[–] goodluvin 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago (edited ago)
First inspection: If hoses look fine guessing the radiator has a decent hole in it. (Shouldn't be too expensive.) (Small hole under decent pressure would spray fluid on top of the engine.)
This is what I would do:
Get a flashlight.
Fill the coolant back up (directly into the radiator and because it will leak out might use 100% water).
Keep hood open and start the car up (run only for a short time).
While running, inspect and look for the leak. (guessing its a radiator leak.)
If ton of fluid everywhere, should be a big leak.
Careful not to overheat the car.== Temperature gauge doesn't work well with no fluid in the system. May read normal or low without any fluid which will destroy the whole value of the car.
Youtube is a great resource.
edit: If temperatures dropped over night and coolant mixture had too much water vs radiator fluid, the mixture may freeze(expanded) and split the radiator. Obviously, 100% water will raise the freeze temp. Be careful of low outside temp.
[–] Firinmahlazer [S] 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
Thank you. My first step is getting home. I may skip having a dealer diagnose it and have it towed home to do it myself. That makes me feel better about it not being a head gasket. The problem is there's so much fluid I couldn't tell where it was coming from. Especially if it's a hose under or near the plenum there's so much shit around it.
Any ticking noise from the engine? That would point towards a blown head gasket.
Any oil in the coolant? Again, blown head gasket, but if oil is absent it can still be a blown gasket.
It could still be the water pump or a not so obvious hose problem. Add coolant, idle the engine and see what you can learn.
[–] Firinmahlazer [S] 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
I didn't know to listen for ticking but I will check. Oil was normal color, not sure if there was any in the coolant. The reason I'm thinking it's not the water pump because of the location of the wetness but I'm also not entirely sure where the water pump is so I will followup on that as well. Thank you.
[–] ABACABB ago (edited ago)
Probably your water pump dude. The pully goes out and it just spews from there.take off your serpentine belt by getting wrench on your tension pulle. Then shake the pully on the water pump. Any play in the pully? There's your problem. Unbolt that bitch and go get a lifetime warranty part and a gasket slap it on with proper torque fill your coolant and be on your way. Water pump on that car is like low to medium difficulty. Water pump much more likely than the head gasket but thats easily verified by draining your oil and checking for coolant.
Do not drive this car. In a car with no/very low coolant By the time a thermostat gets to the red, the cylinder temps have gotten so high major irreversible damage has already occurred to rings pistons and cylinder walls.
If I'm wrong about the water pump the way to find the leak is fill up you reservoir and radiator and turn the car on while watching under your hood. You'll find ur leak then.