Hi guys
I have a coolant leak in our 1996 Pajero recently had a reco engine fitted cost a arm & a leg but while engine was being done we replaced radiator with brand new replaced all hoses etc ( hose kit was about $600.00 on its own) any way need to do 800k for first service have done around 500 thought we might clock up remainder this weekend. Ever since we have had the Paj back from mechanic there has been a damp spot under the vehicle which disappears after vehicle has been sitting for a couple of hours thought it was just the air con drain, car has been sitting for about 12 hours when we checked it over there is green coolant on the ground not much but it is there had a look around engine seems to be a drip starting rather high up at the rear of engine not easy to see drips down on to starter is this the water pump at the rear of the engine? Wife said that when she was driving the other day it appeared to be hot air coming out vents but heater wasn't turned on don't know if this is related some how or not. Have holidays in a couple of weeks going to do a bit of travelling would like to get it all sorted. Will take back to mechanic on Tuesday (long weekend) but would like to use vehicle before then any suggestions?

Well in most cases , the water intermediate connections and and bypass pipe all connect in the V of the engine at the back of the water pump. If the o rings may go bad on these connector pipes it can build up sum coolant in this V area and dribble down the rear of the engine around the transmission housing and starter.

Also sum models had a coolant bypass valve for the heater which was at the rear of the engine , if the pipe , fitting , connector. This can possibly drip coolant on the rear of the engine in small amounts and drip down. The water pump itself leaking in any amount would have coolant around the frunt crank pulley and the frunt of the engine area and not the rear.

Hope sum of this sheds light on yur issue. As stated by another member ManyBrews , as i have seen in my experiance also that the interconnector pipes that go to the rear heater unit also rust out or the fittings leak where it crosses to the frame near the starter , and will leak. They can leak in any position making it troublesum to find.

Thanks for the reply appears to be small amount of coolant not enough to drop the level in the system at this stage even at operating temp

Don't be to critical of your new transplant as there are always some little issues to sort out after doing this work. Best to get these little houskeeping type issues fixed before you do a large trip because last thing yopu want is a serious break-down miles from home.

Try and mark where it is leaking and get some help to locate as suggested above. Don't be tempted to dump some stop leak additive in the radiator thinking it will fix your problem because more than likely it will complicated the problem.

jim