I was checking out my daughter's '89 240 today (coolant, oil, belts, etc.) and noticed a few drops of coolant on the water pump housing where it bolts to the engine. After I put a light on the area, (with the car running) I noticed a faint whisp of steam coming from around the water pump area...but there is no way to tell if it's coming from the shaft or from the sealing surface on the engine. It's been cold outside...and it was night when I put the light on the area....temperature was around 30 degrees outside. If it had been summer time..I probably wouldn't have noticed the steam whisp...but with the cold temp and lite, I saw the faint steam whisp.

I've never replaced the water pump, so I don't know how the sealing surface looks ...or what the gasket looks like. The coolant level is normal...but I saw a couple of drops on the belly pan. This isn't coolant leaking from the head is it? I'm hoping it's just the water pump or the water pump gasket. I checked the oil, and everything looks good there. Any of you seen steam whisp coming from this area before?

Cabbie2169