| Re: Think I found my coolant leak |
Subject: Re: Think I found my coolant leak by hcbph on 2015/12/26 22:54:35 I wanted to get a radiator pressure testing setup but I couldn’t find one with a cap adapter that fit this car. I ultimately found that H.F. had a setup with a generic adapter that worked. Screw the seal part in, clamp it to the radiator neck and turn the knob on it to tighten it up tight. Snap on the pump and pump it up [URL=http://s162.photobucket.com/user/hcbph/media/Corvette/Coolant%20Leak/DPP_0011_zpsdgi8wro7.jpg.html]  [/URL]I found it was the throttle body heater hose that was leaking on the bottom fitting. The process I used to replace it was first to remove the fanbelt. I then removed the MAP from the throttle body, marking the connector [URL=http://s162.photobucket.com/user/hcbph/media/Corvette/Coolant%20Leak/DPP_0008_zps3gjii0vy.jpg.html]  [/URL]There’s also a couple of devices next to the airconditioning compressor. I marked the units and wires and unhooked them. There’s also a hose that comes off the airpump and goes to that diverter valve, I also removed that and marked it. [URL=http://s162.photobucket.com/user/hcbph/media/Corvette/Coolant%20Leak/DPP_0010_zpsa6jmkp0v.jpg.html]  [/URL]At this point, though the radiator showed full, the leak from the bottom of the U shaped hose between the throttle body and block was not leaking. I left the radiator cap on to try and keep a vacuum and not have coolant run into the block and jacked the front of the car up having already loosened the hose clamps on the existing hose. I’d picked up a Dayco 87653 hose at Autozone along with a couple of worm clamps. [URL=http://s162.photobucket.com/user/hcbph/media/Corvette/Coolant%20Leak/DPP_0009_zpsozqw46k2.jpg.html]  [/URL]I did find it made it easier to fit after removing about 5/8” of hose for the bottom connection on the engine. I had loosened up the hose clamps on the old hose and worked it off. No coolant came out of either fitting. I slipped the hose clamps onto the new hose so they’d be available to tighten once on. I put the lower hose fitting onto the block and tightened the hose clamp. Before putting the upper on on the Throttle Body, I pulled it out and routed the wire with the 3 connectors (MAP, air divertor and whatever the 3d one is) through the loop. Next I put the upper fitting onto the throttle body (just to the right of the yellow arrow). [URL=http://s162.photobucket.com/user/hcbph/media/Corvette/Coolant%20Leak/DPP_0010_zpsa6jmkp0v.jpg.html] [/URL]Now it was just a matter of testing the cooling system and reversing the process to put it all back together. Once the hose was on, I pressurized the radiator with 13 lbs of pressure and left it a while. It did lose 3 lbs over 30 minutes, that I attributed to the universal cap adapter as the most likely vs a leak yet in the cooling system. Did soap and water on the hose ends and didn’t get any bubbles. Once comfortable it was tight, I just reversed the process to reassemble the car. Lowered the car and started it up. The radiator showed full when I lowered the car but after about 3-5 minutes of running it, the low coolant light came on. Temp showed about 110 degrees so I opened the radiator cap and the radiator showed low so I filled it up along with the overflow tank. That pretty much wraps it up. Happens I had a low coolant light come on during the trip home when I purchased the car the other year. It’s likely been leaking some time but never enough to become truly suspicious and most of the coolant on the garage floor so it wasn’t too visible. Anyway it seems to be fixed now. Next will be replacing the a/c clutch and the bushings in the rear end. Hopefully they will go as well as this did. |
