coolant leak help!, picture included

[kevingotashotoo]

well i started on my valve cover seals, got to pulling out my rear valve cover afterwards followed by coolant leaking out of a hose...i have no idea how this happened i must of cracked it or something, what is this thing and how do i replace it?

this is where its spewing from:

 

[SHOtimer]

That is a hardline going to your heater core. That sensor is for the climate control it senses when the coolant going to your heater core is cold - and if it is cold it won't blow the heater on full blast and you won't have freezing cold air in your face.

You will need to replace that line - your looks like it was fairly brittle to begin with. You can find a used one at a junkyard - I'd obviously look for one that isn't too rusted - maybe clean it up a bit and paint it before you install it.

But, in the mean time You can completely remove that hard line and replace it with a rubber hose - that sensor will be fine if it just hangs there - or you can unplug it and forget about it.

Doug

 

[kevingotashotoo]

thanks for the reply shotimer,so this thing has nothing to do with performance?, it wont effect the engine, just my heater?, can i buy this piece brand new?....is it specific to the car?

 

[SHOtimer]

The sensor is on every Ford car in the early to mid 90's with the electronic climate control. It is discontinued - and will be impossible to find anywhere. One of the guys on here picked up the last 4 I think that exsisted. That hard metal line is also discontinued and you won't be able to get from Ford either. However, if you go to the WTB portion of the forum here - you could talk to one of the SHO salvage dealers here on the forum and I'm sure that they could get you one in good shape (the pipe and the sensor) - your talk to one of the guys parting out their SHO's and they can probably hook you up with one in good shape also.

Since you will be replacing that one also...I would inspect the other hard line pipe that goes to the heater core...maybe you should replace both.

I would reccommend cleaning (removing all rust) priming, painting, sealing and all that good stuff to the new pipes....

Doug

 

[kevingotashotoo]

the other one feels solid, but the one with the leak feels soft...i will though replace both thanks for the advice doug

-kevin