# Second coolant leak on 2014 LS 1.8L



## plano-doug (Jul 1, 2015)

rejesterd said:


> Last week I replaced the lower radiator hose on my girlfriend's 2014 LS 1.8L. That stopped the previous leak, but now it looks like I have one coming from the thermostat housing. It looks like the housing is GM part #25199824. Are there any other parts that connect to this that I should also consider replacing preemptively? I just don't want to be playing whack-a-mole with the cooling system if I can help it. I've read that the reservoir itself is something people usually replace, but I don't currently see any leaking from that area thankfully.
> 
> Thanks.


On my 2012 1.8, I found the part you identified leaking where it joins the head.

I also found both nipples on the reservoir cracked and leaking, requiring it to be replaced. On the reservoir, the cap is also known to leak, requiring a new o-ring, or just get a new cap - it's probably easier to source.

Lastly, on my 1.8, there is an "oil cooler pipe" from the water outlet / thermostat housing which runs under the exhaust manifold. I have part number 25194218 for it, but I'm getting "does not fit your 2015" messages when I check it against your info. There are o-rings on each end of that pipe which you will want to replace. Again, it's easier to get a whole new pipe than try and find the right o-rings (IMO). Given the "does not fit" messages, this may be something you want to get at the dealer parts counter, to be sure it's the right part for your car.

HTH.

Doug

[EDIT]Update: gmpartsgiant.com says 25194218 is indeed the correct part number for the oil cooler pipe on your 2015.



25194218 - GM Parts Giant



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## rejesterd (Oct 31, 2019)

Thanks Doug, great info.


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## patomartinez10 (Nov 2, 2019)

the water pump is also notorious for coolant leaks. i've now had to replace the thermostat housing, lower radiator hose, and water pump, but my coolant leaks are now gone! at least for the time being..


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

patomartinez10 said:


> the water pump is also notorious for coolant leaks. i've now had to replace the thermostat housing, lower radiator hose, and water pump, but my coolant leaks are now gone! at least for the time being..


Is this a 1.4 or 1.8? The 1.4 is notorious for leaks, but we're talking about a 1.8 here.


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## Turkeyslayer59 (Nov 12, 2019)

rejesterd said:


> Last week I replaced the lower radiator hose on my girlfriend's 2014 LS 1.8L. That stopped the previous leak, but now it looks like I have one coming from the thermostat housing. It looks like the housing is GM part #25199824. Are there any other parts that connect to this that I should also consider replacing preemptively? I just don't want to be playing whack-a-mole with the cooling system if I can help it. I've read that the reservoir itself is something people usually replace, but I don't currently see any leaking from that area thankfully.
> 
> Thanks.


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## Turkeyslayer59 (Nov 12, 2019)

Check water pump assembly for leaks right by the thermostat housing it's made of plastic


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## Turkeyslayer59 (Nov 12, 2019)

1.8 has same issues with leaks


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## rejesterd (Oct 31, 2019)

On the 1.8, the thermostat housing is closer to the driver's side.. nowhere near the water pump. But it looks like I will be replacing the pump as well, because this morning I could see that coolant had dripped from the passenger side over night (unlike the previous morning, where I could see coolant had pooled right underneath the thermostat housing). The lower radiator hose is new, and it does not appear to be leaking like it was before. So it's gotta be the pump on that side and the thermostat housing on the other. Frustrating, but thankfully the engine and transmission still seem to be in great shape. So hopefully these repairs will be worth it in the end. I'll post an update hopefully next week.

Regarding the water pump, is removing the upper engine mount actually necessary? I've seen people do this in videos, but I can clearly see and reach the pulley bolts right now. I need a shallower torx bit driver, but I can reach them it seems. Thanks again.


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## plano-doug (Jul 1, 2015)

rejesterd said:


> Regarding the water pump, is removing the upper engine mount actually necessary?


Keep in mind, on the mount shown, some of the bolts must be replaced, per the manual. But some can be re-used. So, if you end up needing to remove the mount, maybe you can get by removing just the re-usable bolts.

HTH.

Doug










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## rejesterd (Oct 31, 2019)

Yeah, it seems like the mount is completely above the belt, so hopefully I can get away without having to remove it. 

Thanks Doug.. do you know if the manual specifies the torx bit sizes for the pulley and the pump itself? Looks like I need a stubby set of bits.


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## plano-doug (Jul 1, 2015)

rejesterd said:


> Thanks Doug.. do you know if the manual specifies the torx bit sizes for the pulley and the pump itself? Looks like I need a stubby set of bits.


I don't think the sizes are in the manual - that would be too helpful 

Seems like the ones I used (doing a timing belt) were all ⅜" drive, about 1½ to 2 inches long, so not very stubby.

HTH.

