Coolant leak, dripping on belts

My '98 Lumina has been overheating and sucking up coolant. When I went to check, I noticed coolant dripping from the inside top of the hood. When I added coolant directly to the radiator, I could see it leaking from near the left side of the engine (as you are facing toward the front of the car, looking at the engine) onto the belts, which are fraying. I am assuming that leak onto the belts is spraying the hood of my car with coolant.

Okay, I am assuming this is bad. How bad IS it?

Thanks. Hi,
Hard to say exactly where the leak is coming from. These pressure leaks could even be a "heater hose" that is not in direct view which spits out and gets tossed with the fan to all sorts of areas.
Worse secenario "normally" would be "water pump" usually a few hundred or so to replace. Best scenario is a heater hose or radiator hose which is usually the problem.
Trying to discover the leak yourself is tricky and a bit risky. With car on ground and running and coolant spitting out its pretty hard to see exactly where leaking from while you avoid the moving belts and dodge the hot coolant spitting out.
You may want to take to a mechanic you can "trust" and do a pressure test to determine where leaking and go from there.
Or if you want to check yourself you need to dry off all coolant from everywhere and maybe have someone else help you looking from bottom and top at same time to determine where coming from before seeing mechanic. (Safety glasses recommended). If its just a hose you may be able to replace yourself for the cost of the rubber hose and clamps.
Anyhow, Good Luck and let us know?
Tom K If the coolant leak is at the left hand side of the engine... where the belts are at the top.... and the leak is coming from the engine... most likely it is not a big issue...

the reason why I am saying this is because... there is a steel pipe that bolts to the engine there... and connects to 2 or 3 hose.... most offten what happens is this steel pipe will rust where the hoses connect and cause a leak....

so all hoses that are 1" - 3 inches in size fo any signs of leaks... and most likely you will see your problem right there. Jay wrote:If the coolant leak is at the left hand side of the engine... where the belts are at the top.... and the leak is coming from the engine... most likely it is not a big issue...

the reason why I am saying this is because... there is a steel pipe that bolts to the engine there... and connects to 2 or 3 hose.... most offten what happens is this steel pipe will rust where the hoses connect and cause a leak....

so all hoses that are 1" - 3 inches in size fo any signs of leaks... and most likely you will see your problem right there.


I haven't driven the car for a week. Today I went out to fill the radiator and, as I filled it, I could clearly see coolant running from this are you talked about and onto the belts.

I'm relieved that it's likely nothing major. I will find a mechanic and take the car in Monday morning. Got it fixed! It WAS the water pump; there were no more leaks anywhere else. Thanks for all of your help!

--d.Car Repair Talk's forum.