TR2/3/3A brown spatter after driving - TR3A

[NutmegCT]

Good morning folks.

I took TeeYah for a drive after replacing some fuel lines and clamps.

Got home and opened the bonnet to check for fuel leaks. I noticed a brownish oily (?) spatter on the two horns (left and right sides), underside of bonnet front just over the latch, and the horn wiring. Wiped off easily, but left a slippery feeling. Nothing dripping near any hoses or under the car.

Radiator has greenish coolant, so I'd think the spatter didn't come directly from the cooling system. Temp went up to just past midway on the gauge while driving (90F outside) but no overheating evidenced. Nor any evidence of fuel leaks from the new connections, thank heaven.

Has this "brown spatter" ever happened to you? Anything to worry about?

Thanks.
Tom

 

[TR4]

I would ask you to start the car up and see if you can make the spatter appear at idle. Rev it up to see if any appears and if still no spatter, take the car out and see if it appears again. It might be some leftover fluid from the work you did or the culprit might show up when you run this exercise.

 

[Twosheds]

Loose top radiator hose clamp that only leaks when engine tilts under Torque Reaction Force? Left coolant marks on the inside of the bonnet on mine, though.

 

[Andrew Mace]

Could it be a bit of blow-by from inside the engine? That might explain the "slippery" aspect.

 

[prb51]

Blow-by exiting the oil filler/breather cap vents?

 

[Don Elliott]

Did you leave an excess of grease on the water pump grease fitting and the fan belt whipped it around onto the horns ?

 

[PeterK]

Upper radiator hose, bypass hose or thermostat cover gasket, something around that area that is being blown by the fan.

 

[tomshobby]

Upper radiator hose, bypass hose or thermostat cover gasket, something around that area that is being blown by the fan.

There is one more thing in that area, the water pump. Check the back side of the pulley and around the vent under the housing. Often when the pump bearings fail there is a rusty and greasy mess along with it.

 

[Tomster]

Get some help in doing this:
Place and hold a piece of white showcard or bristol board (felt or non gloss finish) over the front of the valve cover, fan and rad. BREIFLY start engine check card for spatter. BREIFLY rev engine and check again. This may provide you with a tell tail as to where the spatter is originating from.
Sorry about the following , but could you have driven thru an oily dirty puddle that splashed into the airflow of the fan, splattering the engine bay?

 

[NutmegCT]

Went for another test drive. About to have a major storm, but no rain in the last two weeks, and no puddles for splashing. No traces of spattering at idle, during revs, or after the drive, but the drive was only about 15 mins, instead of an hour like the time I found the spatters. Weather still around 90F.

No traces of wet at top radiator clamp. No excess grease on water pump zerk (I always "clean up afterwards"). Thermostat cover is dry. I didn't feel up under the water pump as it's way too hot right now, but ...

Take a look at the photo. There's some brownish "drip" just above the timing pointer, and the bolt just below the pointer is wet.

Is this evidence of water pump failure? Or just a leaky gasket? Or the symptoms of a visit by the Crypt Kicker?

Thanks all.
Tom

 

[NickMorgan]

Tom,
It is uncanny how your car and mine seem to suffer from similar problems. I have also been getting a brown splatter on the left-hand-side inner wing and horn. This has been happening for years, but only on occasions. I thought that it was coolant leaking past the radiator cap and I was also missing the overflow pipe for a while. I thought that the coolant then dripped on the fan belt and was splattered onto the wing. Unfortunately since I replaced the radiator cap and overflow pipe it still continues. I now suspect that it is a slight leak from the water pump. I think that coolant must leak past the seal along the shaft, mixes with grease from the ball races and then dripps down the pulley wheel. When the engine runs it flies off the pulley wheel across the engine bay. My water pump must be an after-market one fitted in the USA before I bought the car. The place where the grease nipple should be is blanked off, so it can't be greased. One day I will replace it, but only once the problem has become worse.
Nick

 

[TR3driver]

I now suspect that it is a slight leak from the water pump.

/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/iagree.gif Personally, I would change it sooner rather than later, since the next step may be to shear the shaft off and toss the pulley into the radiator or bonnet. Unlikely, but why take the risk ?

 

[tomshobby]

Hi Nick,

No need to worry that there is no way to get grease to the bearings because the new bearings are lubed and sealed during manufacture and there is no opening for the grease to get in anyway.

 

[MGTF1250Dave]

Aloha Tom,

I agree with Nick and Tom. The brown stuff is a grease and coolant mixture either coming from the weep hole on the under side of the water pump from the front of the pump. I suspect the water pump seal is failing. As the engine warms up and the cooling system comes up to pressure, coolant is pushed by the pump seal. This hot coolant mixes with the bearing grease an then drips out of the pump and drops on water pump drive pulley. Centrifugal force spreads it around the underside of the bonnet and inner fender.

A mechanic's stethoscope will probably let you know the engine side water pump bearing is noisy.

 

[kc_doyle]

that would be my guess...

 

[NutmegCT]

Sounds like the water pump seal is failing.

Does that mean the pump needs replacing?

Tom

 

[Harry_Ward]

Tom,

Clean off bottom of pump housing and check that weep hole at the bottom of the pump for any leakage after the car has reached operating temp.

When the seal fully fails the coolant will dump out the hole at the bottom of the pump housing and the car will overheat. You can wait for it to cool and refill the radiator and maybe get another ten miles before the process repeats itself. Best insurance is to replace the pump.

Here's tha Moss link for your viewing pleasure. Buy it where you like though. Make sure you get the cogged belt if you do not have one already.

https://mossmotors.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=29120#30

 

[Tomster]

Ah yes another 80 bucks closer to owning your car ...