Doug

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## rejesterd (Oct 31, 2019)

For reference, here are the parts I ordered from RockAuto.com:


 *2014 CHEVROLET CRUZE 1.8L L4*ACDELCO​25194218Oil Cooler Line$ 27.79​$ 0.00​1​$ 27.79​ACDELCO​252947 (252-947)Water Pump$ 48.79​$ 0.00​1​$ 48.79​ACDELCO​1581816 (15-81816)Thermostat Housing / Water Outlet$ 67.99​$ 0.00​1​$ 67.99​GATES​K060609Belt$ 16.08​$ 0.00​1​$ 16.08​Shipping​Ground​$ 7.99Tax​ ​$ 10.04*Order Total*​ *$ 178.68*
[TD] [/TD]
[TD]Part Number[/TD]
[TD]Part Type[/TD]
[TD]Price EA[/TD]
[TD]Core EA[/TD]
[TD]Quantity[/TD]
[TD]Total[/TD]​


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## rejesterd (Oct 31, 2019)

Well unfortunately, one of the water pump pulley bolts won't come off. I was able to crack the other 2 loose, but as soon as I put my torx bit in the third one, I could feel that it wasn't seating right.. either someone already tried getting off before me or it had just corroded.

Any tips for cracking this last bolt loose? It's in a tight spot, so the options seem limited.


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## plano-doug (Jul 1, 2015)

rejesterd said:


> Any tips for cracking this last bolt loose? It's in a tight spot, so the options seem limited.


A couple thoughts. If the bolt has any shoulder on it, and there's room around it, you might try one of the extraction sockets that are made for rounded bolts. The sockets have sharp spirals formed which cut into the bolt shoulders to grip it.

The other idea is to get a slightly larger torx and hammer it in. In fact, you might start with the one you have and see if tapping that into the star hole improves the grip any.

Typical torx sets go by increments of ~5, so your next size up may be too big - you might need to scrounge some tool places looking for one that's just a tad bigger than the "correct" size. the idea is that, if the hole has been hogged out a bit, a slightly larger torx bit, with the help of a hammer, might still be able to get a good grip.

In shops, when a bolt won't turn, they often put a torch on it to heat it up, then turn it. I have used that on a brake hose with success. Propane torches are pretty common. Some folks prefer acetylene because it's hotter, but that pretty much implies welding gear.

After that, you're looking at drilling the head off, then hoping you can get the remainder out with vise grips. If you can't get a regular drill on it, they make right angle adapters for drills which might be an option. In fact, they now make right angle drills. Perhaps you can rent one rather than purchasing.

After that, about all that's left are sawzall or cutting torch 

Doug

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## rejesterd (Oct 31, 2019)

plano-doug said:


> A couple thoughts. If the bolt has any shoulder on it, and there's room around it, you might try one of the extraction sockets that are made for rounded bolts. The sockets have sharp spirals formed which cut into the bolt shoulders to grip it.
> 
> The other idea is to get a slightly larger torx and hammer it in. In fact, you might start with the one you have and see if tapping that into the star hole improves the grip any.
> 
> ...


Thanks. I should note that these bolt heads are already round..to remove them requires a torx bit driver, not a socket (which I would be using on the water pump mounting bolts). But maybe an extractor would still work. I can't drill or hammer because there's only 1.5 inches of clearance between the bolt head and the metal framing.


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## plano-doug (Jul 1, 2015)

rejesterd said:


> I should note that these bolt heads are already round..


Right. The extractor I'm thinking of can still grip that, I believe.

Below is an example. This one is probably a bit small. But you can see how it grips.

Doug









Bolt Extraction Socket, 1/4 in Drive Size, 10 mm Socket Size, Bolt Extractor, Alloy Steel


Bolt Extraction Socket, Steel, Chrme, 10mm




www.grainger.com





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## rejesterd (Oct 31, 2019)

A 1/2" extractor socket did the trick. I put some vice grips on it and used a screwdriver to lever the socket and push it against the bolt heads. Hopefully I'll get everything replaced tomorrow.. nothing like the holidays to delay mechanical work


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## rejesterd (Oct 31, 2019)

Ok, it hasn't leaked on short trips made over the last week, so I'm going to call this a success for the time being. What caused it to leak in the first place is still unknown, so we'll see how it goes. If it happens again, I'm going to get the exhaust tested for leaks. Here is what I replaced:

1. The lower radiator hose assembly. On the 1.8, this is a hose with a temp sensor built into the plastic quick connect fitting that goes to the radiator. This was where the original leak was. To replace that, you definitely need some hose clamp cable-type pliers to remove the clamp at the engine. You also need a radiator hose pick tool like this:



Advance Auto Parts - Down for Maintenance



The connection at the engine side is very difficult to reach, so you need something like that (or you have to cut it off, which is more risky imo).

