2.3L ('83-'97) and now there's a water leak...

[97ranger22bronco]

So i buttoned everything up, upper and lower rad hoses, petcock closed, and when i went to fill the rad, water just started leaking everywhere....Not from either of the hoses that I can see though.

I haven't had this problem before when I flushed it, it held water fine at that point. Is it possible that something went desperately wrong with the rad? Or is there an air vacuum in there maybe?

Note: I did reattach the fan and fan clutch to the water pump after I replaced the thermostat; could that have damaged the water pump? I don't think I overtightened the bolts any..

 

[97ranger22bronco]

Note 2: this is all happening without the engine turning over/running....

 

[scotts90ranger]

You probably compromised the water pump inlet tube if it's leaking just above the engine side of the lower radiator hose, it's plastic, @Blmpkn is fighting the same thing, tried one of the aftermarket options with no success but there's several to choose from...

 

[97ranger22bronco]

Well that's unfortunate. O'Reilly's has a replacement I can order; do I need to take the water pump out to replace it?

 

[97ranger22bronco]

@scotts90ranger I poured more water into it this morning and got a pic of where the leak is coming from; it seems to be leaking from around the center, rather than from above the rad hose. It almost looks like it's coming from within the timing belt?

 

[scotts90ranger]

Looks kinda like it's coming from the side of the lower hose, look close up 6" above the hose connection, the water pump is about the only thing that has coolant there...

The water pump inlet deal "shouldn't" need the water pump out to change but that depends on how well it goes... doing the water pump on my '97 is on the short list after a few big projects...

 

[97ranger22bronco]

Not to sound totally stupid, but would it leak from there without the engine turning over?

 

[scotts90ranger]

Since it's plastic and if it's broken after you worked the lower radiator hose off then on I could sure see that happening, it's about the only thing that makes sense unless your thermostat housing rusted out and broke from replacing that hose... but the thermostat housing is steel and the lower hose housing is plastic or fiber reinforced plastic of some form...

 

[97ranger22bronco]

So i realized that I didn't put a gasket into the thermostat housing when I replaced the thermostat so I'm wondering if that's it. I got a gasket and the liquid gasket silicone; will advise once thats rectified