Gotdamn Car Trouble!

[BlindedByTheLite]

okay, a bit of an update:
first, the tubing and wires aren't together in the housing. i was referring to the housing as the tubing. i suck @ clarity. but Mike, no bubbling from the baking soda mixture. not even a hint of a chemical reaction. *shrug*

after taking off the housing and checking the wires, they seem to be just fine. BUT here's the weird part. that liquid was indeed on the wires and the housing (and hoses), but all those seem to be farther above the majority of the pooling liquid. the majority of the liquid seems to be around the battery. or possibly from a hose directly underneath the battery. i just ran the car for 20 minutes and when i popped the hood after that, there was much more liquid to look @. it's all streaming down this hose, and that's where it looks the freshest, but i'm guessing when it leaks, it kinda spews, maybe? 'cause the liquid is filling the battery tray.
also it's seeming unlikely to me that it's coolant now, 'cause the coolant tank is on the opposite side of the engine, and there's no hose that connects from the coolant tank to the opposite side of the vehicle.
i'm just gonna have to take it in to Sears or our local GM dealership tomorrow.
also, the liquid, while it's extremely fresh right now, seems to be an orange shade. there was enough to get a very clear look time, no mistakes about it.

 

[turbodog]

[ QUOTE ]
BlindedByTheLite said:
okay, a bit of an update:
first, the tubing and wires aren't together in the housing. i was referring to the housing as the tubing. i suck @ clarity. but Mike, no bubbling from the baking soda mixture. not even a hint of a chemical reaction. *shrug*

after taking off the housing and checking the wires, they seem to be just fine. BUT here's the weird part. that liquid was indeed on the wires and the housing (and hoses), but all those seem to be farther above the majority of the pooling liquid. the majority of the liquid seems to be around the battery. or possibly from a hose directly underneath the battery. i just ran the car for 20 minutes and when i popped the hood after that, there was much more liquid to look @. it's all streaming down this hose, and that's where it looks the freshest, but i'm guessing when it leaks, it kinda spews, maybe? 'cause the liquid is filling the battery tray.
also it's seeming unlikely to me that it's coolant now, 'cause the coolant tank is on the opposite side of the engine, and there's no hose that connects from the coolant tank to the opposite side of the vehicle.
i'm just gonna have to take it in to Sears or our local GM dealership tomorrow.
also, the liquid, while it's extremely fresh right now, seems to be an orange shade. there was enough to get a very clear look time, no mistakes about it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Some coolant is orange. What color is the coolant in the radiator?

Was the liquid warm? Run the car with the hood open and watch where it comes from.

If it is coolant, it may be coming from a heater hose. They are 2 black (usually) water-hose looking hoses than run from the engine/waterpump/etc to the firewall (back wall of the engine compartment). They could be the source of the leak.

 

[turbodog]

If the picture below looks like your engine, please note my edits. One of the main radiator hoses runs right by the battery.

 

[markdi]

old coolant could be yellow
I did not read every post about this so I could be wrong.
do you have the twin cam 16 in your car.
if it is a 1997 car you may have a leaky hose if they have never been replaced.
the twin cam 16 is a quad four with balance shafts.
quad fours are known to blow head gaskets about every 80,000
miles.
there are a lot of failure modes for the head gasket.
and unless you are into turning a wrench use your warranty.
if it is just a hose fix it before you over heat the engine.
maybe your heater core is leaking and the hose from the catch tray is mis routed.

 

[BlindedByTheLite]

the coolant in the radiator is indeed orange.

Turbo, i believe that may be what's leaking. my engine looks almost exactly like that. however, that hose is SNUG against my battery tray. could the friction put a small leak in there? 'cause the engine does vibrate on the block, quite alot.

but in that picture, the leak is mostly located on the top corner of the battery (towards in radiator hose), on a hose or something that runs underneath the battery (also close to the radiator hose), or the radiator hose itself. it HAS to be coming from one of those three places. that's where it's fresh, that's where it's concentrated.

markdi, i believe so. and i don't think anything has been recently replaced (120,000 miles on the car).

i am unable to make use of my warranty. i bought the car 3 hours south of here, and i cannot take the car there for repairs. i will contact them and see if they might work something out with me, splitting the cost perhaps. but i think i'm just going to take it to Sears (makes use of Sears Card) tomorrow and ask them if they'll take a look @ it free of charge, then get a quote.

i dropped out of highschool b4 i took automotives. haha

 

[turbodog]

[ QUOTE ]
BlindedByTheLite said:
the coolant in the radiator is indeed orange.