2. The water pump. Turns out that you do not need to remove the motor mounts, as shown in some videos floating around YouTube. You just need to remove the front-passenger wheel bay cover. I would strongly recommend removing the water pump pulley bolts with a 1/2" extractor socket as mentioned above (while levering it against the bolt heads with a long screwdriver or a small pry bar). I would not even bother trying to remove them with a T40 torx bit.. not enough room, and they easily get stripped. I replaced the original pulley bolts with some hex-head bolts that were the same length and thread size, and added blue Loctite to the threads. The belt tensioner can be loosened with a 19 mm 12-point socket and a long breaker bar. Then you just shove a pin or an allen key in the hole to hold the tensioner in place while you remove the belt. If I recall correctly, the mounting bolts for the water pump required an E-8 or E-10 torx socket.

3. I replaced the drive belt itself, since coolant had been leaking all over the old one.

4. The thermostat housing. This again required a hose pick tool to remove the heater hoses, and an E-8 torx socket to remove the mounting bolts. I did initially have a leak at one of the hoses after I replaced it, but I noticed the clamp wasn't on there quite straight, and it was close to the end of the hose.. so I moved it downstream about 1/4 inch. Seems to be fine now. I also replaced the gasket for the oil cooling pipe that connects to the thermostat housing. To disconnect the oil cooling pipe requires a torx bit driver (thanks again to Doug for pointing that out). I don't recall what size bit is required for the bolts for the oil cooling pipe, but I bought this set (and one of them did the job):









Husky Magnetic Tamperproof TORX L-Key Set (9-Piece) HLAMTXK9PC - The Home Depot


This set of TORX keys from Husky covers 9 of the most commonly found TORX fastener sizes. Each key features a magnetic long arm that works with standard TORX fasteners and a short arm that works with Tamperproof TORX fasteners. Heat treated and formed from S2 tool steel, these keys are durable...



www.homedepot.com





Note that I did not replace the oil cooling pipe itself, because it requires the exhaust manifold to be removed. Since I never saw any leaking from underneath that area, I decided to just replace the gasket only. So far, so good.

Thanks again for the responses.


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## CruzeDrew (Sep 22, 2020)

I JUST joined and made a new thread today but it looks like you had the same exact issues I am seeing... Thank you for posting all of this. I am going to give it a try tomorrow!


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## rejesterd (Oct 31, 2019)

Good luck. The heavy use of e-torx fasteners in the Cruz is pretty annoying, but there is generally enough room to work without having to remove anything beyond the air filter housing.

Just be careful when you go to loosen the tensioner. Mine snapped on the first try, because I wasn't pushing/levering the breaker bar head against the tensioner (so the bolt just sheered off).


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## CruzeDrew (Sep 22, 2020)

Thanks for reply!

I digress with this, but I miss MA. My grandma had a nice house in Scituate, used to take a drive from Okeechobee FL all the way up there. Beautiful state.

This is a pic from yesterday's test run and leak check:









How can I ascertain if it's from the water pump or that hose coming out of the radiator?


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## rejesterd (Oct 31, 2019)

That looks more like spatter from the drive belt, so my money would be on the water pump. On mine, I had coolant dripping right around where the lower radiator hose connects to the radiator (so on the right side of your pic, where you can see the metal clip for the hose). But I also had coolant spatter in the same area as you're showing (which was almost certainly the water pump, because it hasn't come back since I replaced it). I would feel underneath where the hose connects to the water pump to make sure it's not leaking on that side of the hose, but seems more like the water pump. It would be a good idea to replace the hose too, but you might want to save some money if the tstat housing starts leaking. That's a more expensive part than the lower hose.


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## CruzeDrew (Sep 22, 2020)

I noticed residue on the thermostat housing:









So I am probably going to replace that as well. Just pulled off the plastic pieces off the bottom of the car, getting ready to drain the coolant and trying to find some tools to use.

Hoping I can remove it without removing motor mount as well.

Thanks for your replies and thorough info in posts!


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## rejesterd (Oct 31, 2019)

No prob.

Yeah. The tstat housing is a little easier to replace, from what I remember. The most difficult part was getting at the bolts for the oil cooler pipe, but you can do it with those tools I mentioned.


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## CruzeDrew (Sep 22, 2020)

I noticed there was no o ring on the end of the oil cooler pipe that attaches to the tstat. You got yours from rock auto correct? Did you have to replace on both ends or just tstat end?


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## rejesterd (Oct 31, 2019)

CruzeDrew said:


> I noticed there was no o ring on the end of the oil cooler pipe that attaches to the tstat. You got yours from rock auto correct? Did you have to replace on both ends or just tstat end?


The o-ring might be sitting inside the old tstat housing. I just did the one end.


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## CruzeDrew (Sep 22, 2020)

I was given the suggestion to get an upgraded oil cooler pipe with redesigned o-rings, which I did. Installed while exhaust manifold was off to get to oil cooler. I successfully replaced water pump and thermostat plus housing. So thank you for your help!

It was nice being able to do that water pump without removing engine mount. And those original pulley bolts do suck, will have to replace them if this ever comes off again, I know one of them is not going to hold the key wrench again.

Now on to my oil cooler mixing fluids after replacing gaskets xD.


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