water leak from what?

[MerlintheMad]

Hi. This morning, for the first time in "NAV's" life, she has started to be "incontinent". Rather early in life for that, if you ask me. 35K miles, just shy of 28 months with me.

I first saw it as a pretty steady drip line following me up the driveway into the carport. Even as I noticed it with my son, it was evaporating rapidly, so not oil, as he first surmised (he would; his Toyota drips like a sieve).

The leak is much more pronounced with the engine running; a good two drops or more per second. Location on the ground is directly under the RR corner of the engineroom. I can shine a flashlight down from the open hood and see water drops flash in the light, but I can't see specifically what they're coming from.

As the pics show, it is dirty, but not oily. Go figure: any water dripping off a dirty engine will be dirt added to dirt on the concrete floor.

It has no oily or slippery texture and does not smell. It's clearly water.

I was planning a day trip to the Uinta mountains tomorrow, but now I'm scared to go any distance away from civilization. Until I know if this is minor and can be attended to without undue concern for immediacy, I can't see myself leaving town.

Time for someone in our community, who knows what the pipes/hoses/fittings are on this car (from this location) that would emit water, to come to my aid with some information and advice. Please. Thank you.

 

[SafetyPilotCal]

Is that not just dripping off of the AC evaporator core/line? The car does not have any plain water on board to possibly leak out aside from the condensation from the AC. On humid days, mine drips enough pulling into the garage that there's a sizable stream of water coming out from underneath the car.

 

[SafetyPilotCal]

As seen in the service manual, the evaporator core has a drain line to collect this condensation and route it outside of the passenger compartment. That's likely where you're seeing the dripping come from.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Thanks. "In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established." (I forget chapter and verse for that ) In the meantime I called "my" Kia service department, and the guy who talked to me said the same thing. "No water onboard".

Now the only uncertainty is my identifying the liquid accurately. "They" said that Rona sometimes takes away your sense of smell, or messes with it. Hah! And it's too dirty to really make a one hundred percent confident assertion that it's just plain old (filthy) water. So, I have to keep my limitations in mind.

I panicked, only a little bit. I'll do my Uinta day trip tomorrow (and rest easy unless I see oil and engine temperatures starting to climb.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[MerlintheMad]

As you mention humidity, it is more humid than usual around here this morning. So, that could explain why I am seeing water drip now and not before. Combo of drive timing, humid conditions, and my son pointing out the drip.

 

[Aarvix]

Catch some in a shot glass and make sure it's not green (coolant). But it's likely just condensation.

 

[MerlintheMad]

That would be quite a journey for coolant to get clear over to the RR corner of the engineroom. Am I right about that? Or is there a line/source running through that area that COULD spring a leak?

Catch some in a shot glass and make sure it's not green (coolant). But it's likely just condensation.

 

[Aarvix]

Coolant is pumped through the firewall to your heater core. Heater core leaks do happen, but you'd typically smell it and your carpet would be soaked in the cabin.

My bet's still on condensation (AC refrigerant lines also make a trip through the firewall to the evaporator core)

 

[Mike_TX]

Condensation drip from A/C. Perfectly normal. If you were in humid Texas instead of the high desert, you'd see it all the time in the warm months.

 

[DevLF]

Yea this screams A/C condensation! Bad news man, time for part out

 

[P22Tyler]

Enjoy the Uintas I need to make a trip up there sometime soon. One of my favorite drives and fishing spots, great jerky up there too. I also like to stop at the Gateway Grille and sadly that can't happen with everything going on.

 

[Snowwhite]

every car down here has a puddle of water under it when parked. this is normal.

 

[Aarvix]

Condensation drip from A/C. Perfectly normal. If you were in humid Texas instead of the high desert, you'd see it all the time in the warm months.

Heat index is 108 today, I'll probably have a gallon under my car when I get home.

 

[CKeeler]

Thanks. "In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established." (I forget chapter and verse for that )

Deuteronomy 19:15

 

[MerlintheMad]

Deuteronomy 19:15

That's original. But this is the actual quote:
2 Corinthians 13:1

 

[MerlintheMad]

If this were in any way an antifreeze leak, there would still be gunk on the cement after the water evaporated. The spot where the dripping was happening is bone dry now. No sticky color, just dry dirt brought down from the engineroom.

 

[Rob M]

One night after Billy Bob and I had already visited several drinkin' stablishments, we parked at one last waterin' hole. Strugglin' to gets me balance and exit my pick em up truck on the slight grade, I noticed a steady stream of flewid running out from under the left front near the enjin compartment. I figured dang I just replaced that water pump last weekend. I reach down and picks up some with me fingers, jus likes Merlin do, and it not oily at all, but not quite smells like water either. Well, Billy Bob wuz a mecanic, so I says, hey Billy Bob can you come o'er here and tell me what's a leakin'. Billy Bob says sure just as soon as I finish pissin'.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Good that I was by myself (once my son knew it wasn't oil, he did a vanishing act).

 

[stingerwanter]

Hey all I’m experiencing this leak right now. Seems like water or similar as well. Appears clear, no smell.

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[bfglitch]

Usually clear + no smell equals condensation draining from running the AC.