455 72-75 Weirdest coolant leak ever

Also, when/if you remove the timing cover, keep the bolts in the right order as they are a few different lengths and it will make it easier for reassembly. Don't over tighten the bolts.

 

TA Performance sells timing cover bolts sets in regular and stainless. ARP bolts. IMO worth the money. About $40-50.

 

Get ready for some excitement getting the balancer bolt off. A high torque impact is what I always use. Of course that is assuming whoever put it on close to spec. the last time.

Before I'd pop that cover off I'd clean the area that is getting antifreeze on it thoroughly. Dry it up. Then I'd start it up, warm it up completely and watch carefully for the slightest hint of a leak. Even driving a short distance, stopping and checking it out. Many times until you just catch it leaking. I'd keep doing it until I found the exact spot or at least could say intake ot timing cover. That could save a heap of time rather than pulling the cover off.

If the timing cover IS leaking around the big water passage where the big puddle in the "V" area is there is a good chance the timing cover has a nice bit of corrosion causing the leak if the gasket is on right. Depending on how bad, a nice application of Permatex around the passages should do the trick when re-installing the cover.

I've only seen coolant leak UP when the fan blows it there but you can usually see spray all over the place. I have to wonder it there is possible corrosion around the intake water passage between the two forward bolts on one of the sides. Taking the bolts out of the intake or the timing cover and having coolant come out is not unusual. Usually just re-installing them will seal them back up.

Since the intake is not leaking exhaust I'd say whoever put it together blocked off the AIR and exhaust crossover passages. I'd still get rid of it when you get a replacement.

 

The leak was from the timing cover. I found a thread on here by a guy who had the same problem. He said that his car was a bit warm and he tightened the bolt about a quarter turn and it went away.... for now, the leak is fixed. I will keep you guys posted weather or not this leak comes back.

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Good news. I hope the leak stays gone. Whoever assembled the engine may have missed other things.
I hope you double check whatever you can that is accessible. No more surprises.

 

Smokey you spoke to me with that post. I need to learn to relax and stop expecting the worst. Haha

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An ounce of prevention. Then you're mind will really be at ease.

 

PROBLEM SOLVED, I found someone else who had the same problem. The solution FOR ME and them was to warm the engine to about 110 then turning the bolt on the drivers side which holds the timing cover down about 3/8 of a turn. This must have been a torque issue, the leak had not persisted since, car runs great with no coolant leaks that I know of. Going to come back to this post on the regular though because everyone here gave some great advise thank you

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Good!

 

Good news, and best odds all, free!