well as an almost empty reservoir, despite being at full running temp. I also noticed that it tends to be much hotter when I restart the engine after sitting for a few minutes, but that may be normal. Would I possibly have a blown headgasket or something similar?

dawson1112

where is the coolant located on the block? passanger side rear/front?

As for it being hotter after you let it set for a min then restart it that is called heat soak, and it is normal becase the engine has been stopped there for no coolant is flowing so the heat soaks into the existing coolant in the block.

I suggest you fill the system with water, and start it let idle up to temp and watch for leaks so you can pinpoint where it is.

quick thought, there are 2 pipes that run across the top of the block on the passanger side that supply coolant to the heater core, and egr spacer. Start there.

Dat Fox

The leak is in the back on the passenger side. It looks like it's coming out from under the exhaust headers, which is what I've been told happens when a head gasket fails.

dawson1112

Head gasket might explain the noise you heard , however there are also some freeze plugs under the heads in the block , they have been known to corrode and blow out as well.

I suggest you get under there with a flash light and have someone pour water in the engine till you see where it is coming out at. If its a freeze plug it will start to come out almost immediatly .

Boss_Hotrod

Its not by chance coming of the hole on the firewall is it? Is so thats a sign of bad heater core. Its on the right side near the bottom. About 2" diameter black spot.

Dat Fox

It's definitely from the engine. I'm having it pressure tested tomorrow to see where the leak is coming from

Dat Fox

Turns out it's just bad hosing from the engine to the heater core. Needless to say, I'm pretty relieved.

88 orangepeel notch

Ha, that's much easier lol.