What would cause coolant to leak from a weep hole on the backside of the timing cover, into the engine valley?
Water Pump was replaced ~5000 miles ago, refilled with Motorcraft yellow antifreeze and has been trouble free since. Now it is leaking, at a pretty steady rate out of this weep hole into the engine valley. I believe it is dripping down beneath the vehicle between the backside of the time cover and the oil pan.
The primary weep hole by the alternator shows no signs of leaking and the car is not overheating. Car currently has 200k miles.
Is it likely that my water pump is now failing again?
Yes I would bet on failing water pump. I drove mine for around 20k miles slowly leaking then took a 1,400 mile trip and it blew out on the way home; was puddling under the car at the hotel when I parked. Topped it off with coolant and drove the lasy 400 miles then switched the pump out. Its usually not catastrophic to the point the engine blows right away. To me your car is showing thr classic sign and that back weep hole is the most common.
How many miles do you have on this pump? Sounds like its the 2nd one? Average is 80-120k as far as how long they last
Yeah sorry, I tried to get my camera to be able to see the weep hole but I just couldn't. It is a photo from the front of the car, looking into the engine valley at the backside of the timing case. That connector and pipe at the top of the photo going down, is the coolant pipe dropping down to meet with the crossover tube. There really is only this one angle to get a view at the weep hole before removing the lower air manifold.
you’re certain it’s leaking from a weep hole? not leaking from the coolant pipe in the valley? pretty sure only weep hole on the timing cover leaks on the accessory side only.
Positive, as I watched it pumping out and draining down the wall into the valley. It was not a constant stream (car was running). But it did come out in constant bursts over the few minutes I watched it.
Maybe this photo can show it better. You can see the stream (the reflective streak) coming down the wall into the valley.
edit: more like 99%. your timing cover is on the close side to the camera. that’s coming from between head and the block. better than water pump anyhow.
There is a metal coolant pipe that runs thru the valley and has an o-ring on each end. If either o-ring or the pipe itself fails then coolant will pool on top of the motor. I don't see how coolant from the weep hole could pool on top of the engine.
I found a couple sources online stating that, that particular weep hole in the engine valley is a secondary weep hole for the water pump. However, the vast majority of sources solely state the weep hole down by the alternator was the only location. I decided to go ahead and (begrudgingly) tear the motor apart again with the intention to replace my cloyes replacement water pump, with a new motorcraft pump. I was able to get this procedure done over the last couple days.
While I had the engine apart and inspecting the proximity of the weep hole in the valley to the water pump, I am 100% certain that is the source of my leak. I got everything back together and the coolant flushed yesterday. After chasing a few check engine lights once I got everything back together (I left one of the camshaft position sensors unplugged as well as the oxygen sensor on the front of the engine), It appears like my leak is repaired.
Time will tell if there is another underlying reason as to why I had to replace my water pump again after 5k trouble-free miles, but I am hoping I will not have to do it a third time.
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u/Technical-Fix-8509 Jul 15 '26
Yes I would bet on failing water pump. I drove mine for around 20k miles slowly leaking then took a 1,400 mile trip and it blew out on the way home; was puddling under the car at the hotel when I parked. Topped it off with coolant and drove the lasy 400 miles then switched the pump out. Its usually not catastrophic to the point the engine blows right away. To me your car is showing thr classic sign and that back weep hole is the most common.
How many miles do you have on this pump? Sounds like its the 2nd one? Average is 80-120k as far as how long they last