My cat has had coolant leaks on again and off again throughout its stay, All of the common ones have turned up under my hood.
The car has had its current leak for about a year and lately it had gotten alot worst so I decide to check in and see what going on. Before I was averaging around 400-500 miles before I had to top off the overflow bottle, lately its been every 30 miles
This morning I decided to tear into the engine and see what going on. It has the usually coolant leak symptoms, leaking coolant from what appears to be coming from the
drivers side rear of the motor and dripping off the bolts at the bottom of the bellhousing. After I remove the plenum and runners I shined a flashlight down in the valley and it was bone dry. Next I checked all of the coolant lines and HBV at the rear of the engine and they to were dry. Next I went on the mission of removing more items to get a look at the rear of the engine. I removed the wipers and motor, ignition coil and bracket "PITA" then I was finally able for the first time see the back of my catera motor and where my coolant leak was coming from.
This is a picture of my drivers side head with what appears to have a coolant leak coming from the center of the head. The coolant has been running along the small shelf on the top of the block and on to the left exhaust manifold where it is then burnt off leavinga pleasent smell in my car.
What sucks is I have been in the process of trading the Catera for a Saab. I have picked up a bottle of Bars Headgasket Stop Leak and am going to see if it will slow my leak down. I figure at this point I have nothing else to loose!
