Im new to the SR20DET, and I have my redtop installed and running. It runs great, however there is coolant leaking right out of the bellhousing. When the engine is running there is no leak. When I shut it off a steady stream comes out. It leaks from the small hole :confused: where the trans meets the engine. I know i didn't crack the block or anything because there is no coolant in the oil. There is no noise and the engine doesn't overheat because i just keep topping off the radiator. Could there be a missing freeze plug? Or do SR's even have freeze plugs???

Errr...coolant leaking out of the bellhousing? I assume it's a neon green color, this fluid? Are you sure it isn't leaking from somewhere else, and running down your engine to the bellhousing / engine interface, making it look like it's coming from the tranny? This is odd...

im trying to visualize the location hes refering too, and pondering why there would be coolant there. anyone?

It must be leaking from somewhere else,might be leaking from that turbo coolant line that is close to that, no? I'm sure it has to be dripping from there...no COOLANT comes from a transmission. Is the coolant level going down? Maybe its transmission fluid.

might be leaking from that turbo coolant line that is close to that, no?
Yeah, that might be it if it was the coolant outlet. One thing's for sure...this'll be hard to diagnose with the engine in the car.

My suggestion is to get it on a lift while it's running, to see exactly what's going on. Normally I wouldn't put a running car on a lift, but if it only leaks when it's running, this may be your only choice. Either that, or run it, shut it off, and immediately take it up on the lift.

I have to top off the coolant everytime I turn off the car. Im seriously very confused. Could it have something to do with the heater hoses right about the tranny???

I have to top off the coolant everytime I turn off the car. Im seriously very confused. Could it have something to do with the heater hoses right about the tranny???
Yes, that's also a possibility, as they run above the bellhousing. If they leak, I could see the fluid running down the bellhousing side and off the bottom, potentially giving the impression that the fluid was coming from the bellhousing.

who did the install?,,, if they didn't know what they were doing it is possible maybeeee... and this is far fetched but there is a hose on the tranny that is to stay free,,, maybe they hooked a coolant line to it or something and now fuild boils over into the tranny and out to the floor,, that is me using my imagination :)

LoL Sounds like personal experience to me.

hell no...not me... but it's possible

Funny you actually said that. When I first got my car, I was leaking a lot of red fluid. Now you automatically think Power steering..but I was such a newb...and I was told red=tranny fluid (we know that red is auto now...). So I took it to goodyear after a night of looking for leaks..and goodyear saw the breather tube in the tranny and said "well we'd have to crack open the case and do a lot of motor "extraction" (lmao) if I wanted to find the leak. Well I said no thank you...went home and learned RED=PS fluid! Saved myself $800 lol.

Lesson here...Mechanics are nothing but assholes and get as much money from you as possible with the least amount of work!

I have another question as well....OK, everything in the swap is done. Blitz front mount intercooler, Koyo radiator, exhaust, downpipe, intake, and stuff like that. But Im waiting on my hotpipe to come in. But as of now the guy who did my engine made a temporary hotpipe. I have my Greddy Type S blow off valve waiting for the ACTUAL hotpipe with a flange to come in. So I have been driving around for a couple of days without a BOV, the guy who did my engine said as long as I dont boost it to high it should be fine. But what do yall think? Im nervous everytime i drive...

You aren't going to break anything, stay as far into vacuum as you can, very hard to do with a T25. Compressor surge is very bad for the turbo, as it makes the turbo STOP spinning, and rotate backwards, then start rotating forward again. I would recommend avoiding driving if you could, but if not, try to stay at least 10mm/hg in vacuum.

You aren't going to break anything, stay as far into vacuum as you can, very hard to do with a T25. Compressor surge is very bad for the turbo, as it makes the turbo STOP spinning, and rotate backwards, then start rotating forward again. I would recommend avoiding driving if you could, but if not, try to stay at least 10mm/hg in vacuum.

OK. Could you please explain the vacuum thing lol. Sorry im new to turbo's.

You have a boost gauge, right? Vacuum is the opposite of boost...Vacuum is pull, boost is push. If you stay in vacuum, you aren't compressing hardly any air with the turbo, so you won't need the BOV to let out the compressed air anyway. Just look at your boost gauge, and make sure you stay below the zero, in the vacuum side.