[michmase]

Gents,

I'm not 100% sure yet (won't know until i lift it and get under the car tomorrow) but is the coolant hose that goes from the underside of the reservoir to the passenger side of the engine prone to failing?
I know the tank is prone to cracking (i'm on a replacement tank already, pretty sure it is fine) the leak appears to be somewhere on that hose. I was able to see both ends of it and it doesn't appear to be leaking near the ends it is somewhere in the middle, the hose has some sort of protective sleeve over it so can't tell if the hose is split. The upper and lower radiator hoses that are below it are dry..wondering if anyone else had a problem with that hose, it is part number 227136

Thanks,

George

 

[michmase]

so i believe i figured it out, i thought it wasn't an issue at the ends where the hoses connect but i believe the issue was the end where it connects to the reservoir, i used a camera scope so that i can see all the way around where that hose seats to the bottom of the reservoir and it looks like the side i couldn't see very well was leaking slightly. it appears the coolant traveled down the length of the hose all the way to just before where it connects to the water pump where it dripped down.
I checked the clamps and the one under the reservoir wasn't quite tight, so i tightened it a little more. what was more alarming was the clamp on the end that connects to the water pump was basically figure tight, i could probably had removed the clamp without even loosing it with a screw driver. i don't think it was leaking at that fitting but maybe the heat from the engine made the coolant evaporate leading me to believe it wasn't leaking there. anywho i tightened that clamp nice and tight. i ran the car for about 30 minutes, (can't really drive it right now, crappy Michigan weather) i didn't see any leaks. i'll let it sit a couple hours and go look again after everything cools down to see if anything leaks at that point.
i recently finished changing the valve cover gaskets, spark plugs, belts and flushed the cooling systems. i know that hose in particular got jostled a little bit when i was unbolting the dipstick so that i could change the valve cover gasket on that side, maybe that tweaked it just enough to start leaking.

 

[timado404]

so i believe i figured it out, i thought it wasn't an issue at the ends where the hoses connect but i believe the issue was the end where it connects to the reservoir, i used a camera scope so that i can see all the way around where that hose seats to the bottom of the reservoir and it looks like the side i couldn't see very well was leaking slightly. it appears the coolant traveled down the length of the hose all the way to just before where it connects to the water pump where it dripped down.
I checked the clamps and the one under the reservoir wasn't quite tight, so i tightened it a little more. what was more alarming was the clamp on the end that connects to the water pump was basically figure tight, i could probably had removed the clamp without even loosing it with a screw driver. i don't think it was leaking at that fitting but maybe the heat from the engine made the coolant evaporate leading me to believe it wasn't leaking there. anywho i tightened that clamp nice and tight. i ran the car for about 30 minutes, (can't really drive it right now, crappy Michigan weather) i didn't see any leaks. i'll let it sit a couple hours and go look again after everything cools down to see if anything leaks at that point.
i recently finished changing the valve cover gaskets, spark plugs, belts and flushed the cooling systems. i know that hose in particular got jostled a little bit when i was unbolting the dipstick so that i could change the valve cover gasket on that side, maybe that tweaked it just enough to start leaking.

Was it a worm gear clamp???

 

[michmase]

yeah, the oem ones look a little different than that but yes a worm gear clamp, oem ones are narrower than regular worm gear clamps for some reason

 

[michmase]

they look like this, they are 9mm wide

 

[DSGT]

Slight deviation from the main issue but I noticed you indicated that you changed the valve cover gasket. How many miles on the car, and did you change because you noticed it was leaking, or "sweating" , or was it just because you were doing all those other preventive maintenance tasks you figured you may as well replace the gasket ?

 

[Jason@ Enzo`s Atlanta]

The OE clamps are European style..They have a rounded so not to cut in the hose, but can strip easily...The one Timado showed is American style..They don't have the round edge which is really not needed and you can tighten pretty darn tight...Jason

 

[michmase]

car has 60k on it now, the passenger side one (right) had a slow drip in the back bottom corner closest to the firewall, it would drip onto the cats every now and again, you could smell it when it did. never left any spots under the car. drivers side one was starting to sweat a little bit, it wasn't leaking. originally i wasn't going to change it but then i figured it was best to do it anyway since i had it all torn apart. drivers side one (left) is a lot easier than the passenger side one, less stuff in the way. I can probably guarantee that if i didn't, it would probably start leaking this summer then piss me off that i didn't do it when i should had

 

[DSGT]

Good to know, and sounds like you did the right thing at the right time.

 

[michmase]

it is a pretty big task but if you aren't in a huge hurry to get it done, it isn't that bad. highly recommend taking off the wipers, wiper plenum area and wiper motor, it'll give you a lot more room. on drivers side unbolt the fuse box and bungee cord it to the hood hinge. remove the fuse box mounting plate, after that just take everything off that is in your way. i left the fuel lines in place, i was able to get the cover on and off with it in place. i also left the coolant hose that goes to the heater circulation valve in place.
I had trouble with maybe 3 things.
first was the drivers side wiper arm, couldn't get it off, ended up using a 2 arm wiper arm puller.
second was the half moons (part of the valve cover gasket) on the back of the valve cover, they kept wanting to fall out of their groove when i was putting the new gasket and valve cover back in place. I ended up putting a small dab of hot glue gun to hold them in place until i got it back in, i was able to scrap it off with my finger nail, though it probably wouldn't hurt anything if i left it.
third was the bolts that secure the dip stick, i could get them off easy enough but getting them back in was a joy, there is no room to get them started with your fingers. probably screwed around with those for a couple hours trying to get them back in.

 

[timado404]

they look like this, they are 9mm wide

www.usplastic.com
put 'T-bolt' in the search block, all sizes, uniform pressure, rounded edge, never loosen ?