In the process of buying a 94Q45 w/78K miles for one of my children (he insists he will cover maintence). Pre-purchase inspection observed a leak around a plug on the back of the right head. Is this a serious maintence issue with this motor, a normal occurence, or rare? How difficult to repair?
Thanks
Coolant leak on right rear head
It's leaking from a core plug? I don't recall where the plug is, but I have never heard of a plug leaking on a Q engine. I would already be wary of past overheats or some other kind of damage. I have only heard of coolant leaking from bad/misplaced hoses. Repair difficulty comes down to accessibility. If you have the room to work, it's pretty easy to pop out a plug and tap a new one in. On the back of the head, though, I'm not sure. Not a lot of room between the engine and the firewall.
Qs are wonderful cars but they can easily require, at minimum, $200/month average in maintenenace alone. There is a wealth of information here. Use the search button (top right) to get answers to any questions you might have, and make a post if you don't find what you need. If you find the car worth the price, rest assured you'll have a "support group" here to help you and/or your son.
Qs are wonderful cars but they can easily require, at minimum, $200/month average in maintenenace alone. There is a wealth of information here. Use the search button (top right) to get answers to any questions you might have, and make a post if you don't find what you need. If you find the car worth the price, rest assured you'll have a "support group" here to help you and/or your son.
the coolant plug isn't in the head, it's in the block.
On the RH (passenger in USA) the coolant plug is between and just below the the 4'th and 6th exhaust ports (middle). It is virtually impossible to see, but it can be removed by touch. I doubt very much this is what ler29th saw.
The color of the stain is important. I'll bet it's brown (oil) and it's
a. leaking from a valve cover (there a two rubber half moon plugs which frequently leak.b. possibly leaking from a threaded oil passage plug (very rare I think)c. possibly coolant from a freeze plug in the head (also very unlikely)
Look at the photos from my engine (a '90, but very similar) at http://www.q4sale.com/rebuild.htm
In any case the volume of the leak determines it's severity.
Some owners might not mind a 1/4 qt leak every 1000 miles. Or some states (Ontario in Canada) will not allow a car to be driven if there are any fluid leaks at the time of a saftey inspection (required each time the car is sold)
If it is a oil from the valve cover seal, this is not terribly difficult to fix, but like everything on the Q it is time consuming and therefore expensive. Count on $150 - $250 a month for general maintainence and repair.
On the RH (passenger in USA) the coolant plug is between and just below the the 4'th and 6th exhaust ports (middle). It is virtually impossible to see, but it can be removed by touch. I doubt very much this is what ler29th saw.
The color of the stain is important. I'll bet it's brown (oil) and it's
a. leaking from a valve cover (there a two rubber half moon plugs which frequently leak.b. possibly leaking from a threaded oil passage plug (very rare I think)c. possibly coolant from a freeze plug in the head (also very unlikely)
Look at the photos from my engine (a '90, but very similar) at http://www.q4sale.com/rebuild.htm
In any case the volume of the leak determines it's severity.
Some owners might not mind a 1/4 qt leak every 1000 miles. Or some states (Ontario in Canada) will not allow a car to be driven if there are any fluid leaks at the time of a saftey inspection (required each time the car is sold)
If it is a oil from the valve cover seal, this is not terribly difficult to fix, but like everything on the Q it is time consuming and therefore expensive. Count on $150 - $250 a month for general maintainence and repair.
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AZhitman
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Woo HOOOO!
Finally something I know about!
My Q had a leaking freeze plug, also referred to as a welch plug (sp?). Dealer wanted almost a grand to R&R the trans to get to it, but I had better plans for that cash.
On the advice of several knowledgeable NICO members (thanks Dennis!) and a couple OLD-TIMER techs at the dealership, I put the car on a lift and drained all my coolant. I rigged a wire brush wheel to a couple long drill shaft extensions and cleaned the area around it real well. Then I sprayed it with brake parts cleaner and compressed air until it was "sterile", and laid on a thin coating of JBWeld. Let it cure overnight, refilled coolant, and VOILA!!! No leaks for the past 2 years.
Happy Happy Joy Joy.
Finally something I know about!
My Q had a leaking freeze plug, also referred to as a welch plug (sp?). Dealer wanted almost a grand to R&R the trans to get to it, but I had better plans for that cash.
On the advice of several knowledgeable NICO members (thanks Dennis!) and a couple OLD-TIMER techs at the dealership, I put the car on a lift and drained all my coolant. I rigged a wire brush wheel to a couple long drill shaft extensions and cleaned the area around it real well. Then I sprayed it with brake parts cleaner and compressed air until it was "sterile", and laid on a thin coating of JBWeld. Let it cure overnight, refilled coolant, and VOILA!!! No leaks for the past 2 years.
Happy Happy Joy Joy.
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ler29th
- Posts: 11
- Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2003 5:01 pm
- Car: 94Suburban/94Q45/300/Bonnieville/C2500/66Mustang
Thanks AZhitman, was under the car today while on the lift. The right plug (threads into the back of the head and has a hex depression) had dry green foam around it and down about 2 inches. Left side had small bubble at about 2 o'clock. Doesn't appear to be leaking excessively if at all now. Will watch for the next few weeks as some other maintence issues are dealt with.
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Jerry Parks
- Posts: 87
- Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2003 4:23 pm
- Car: working on my z's