Coolant leak toward rear of engine *pics*

[Blue-By-U]

Coolant leak toward rear of engine *pics* fixed, thanks guys!

I have a steady coolant drip coming from the rear of my engine right above my Y pipe. It seems to be coming from a small copper line. Here are the pics (taken from driver side right above the throttle body):

Drip seems to be coming from that red line:

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Gez89SHO]

I think that's one of the lines that goes to the heater core. Not sure but it's in that vicinity so it could be. Follow it, does it end up at the firewall?

 

[AutoSHO]

Yucko. Those are gonna be hard to find. As I recall they are discontinued and very hard to find.

 

[Mr Anonymous]

Yes, the two hard lines that route to the heater core are common leakers up here and are both discontinued. They can be replaced with some standard heater hose, and some elbows to avoid kinks. IIWM, I'd bypass them for the summer and wait until fall. Kirk & I usually save good ones when we find them on a car, but don't have any right now.

 

[Zap]

If you have a heater line leak, generally the leak is from the rubber portion of the hose. Yuck is a good word to explain this job. You will be spending time sitting on top of the engine trying to wrestle the hoses around and get them into place.

To fix the hose, since they are discontinued:

Make sure it isn't the top hose(s) first. They are much easier to replace and do not require removing the metal portion of the hoses.

You need to cut or saw off the aluminum crimp that holds the rubber hose onto the metal pipe. Get two small hose clamps, and a small piece of hose the size of the original. AutoZone didn't charge me for the piece since it was so tiny! You will have to remove a bolt (and possibly the CELO sensor connector, if that hose is the one that has the leak). Once the crimp is off, the old hose can be pried a bit to loosen it from the metal piece and pulled off, then replaced and clamped down on that end. Once installed, it can be clamped down on the other end (engine side where it enters). Sounds fairly easy but I spent an evening or two fixing this stupid problem. Even with a new factory part it won't be much easier. Then again, maybe I just suck at this stuff

Good luck!

 

[Blue-By-U]

Thanks guys, it's much appreciated.

I found the exact spot the coolant is lightly spraying from:

Right above that big piece of wire loom is the leaking line, the one with the white connector at the bottom end. It looks to be right where the rubber meets the metal part of the wire.

 

[Blue-By-U]

Yes, the two hard lines that route to the heater core are common leakers up here and are both discontinued. They can be replaced with some standard heater hose, and some elbows to avoid kinks. IIWM, I'd bypass them for the summer and wait until fall. Kirk & I usually save good ones when we find them on a car, but don't have any right now.

Chris how do you bypass them?

 

[Blue-By-U]

Make sure it isn't the top hose(s) first. They are much easier to replace and do not require removing the metal portion of the hoses.

I think it is the upper hose. Do I perform the same procedure as you stated to replace it?

 

[Zap]

I believe the upper portion of the hose, which goes into the heater core is just clamped on, and not crimped. All you need to do is loosen the clamps and replace the hose with a new piece.

As far as I can remember, the only crimp is on the bottom end of the hose, where the rubber hose that attaches to the engine itself goes.

 

[Blue-By-U]

Chris, Chris, Chris and Gezim, thanks for the replies and all of your help. I fixed the problem. The upper rubber hose that has a clamp on one end and a crimp on the other had a pin sized hole that sprayed coolant onto the wires and Y-pipe below. A 99 cent length of silicon heater hose and $2.99 hose clamps did the trick. I had to purchase a Dremel to cut the crimp, but I've already started polishing my spare runners with the nifty little toy. Thank you guys so much!