Pissing coolant like a racehorse!

[Steel]

jesus if its not one thing its another...
Just yesterday, my 91 z34 sprung a leak. And one hell of a leak. I havent gotten it on a lift yet so i'm kind of stumped on where this is coming from... you can see a stream pissing out from somehwere near the axle, because a neat little stream zips right by the right axle, its outer boot and into the wheel. Is there something typical that tends to go around that area, or what? I coudlnt see anything looking from the top of the motor down, and the WP seemed fine.

Any help will be appreciated, especailly if you can give me warning as to how much i'm going to have to spend to fix it :-/

thanks

[RednBlack]

Not sure if the Z has the same coolant lines as the Cutlass, but it is notorious for leaks in that area. Attached to fenderwell. Tough to change.

[Steel]

so its just a rubber line that's leaking, or is it something that i dont even want to think about?

[Lyle's GTP]

No, it's probably the heater hose that runs from the water pump along the frame rail and across to the heater core, next to the master cylinder. It is metal tubing for the most part and has rubber hose on each end. It is notorious for rusting out. What is best to do, is take a small hack saw and cut it into a bunch of peices to get it out. Then run the same ID of rubber heater hose in it's place (5/8" or 3/4" I'm not sure).

This is by far the easiest, cheapest and most effective way of fixing this problem.

Don't even think about going to GM for this one, because the part is expensive and a BITCH to install. Not to mention it will just rust out again.

Lyle

[RednBlack]

At's the one! I agree with Lyle. Major PITA to change. Which I may have to do soon, since mine is rusting. I will go with stock, since I have one and I prefer as stock as possible.

If you do go back with stock, treat your metal line with undercoat at the clamp point. As for Lyle's way, it is a viable option. And aside from something on the engine cracked, this is the only thing I can think of to throw coolant in that area.

[Steel]

haha, screw that! i'm going to go a step FURTHER in the ghetto department, and just cut out the rusted part with a hack saw, and replace it with a rubber hose and clamps. All in all it should cost me less than $5, which makes me happy.

And yeah, its the heater hose line that runs from the front of the car, allllll the way around and around and finally makes it to the firewall. In steel.

GREAT DESIGN GM!

[Lyle's GTP]

If you don't flare the steel line before you clamp a new hose on, there is a chance that the coolant system pressure could cause the line to pop off. Keep that in mind. Because when it does, you'll probably be stuck in traffic and your water pump will make short work of your coolant supply.

To be honest, to do it the way I said, will still probabaly only cost 5 bucks. Heater hose is very cheap. Plus, it probably won't take much more time than your way.

Lyle

[Steel]

You make a good point. NExt time i have her on the lift, i'll see what i really want to do. Think is i work in agarge, which is nice, but i dont want to tie up a lift for more than an hour. And i really dont want to spend too mich time and effort into this car, because as nice as it is, it's starting to put a dent into my IS300 fund.

I'll update in a couple days and let you guys know

[bud36light]

Annnd if your doing the friendly neighborhood alternator thingy replace this MFer while the alt is out. Other than the heater core attatchment points the(in the Monte Carlo variety}hardest point in the installation of the factory pipe(about $40) was sqeezing the metal pipe past the alt pulley/firewall pinch point. Especially if you have a lift.

[Lyle's GTP]

What a bitch that was. I swear when I pull my engine, I'm totaly running rubber line. Strictly out of fear of doing that again.

Lyle

[Steel]

holy hell guys, how do you even ATTEMPT to get at the heater core end of the line? I really REALLY dont want to have to take off my intake manifold, and i have a feeling that undoing the dogbone and rocking the engine forward simply wont be enough. I cant even see exactly where the heater core is, which make its even more aggrivating. Maybe it's possible to get at it from the bottom if you have a lift and take off the plastic underbody panels maybe?

[Lyle's GTP]

Well, I used alot of WD-40 and a pair of extra long needle nose pliars. Plus ALOT of fucking patients. I would recommend maybe carving a small bevel on the inside of the hose end, so it slips on a little easier.

The part I had the most trouble with was getting the hose clamp on. In this situation using a spring type clip is definatily easier than a screw clamp.

Good luck.

Lyle

[Steel]

welp, i went the cheap ghetto route and cut out the rusted part and replaced it with rubber hose in between. it went pretty much from a few inches where it straightens out in front of the axle, to where it bends up on the other side of the axle. And be ready to get a nice coating of coolant all over everything if you use a whizzer to cut the line :-D

for future reference, you want to buy 3/4" heater hose, cause it slips over the steel tubing with some effort, and use a lotta clamps. So far so good (not that 15psi is a lot of pressure anyway)

[Lyle's GTP]

Good Luck.

Lyle