What's causing this leak?
 

Any ideas or knowledge?

Does not look bad to me unless I am missing something. Is it dripping oil? The discoloration could be the power steering overflow since it is vented to the eng compartment or loose O-ring on cap maybe. Is it wet on the reservoir around cap?

Doesn't look like a water pump, for that's further to the left and lower...
 

What does the water pump and engine look like from under the car? You might have to remove that narrow but very wide plastic cover that runs across just in front of the engine proper to see the water pump and front part of the engine best.

My '02 Boxster's water pump went bad -- noisy -- and at first when I looked I didn't see any leaks, but the noise was from that area and a check of the engine accessory drive pulleys found the water pump pulley with play. Also, signs of misalignment of the belt and uneven wear of the water pump pulley convinced me to the point I had the car flat bedded to a dealership and had the water pump replaced.

Later, I took a closer look at the water pump and there is some sign of coolant leakage -- just a faint hint of what my experience with other cars is a very slight leak that leaves a very faint/pale yellowish-green stain (antifreeze -- even though the antifreeze is more yellow than green).

I have a picture of the water pump...

http://i20.tinypic.com/azjjmd.jpg

and you can see the signs of a coolant leak coming from under the black pulley running down around the bolt hole. The coolant stains around the spigot are simply artifacts from their function/exposure to coolant. (BTW, that water pump lasted for nearly 180,000 miles...)

Unless you've changed the coolant and used some other color of antifreeze what I see in the picture doesn't look like a coolant leak based on the color and the location.

Try to get a good look from under the car and see if you can see any signs of any staining from any hose, gasketed fitting, or pulley shaft.

It could be coolant -- maybe a freeze plug (if the Boxster engine has any -- or some other engine accessory drive or system, like power steering, A/C, etc.

Sincerely,

Macster.

I noticed this while cleaning my EVO intake. It appears to be antifreeze but I guess it could be old power steering fluid if it's near that side of the engine.

Which resevoir tank are you refering to?

The water pump is connected/behind to the black pulley?

Water pump is underneath the engine on the drivers side:

Wow, my problem is on the passenger side under the air box. Now that I think about it, I wonder could that dried liquid be draining water mixed with K&N red spray oil?

You last picture shows the reservoir to the right of the Throttle body. There is a hose that comes off it to the right. Not to side track the issue, but since your are in there you may think of a new drive belt.

Ok, I just pulled the air box out again. I still see a leak. It is Coolant but I've narrowed down the leak to where that coolant hose, to the right in my original pictures, meet the metal. There are two bolts, one you can see in the picture and the other blocked by the belt. The leak was coming from the bolt blocked by the belt. Can anyone tell me if there is a gasket that belongs there? Also, the bolts weren't tight. They have now ben tightened, so I guess I need to go for a ride to see if coolant leaks from there again.

About the drive belt, did mine look bad? And is that called the "Poly something" belt? How do I get the belts off, anyway?

It is the belt tensioner pully which has a large nut on it just above the lower crandshaft pulley. Use a 15/16 wrench or scocket as I recall and you turn the nut clockwise to loosen the belt and remove reinstall in same manner. The belt can be purchased at any autozone or checker and is called a Poly V belt.

If you are referring to the picture I included in my earlier post...
 

the water pump is the assembly in the picture. The pulley/water pump come as a unit.

Here is a link to a picture of the other side of the pump....

http://i12.tinypic.com/4rcd82q.jpg

along with the rest of the 'old' water pump hardware/gaskets.

However reading the rest of the posts I think you've found where the link is coming from.

Sincerely,

Macster.

Definately water pump. Time for a replacement.

C.

Well I said to myself "I'll just tighten the bolt then drive to the dealership to see if they had a gasket in stock. Unfortunately, it didn't work out that easy. I over tighten the bolt which cause the bolt head to break. So she's on her way to the dealer on a fatbed truck.:crying: So I'm betting a $5 gasket will now cost me at least $600. Any bets?:)

Certainly sorry to hear about the bolt breaking. Too late...
 

I guess, but having a good torque wrench (or several: 1/4" drive inch/pounds, 3/8" drive in ft/lbs and a 1/2" drive in ft/lbs) and knowing how to use it is paramount for working on one's car.

Unless in doing so can see something fall off inside the engine or other housing closed to access loosening the bolt is recommended, sometimes.

This way you get a better chance at properly retightening the bolt and not over tightening it. Exceptions of course abound. Head bolts generally are re-torqued after some number of heat up/cool down cycles and are not loosened before hand. (There can be exceptions even to this.)

If not too late ask the old parts be saved and give them a going over looking for any signs of fluid leakage. Gaskets or gasket faces of the item/device can show clear signs something's been leaking.

Sincerely,

Macster.

I know how to use a torque wrench, the problem was/is, I don't even know the name of the part after asking on this board and going through some tech diagrams. The diagrams only showed the hose and the clamp, not the metal that the hose connects to and its bolts. Now what I need to learn how to use is a "Tap Kit".:)

I know what's leaking, the gasket is, which is the reason why I abandoned asking on the board and reading the technical diagrams both of which sort of left me in the dark. I knew if I took the car to the dealship they'd know what I was referring to immediately and could pull a gasket out of inventory. I would have asked for the torque specs and done the work at the dealership(it only takes 2 minutes to pull the intake box out to access the mystery part and its bolts. I'm thinking the bolt was already stressed which is probably what led to the leaky gasket and broken bolt.