Coolant Puddle
 

Damn. I noticed this puddle of coolant on my timing gear cover. It was much deeper a few days ago.

My thoughts on debugging are: Water pump packing, Water pump gasket, head gasket.

Is that a sound approach?

Thanks
Leo

Re: Coolant Puddle
 

Take some toilet paper and dab it on the suspected locations. It will soak up any dampness to reveal where the leak is coming from.

Re: Coolant Puddle
 

I use my blue paper shop towel, when it turns a darker blue, bingo ! Last year I was under my A and heard a drip drip, what the heck, upper radiator hose was leaking. First time finding a coolant leak by hear :-)

Re: Coolant Puddle
 

Most likely it's your pump that is leaking. Usually head gasket leaks appear somewhere in the midsection region of the head. Rebuild the pump with new gaskets and seals or install a leakless pump. Also, make sure you replace the fan with an aluminum replacement.

Re: Coolant Puddle
 

First, check to see if it's leaking from either of the two upper radiator hose clamps. It's common and could save you from troubleshooting all the other areas that might be leaking.

Re: Coolant Puddle
 

When I had a leak that was collecting on the top of the timing cover I used a black light and there was enough fluorescence in the antifreeze that it showed the upper hose clamp leaking. As BButturff said I would look there first because might keep you from troubleshooting all the other areas that might be leaking.

Re: Coolant Puddle
 

I agree on upper hose clamps; mine leak especially during cold weather. Can’t seem to get the clamps tight enough without distorting them

Re: Coolant Puddle
 

In my experience there are a couple of solutions to the leaking upper hose. I've found that as the hoses age they get hard (less flexible) and can be difficult to get to seal. The original clamps seem to add to the problem by pinching the hose as they're tightened. Even modern worm gear style clamps, while better, don't seal well especially when cold. Replacing the hose with a new one along with new clamps will fix the problem in most cases. Sometimes you can use the modern worm gear clamps for a while and then replace them with original style clamps once the hose is "seated". Or, if your Model A is a driver and you're not concerned with the original look, you can use a wider even more modern T-bolt full circle hose clamp that will seal even older hoses with ease. They're available at performance auto stores and Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B87RYQJ1...n_title_3&th=1
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/data:...AASUVORK5CYII=

Re: Coolant Puddle ---- from water pump leak
 

Tighten packing nut

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Re: Coolant Puddle
 

I once ordered a very expensive double sealed water pump from a well-known private vendor. It leaked from Day One exactly where your leak apparently originates. No amount of hose clamp tightening or even hose replacement solved the problem. Because it was double-sealed, the packing nut was purely cosmetic and tightening it would have no effect. Nothing worked: drip, drip, drip. Finally, I removed the water pump and examined the casting. It was cracked on the bottom of the mating surface and had come to me that way! I don't know whether this was created by improper boring for sealed bearings or whether it was an original housing that had once frozen and had cracked. Very disappointing. That was the last water pump I ordered from this guy, as I had perceived a drop-off in quality in the last couple I had ordered from him for my cars and for customers.
Anyway, if tightening the clamps and replacing the upper hose don't help, run a bar of soap over the bottom portion of the pump housing where water in the cylinder head rushes past. If the leak temporarily stops, the housing is cracked. Try the other suggestions posted so far first, but keep a cracked housing in the back of your mind, should no recommendation work.
Marshall

Re: Coolant Puddle
 

Good idea for all of us.