Water under the car?
10-16-2005, 09:19 AM
#1
NisTuner
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Location: Cleveland, Ohio
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Water under the car?
Well I fixed my hood the other day and while I was working under there I noticed a little spot of something towards the front of the car, it didn't smell like oil or leave a stain on the garage floor, so I don't know what that was. I noticed a spot that looked like it was about 4-5 drips. I looked at it, it was clear, it didn't smell like anything, I'm pretty sure that it's water. There's also near that area a little rubber tube that hangs down from the car. Don't know what it is or where it came from. It doesn't look like it was connected to anything, but last night I took the car for a good drive, and we were really using the heat, I know at some point my friend moved the slider to the cold. Well I pulled the car in the garage and went to sleep, this morning I look under that same spot, a little behind the front wheels towards the center of the car but more on the passenger side. I noticed a bigger puddle. I smelled it, wiped a good bunch of it on my hands, it looked like water, wiped right up, didn't leave any kind of stain. I checked all my fluids, everything looks fine. It doesn't even seem to be constant, because I wipe it up, and there won't be any drips there later. Does the heater system in any way expell water kind of like the A/C system does? As for the other small spot towards the front of the car, I'm thinking it may just be a clamp that has loosened a little.
Any help is appreciated. I can't stand things that drip. On another note, apparently my Overflow bottle doesn't leak, I just had to fill it up again and it's been holding the antifreeze. I guess there was just alot of air in the system like one person had said.
Checked it again, there were a few more small drips, wiped it up and that seemed about the end of it. I started moving my hand around where the drip was and I guess I shook something and one last drip seem to come out, I could tell it was definitely water. I stuck a flashlight right where the drip was pointed straight up, and it's right by the back of the passenger side engine bay. Or it might be behind that. I don't know what it is, since it just seems to be water. I'm not real worried, but as I said. I can't stand drips period. I'm also wondering if maybe it's water that I went over in the car, or condensation or something since the garage is quite a bit warmer than it is outside.
Any help is appreciated. I can't stand things that drip. On another note, apparently my Overflow bottle doesn't leak, I just had to fill it up again and it's been holding the antifreeze. I guess there was just alot of air in the system like one person had said.
Checked it again, there were a few more small drips, wiped it up and that seemed about the end of it. I started moving my hand around where the drip was and I guess I shook something and one last drip seem to come out, I could tell it was definitely water. I stuck a flashlight right where the drip was pointed straight up, and it's right by the back of the passenger side engine bay. Or it might be behind that. I don't know what it is, since it just seems to be water. I'm not real worried, but as I said. I can't stand drips period. I'm also wondering if maybe it's water that I went over in the car, or condensation or something since the garage is quite a bit warmer than it is outside.
Last edited by duowing; 10-16-2005 at 10:11 AM.
10-16-2005, 10:10 AM
#2
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Southaven Mississippi
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Both my ranger's do the same thing. When useing heater, water act's the same as with the sun. it vaporizes to it. kinda like water dripping off the A/C in summer. It's nothin to worry about. If ya are still worrred. keep an eye on fluid leves. maby that will calm your mind. But it's nothin really.
10-16-2005, 10:18 AM
#3
NisTuner
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Yea, that's what I'm thinking. I've just been very paranoid about things. I just had a very bad experience with the 300ZX. Everything dripped, brake fluid, brake fluid from the clutch. Antifreeze, etc. That was the one thing, since I didn't know that water would really drip from the heater being turned on or not. Thanks for the advice, I'll do what you said and keep an eye on fluid levels and what not. If anything it seems about where the heater core would probably be(which if I'm not mistaken is on the passenger side towards the back). Well I'll keep you guys updated if anything big happens. As for the small rubber tube, any ideas?
10-16-2005, 12:29 PM
#5
NisTuner
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I wipe it up and there's more there later. Maybe there's just a lot of water? I dunno, but the car has been run since about 5 a.m. and now it's 3:30 p.m. I need to get under there and take a look. Like Fubar said, it's probably nothing big since it's just water, it's just odd that it keeps doing this all of a sudden.
Last edited by duowing; 10-16-2005 at 12:42 PM.
10-16-2005, 01:56 PM
#6
More Than Meets The Eye
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Mesa, Az
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I wonder if it your heater core that is leaking? Or maybe a hose going into the firewall? 
I had a similiar leak in my '81 before, and it was the hose going into the firewall on the passenger side. I cut off the bad end of the hose, and reclamped it, and it stopped. That might be where your leak is coming from. Just a thought man. 
I had a similiar leak in my '81 before, and it was the hose going into the firewall on the passenger side. I cut off the bad end of the hose, and reclamped it, and it stopped. That might be where your leak is coming from. Just a thought man.
10-16-2005, 03:00 PM
#7
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That's a good thought, but if it were the hoses for the heater core, you should get some anti-freeze in the drops as well. I'm with Fubar on this one. Sounds like it's just condensation.
Keep checking the fluids regularly to make sure, especially the radiator fluid, and I suspect you'll be fine.
Keep checking the fluids regularly to make sure, especially the radiator fluid, and I suspect you'll be fine.
10-16-2005, 08:45 PM
#8
NisTuner
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I'm thinking it's just like what Wildman said. I've looked under the hood and pointed the flashlight directly upward from the wet spot again. I started looking at this little piece of hose, i'ts between the battery and the block, and right by the little clip for the brake lines. It's just a small piece of rubber hosing that comes out of the passenger side firewall. It doesn't go anywhere, the hose itself is about 3 inches long? I didn't look at it close enough earlier, but it was wet and that's where the water was coming from. It looks like just some kind of drain hose or something. It doesn't look like anything connected to it.
Last edited by duowing; 10-16-2005 at 10:14 PM.
10-17-2005, 10:54 AM
#10
NisTuner
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Yea, it was definitely what was draining it, it just seems weird that I've never seen water draining like this. Unless someway a good hour's worth of 80+ degree heat was enough to kick up a whole lot of water.
10-17-2005, 11:37 AM
#11
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It's not so much the ambient temperature, but the differential between the ambient temperature the surface of the metal as well as the humidity and pressure.
If the humidity is up with the pressure, this will definitely make it condense more.
I know they're both way up here in the Bay Area, my sinuses keep reminding me...
If the humidity is up with the pressure, this will definitely make it condense more.
I know they're both way up here in the Bay Area, my sinuses keep reminding me...
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