Turbo, i believe that may be what's leaking. my engine looks almost exactly like that. however, that hose is SNUG against my battery tray. could the friction put a small leak in there? 'cause the engine does vibrate on the block, quite alot.

but in that picture, the leak is mostly located on the top corner of the battery (towards in radiator hose), on a hose or something that runs underneath the battery (also close to the radiator hose), or the radiator hose itself. it HAS to be coming from one of those three places. that's where it's fresh, that's where it's concentrated.

markdi, i believe so. and i don't think anything has been recently replaced (120,000 miles on the car).

i am unable to make use of my warranty. i bought the car 3 hours south of here, and i cannot take the car there for repairs. i will contact them and see if they might work something out with me, splitting the cost perhaps. but i think i'm just going to take it to Sears (makes use of Sears Card) tomorrow and ask them if they'll take a look @ it free of charge, then get a quote.

i dropped out of highschool b4 i took automotives. haha

[/ QUOTE ]

Clean the area with fresh water. Let it dry or dry it (fan or something). Crank it and watch for leaks. They should show up easily on the nice clean car.

All it takes is a pinhole in a hose to leak. If the hole was large enough to see then you would have no coolant left at all.

 

[_mike_]

Turbodog's idea is a good one. Clean everything up, run it for a little bit and see what squirst, oozes, leaks fluids. If that hose is up against something it very easily could be leaking.

The cooling system is a pressurized system. The added pressure lowers the boiling point of the water and coolant. The the coolant is in there to not only to further lower and stabilize the boiling pint but for lubrication of the water pump and to guard against rust and corrosion.

Turbodog, you Da DOG!

Mike

 

[BlindedByTheLite]

took it to Sears today. they ran a pressure-test and we found the leak in under 10 seconds. i couldn't find the leak by squeezing the hose 'cause there was a spring inside of it.
it was indeed, the radiator hose. it was the wrong size for the car, too small, and it was rubbing against the corner of the battery tray.

thanks for the help guys. if i didn't get your input this would've been a much lengthier process!

under $19 for the part
about $22 for labor
and $8 for the coolant

plus the dealer will reimburse me for the part cost.

 

[raggie33]

ryan learn how to fix this stuff it will save ya a bundle.

 

[_mike_]

[ QUOTE ]
BlindedByTheLite said:
took it to Sears today. they ran a pressure-test and we found the leak in under 10 seconds. i couldn't find the leak by squeezing the hose 'cause there was a spring inside of it.
it was indeed, the radiator hose. it was the wrong size for the car, too small, and it was rubbing against the corner of the battery tray.

thanks for the help guys. if i didn't get your input this would've been a much lengthier process!

under $19 for the part
about $22 for labor
and $8 for the coolant

plus the dealer will reimburse me for the part cost.

[/ QUOTE ]

Right on man, glad you got your car fixed. Not too monetarily painful either, so that's good. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif


Here is where I give you a stern look, mildly shake my finger at you and tell you that you know better.

It's about your willingness to taste test automobile fluids. Bad thing to do ..... m'kay? Just because you saw someone else do that, does not mean it's a good idea. Chemical burns inside your mouth and down your esophagus, kidney and or liver damage, brain damage and death are simply not things you should be willing to risk.

Post on forums, go to Sears ..... anything but taste test on your cars fluids.

I'm serious mister..... m'kay? Enough said, man I sound just like a grownup.

Mike

 

[raggie33]

reminds mike that i kniow nintindo

 

[_mike_]

HiiiiiiYAH!

Mike

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

I had to do a rotten hose on the beast the other day.

Stuff runs in threes.

Who else has a leaky car/truck?

 

[markdi]

not me I replace/inspect mine every three/four years or so.
belts and hoses are consumables like an oil change
I have never had a car problem that left me stuck some where
I am too good/smart and lucky for that to happen(knock on wood)

 

[Draco_Americanus]

I have a truck that leaks what ever fluids it uses. coolant, transmition fluid, oil, rear dif oil and transfer case oil.

Aside From NOT taste testing fluids I learned another no-no about vehicals, Don't Drive with only three lug nuts when there Should be 5. 3 weeks ago I was driving that truck to work, had a viberation for a about 2 days (I though a wheel was out of balance as I checked every thing and it had been a year since I had any of the wheels off.) Then it felt lose in the rear end about 10 miles to work. about a mile away from work I made a turn and the truck whent one way in a trail of sparks and the rear right wheel whent another way. Luckly I was safe and the wheel did not hit anyone but I was stuck at a spot a lot of my coworkers pass by so after I got the truck towed home I had a load of jokes to deal with when I got to work!
Any way
Well I am glad your car was an easy fix!