I might have multiple problems-- But, I'm a girl who likes to troubleshoot.

First- my car sometimes accelerates oddly. What I mean is, I can be driving along, and I come to my first stop light. When I go to accelerate from the light, my car doesn't seem to realize that I want it to accelerate. It sludges forward, then finally catches and returns to normal. It does this more often upon first starting the car, on rainy days, and on cold days. ALSO: when I turn on the AC or heat, a belt whines like no other, and the car starts to lose engine power.

Second- I thought other than that my car was fine. Then it started overheating, and I couldn't find a leak. By the 3rd day of it overheating it finally started leaking coolant. It comes from behind the engine, right above the cv boot, from a quarter size hole. And it looks like there's a lot of build-up, almost like mineral build-up, encrusted below the hole.

Thanks!!

 

If the car is automatic, check the trans fluid it could be low (this can cause a sluggish reaction time).

Check the belt tension & condition for the alternator and A/c compressor, the belts probably don't have the correct tension or need to be replaced.

Is the hole the coolant leaking from a freeze plug?

 

Ha Ha! You were right on the money. It was in fact a 'freeze plug'. I bought a replacement at Advance yesterday, and managed to get 90% of the plug out. I'm still working on the outer ring. But, all and all things are going quite well. I'm lucky enough that it is the one freeze plug that has some clearance around it.

I haven't checked the tranny fluid yet. I want to finish up the plug before I move on. Thanks so much!!

 

And another problem is that your timing might be off, that when you first hit the gas it moves forward, calms down then takes off fine. If that is the problem get your timing checked.

 

Well, I got the universal plug for the car in. So everything on that end is fine. I'm checking into the the other problem now.

 

I have thought that myself. I need to get my belts replaced, anyways. I had a power steering leak a few months back and it got on one of the belts. That's actually around the same time my idle started going off. Thanks! I'll def. be doing that.

 

If you haven't already you should flush out all the old coolant and put in fresh coolant, using old coolant (and never changing it) is one of the main causes of freeze plugs rusting out. Coolants have rust inhibitors that wear out after a while, which is why there is a recommended change interval for coolant.