[shandy92]

hey all,

i have noticed in the last few weeks that my coolant levels have been dropping and the worst thoughts have been going through my head. eg head gasket.

i have also noticed that sometimes when i drive and then stop for a 5 mins or so my car doesnt get up to normal running temp, it will actually go down then fluctuate between stone cold to cold then maybe just under running temp, what could this be??

so i get back home and this had just happened so i thought i would check the engine to see if the radiator was hot and same for the hoses. top rad hose was but bottom hose wasnt was warm. so im looking around then i see a wet patch on the drivers side near the engine mount, which is just below the lower rad hose. so im thinking ok the hose is split the i noticed that the upper part of the mount (where is mounts to the engine) has a wet patch, putting my finger there i realise that coolant is being sprayed onto it

now my question for you, what hose has split? is it the hose that controls the hot n cold idle? (coolant goes in and depending on the temp controls the ecu etc)

im going on a camping trip with other AZ crew in 3 weeks and want this fixed.

please help, sorry about the essay.
cheers
Mitch

EDIT: i have a spare intake manifold so will have a look at that in the morning, hopefully that has a good hose.

[MacDaddy]

shandy92 wrote:

hey all,

i have noticed in the last few weeks that my coolant levels have been dropping and the worst thoughts have been going through my head. eg head gasket.

i have also noticed that sometimes when i drive and then stop for a 5 mins or so my car doesnt get up to normal running temp, it will actually go down then fluctuate between stone cold to cold then maybe just under running temp, what could this be??

so i get back home and this had just happened so i thought i would check the engine to see if the radiator was hot and same for the hoses. top rad hose was but bottom hose wasnt was warm. so im looking around then i see a wet patch on the drivers side near the engine mount, which is just below the lower rad hose. so im thinking ok the hose is split the i noticed that the upper part of the mount (where is mounts to the engine) has a wet patch, putting my finger there i realise that coolant is being sprayed onto it

now my question for you, what hose has split? is it the hose that controls the hot n cold idle? (coolant goes in and depending on the temp controls the ecu etc)

im going on a camping trip with other AZ crew in 3 weeks and want this fixed.

please help, sorry about the essay.
cheers
Mitch

EDIT: i have a spare intake manifold so will have a look at that in the morning, hopefully that has a good hose.

I really hope it is just a hose, or the intake manifold...i dont want to be the bringer of doom and gloom, but if its near the engine mount, it could be the engine block, i say maybe, as the alloy blocks are prone to cracking right there, as i found out.... best to wash it off... let it run in the driveway and watch where it comes from, as it sounds like a fairly big leak, and i wouldnt drive it like that, as you wont get adequate cooling around the cylinders, and possibly cause more damage ... cross fingers and hope for the best...

[royce]

just go and get a bottle of engine flush, some god quality coolant, the top hose and both lower hoses and a meter or so of 3/8" (I think will check) heater hose and replace the rad hoses and the little bypass hoses into the manifold if you are adventurous you can get some normal heater hose and do them at the back too

once you have a split hose the rest arent far off, better to do em now than trying to bodge it up while camping

[Jester]

dunno if the sierras are the same, but the carby vits have 2 welch plugs (20mm) on the bottom of the intake manifolds, thats where my leak had been prior, but i dont reckon my leak was as bad as that.
showing low temp when you are running low on coolant can often be that the coolant isnt up to the temp sensor anymore

[Chop]

What royce said shandy

And when you go near a supercrap store next, duck in and grab a telescopic mirror. Worth their weight in gold and just keep it in the back of the car.
Get the one with the LED, its perfect for in the dark spots under the manifold and rear of engine
Oh yeah they is cheeep

Chop

[Chop]

http://www.auszookers.com/index.php?nam ... ic&t=13782

Chop

[shandy92]

hey all,

thanks for all that info, royce - does that 3/8th pipe run on the inside of the intake manifold curved pipes?? as that is where im sure (and hoping) the leak is coming. also, how hard is it to replace this? from looking last nite, i have no idea how its possible.

i have been at work all day and only just got home, i went to supercrap and got my self a telescopic mirrow they didnt have the LED ones will go out now and have a look at it now.

macbear i highly doubt it is the block as its spraying down from a high position, almost half way up the rocker cover. so it couldnt be the block. but thanks for scaring me anyway lol.

cheers for ya help.
Mitch

[royce]

yeah there are a few that run from teh pipe out the back of the water pump to different parts of the manifold and its likely its one of them

they arent hard to get at with the bottom hose off (just did mine) and are only 3 hoses from memory

[shandy92]

royce wrote:

yeah there are a few that run from teh pipe out the back of the water pump to different parts of the manifold and its likely its one of them

they arent hard to get at with the bottom hose off (just did mine) and are only 3 hoses from memory

bottom hose of the radiator? damn mine was really hard to get on lol.
is there any info in a manual? as i have a haynes manual somewhere.

how much am i expecting to fork out for the full set of hoses? (i no they comes separately)

cheers
Mitch

[shandy92]

hey all,

got the leak all fixed and running again, it was a pipe that was under the cover that is over the throttle butterfly etc. has a bit of trouble getting it off but i went and bought a really long needle nose plyers but had a curve at the end so got it off.

went to super crap to find some heater hose with an inside diameter of 5/16 and the only stuff there was for an oil cooler/transmission, but doesnt have a temp rating on it, but it was that or fuel hose lol. is that ok?????

i will slowly make my way through all the hoses n belts when i get time and the money.

thanks for all ya helps
Mitch

[Lockie666]

Today I just threw out some heater hose of that sort of diameter... I might go have a look in the bin for ya and bring it on the trip just incase you need it

[shandy92]

Lockie666 wrote:

Today I just threw out some heater hose of that sort of diameter... I might go have a look in the bin for ya and bring it on the trip just incase you need it

ok cheers,

supercrap only had it in 1m lengths so i just got that, but i tell ya its not cheap, i paid $17 for it.

[atari4x4]

should have gone to a real auto parts shop.... they'd have it on the roll & would be way cheaper.

[MacDaddy]

shandy92 wrote:

hey all,

got the leak all fixed and running again, it was a pipe that was under the cover that is over the throttle butterfly etc. has a bit of trouble getting it off but i went and bought a really long needle nose plyers but had a curve at the end so got it off.

went to super crap to find some heater hose with an inside diameter of 5/16 and the only stuff there was for an oil cooler/transmission, but doesnt have a temp rating on it, but it was that or fuel hose lol. is that ok?????

i will slowly make my way through all the hoses n belts when i get time and the money.

thanks for all ya helps
Mitch

Glad to hear it was just a hose leak, and you got it fixed !

[shandy92]

atari4x4 wrote:

should have gone to a real auto parts shop.... they'd have it on the roll & would be way cheaper.

yeah i no, but i didnt see the price b4 i bought it as i bought coolant as well. then i saw the price on the receipt and i was shocked lol.

yeah im very glad thats its all fixed, i hope nothing else happens now.

cheers