Coolant leak on 01 Pathy (dreaded crossover tube)

[amb4081]

Well I noticed over the weekend a puddle of coolant under my 01 Pathy a couple hours after driving.

After a thorough search, not finding any hoses cracked or leaking, I was finally able trace it down to the passenger side gasket of the crossover tube. I had to lay a few inches above a HOT engine after getting home. But with my mirror and trusty flashlight, I saw the drip, drip, drip at the bottom of the gasket/bolt mounting point. Major suck!!!

The local dealer quoted the job at 5 hours to replace the water control valve, which I told them I would want done with the gaskets IF I have them do it. So I'm looking at $475 labor and about $15 in parts.

My wife doesn't want me to tackle this myself, even though I have done timing belts, suspension work, brakes, etc on other cars.

How much of a nightmare will this be to remove the upper and lower intake manifold correctors, injector tube, and intake manifold? That's what the FSM states to gain access to the water control valve. Is it fair to assume at that point I am home free on accessing the gaskets?

In addition, the FSM never says to replace the manifold corrector gaskets or any of the associated gaskets with this job. Should I do so anyways or is it a waste of money?

Thanks.

[Towncivilian]

Intake manifold correctors? I've seen that typo in the FSM before. They are collectors. Yes, you should replace the various UIM/LIM gaskets as well as the throttle body gasket. If you want a list of all the OEM part numbers for gaskets, WCV and its gaskets, provide your VIN here.

It is a lot of work, but it's more tedious than time consuming. It's certainly doable, just make sure you keep track of bolts and nuts and print out the relevant pages of the FSM for torque specs for reassembly.

While you have everything apart, you should apply red threadlocker to the power valve screws to ensure they don't fall out (unless you have a manual transmission in which case you have no power valve screws). This guide covers removal more or less through the lower intake manifold.

[amb4081]

My fault on the spelling...Been a long day.

[Towncivilian]

No worries

[amb4081]

VIN JN8DR09Y41W581859

[Buzzman]

Yes, you should replace the various UIM/LIM gaskets as well as the throttle body gasket. If you want a list of all the OEM part numbers for gaskets, WCV and its gaskets, provide your VIN here.

It is a lot of work, but it's more tedious than time consuming. It's certainly doable, just make sure you keep track of bolts and nuts and print out the relevant pages of the FSM for torque specs for reassembly.

While you have everything apart, you should apply red threadlocker to the power valve screws to ensure they don't fall out (unless you have a manual transmission in which case you have no power valve screws).

Ditto on the gaskets.
I did my power valve screws last month, and it turned out to be a lot easier, and less complicated, than I thought.
Town is right. Not complicated, just tedious.
BTW, all my valves were there, and all the screws were still tight. (whew!).

[amb4081]

Well, we were isolate the leak to the passenger side gasket. A mechanic buddy of mine helped to tighten the bolts a little which ended up up not being a fix. So it's obvious that the leak is probably a small crack in the gasket. For the interim, we put a small amount of bars leak coolant sealant in which stopped the leak within minutes of running the engine.

We r in the process of buying and moving to a new house so right now I just don't have the time to invest tearing it all apart. Once we get settled in a month or two, I am planning on doing the real fix.

Thanks for the replies so far.

[yngw13]

Hey Buzzman,

What tools were required for this job?
Did you end up buying gaskets too?

[Buzzman]

Hey Buzzman,

What tools were required for this job?
Did you end up buying gaskets too?

Yes, I bought the gaskets (dealership).
Glad I did. The old ones were not reusable.
As for tools, nothing out of the ordinary. No special tools required.
just a standard socket set, extensions, etc.

[yngw13]

Thanks Buzzman!

All this time I thought I needed a star socket set...which I might have.
internalizing the job but not in the immediate future (this year)

---Since Im taking it apart...I might as well do the spark plug replacement if it hasnt been done...


GOSH...I apologize OP for the threadjack...

[attofarad]

Intake manifold correctors? I've seen that typo in the FSM before. They are collectors. Yes, you should replace the various UIM/LIM gaskets as well as the throttle body gasket. If you want a list of all the OEM part numbers for gaskets, WCV and its gaskets, provide your VIN here.

My wife has the same problem (which means I have it)

JNRDR09Y61W217485

It's the QX4, put parts should be the same.

Gary

[maxmileage]

hey amb4081, did your leak return? did you end up doing the crossover gasket job? I believe I developed a drip,drip, drip. Tried the bars stuff as a quick fix since its freakin freezin right now and it is just a VERY slight drip right now. Just curious as to how yours turned out.

[Towncivilian]

Intake manifold correctors? I've seen that typo in the FSM before. They are collectors. Yes, you should replace the various UIM/LIM gaskets as well as the throttle body gasket. If you want a list of all the OEM part numbers for gaskets, WCV and its gaskets, provide your VIN here.

My wife has the same problem (which means I have it)

JNRDR09Y61W217485

It's the QX4, put parts should be the same.

Gary

• 16175-4W000 GASKET-THR (throttle body gasket)
• 14033-4W000 GASKET-MAN (first of two upper intake manifold gaskets)
• 14033-4W010 GASKET-MAN (second of two upper intake manifold gaskets)
• 14032-4W00A GASKET-ADA (gasket between upper and lower intake manifolds)
• 21230-8P300 VALVE ASSY (water control valve; includes O-ring)

[attofarad]

Well, I got an inspection camera taped to a coat hanger in there (just plug it into the computer USB port) from below and took a look. It seems that the leak is coming from what looks like a freeze plug, right above the passenger side crossover tube-engine connection.

Looks like no way to replace that freeze plug without pulling the engine. Is that correct? Any idea what it is going to cost to have someone fix this? Right now, it has temporarily stopped leaking, but I'm sure it will return. Or should I throw some radiator leak stop in there and call it a day? I had planned to keep this car another 6-8 years.

Gary

[Gatekeeper]

I am about to takle this task as well... I need a list of PN as welll for the gaskets...
VID JN8DR09X61W569333

[attofarad]

Just to get back to this -- it turns out that the leak was the crossover tube gasket, not the freeze plug. It must have been squirting a bit on the freeze plug, which made it look to me like the plug was the problem.

While they were doing that, they found that the water control valve (secondary thermostat between firewall and engine) has also failed in a bizarre looking way. They had to drop the transmission to get to the crossover tube, so it cost about $750 total, 97% was labor.

[donald]

I'm seeing little droplets hanging below my engine (first sighting this past weekend while replacing Bank1 Rear O2 Sensor) and since it sounds like this is a "popular" item to blame for leaking coolant on what is a rather healthy engine/truck.

However, I'm not familiar with the crossover and searching the Lubrication & Cooling chapter of the FSM, I could not find any reference to it. I can only suspect a few things:



Is part #3 the crossover tube?
If so - which gasket(s) am I focusing on?
* Blue-circled gasket for the water control vavle?
* Red-circled gaskets that attach to 2 ends of the "#3 - Water outlet)
* yellow-circled gasket for part #5, the cylinder block water outlet?
* or this isn't anywhere close to where the crossover tube is :P

Thanks!