Fixed my coolant leak but I have a few questions

**Fahrenheit** · 12-18-2013

Was driving around my 03 GT without a problem. I start to notice a sweat smell and then white smoke. Didn't over heat as I drove it home. When I got it home I looked under it and sure enough some coolant was dripping. Checked all my hoses and they were all intact. Even the plastic elbows coming off the water pump. Start to think I blew a head gasket but It doesn't seem to be coming from the block/head joint plus when its head gaskets its usually leaking internally. While reeving the engine I notice the upper rad hose collapse when the RPMs go up. Also seems like the thermostat doesn't open up. So I got a new thermostat/Rap cap and bam no more leaks. I bleed the system with that little screw. I Drive it around for a bit and all seems well except now I don't have heat. The top heater hose gets hot but the lower one stays cold, clogged core right? Makes sense cause I had a lot of mud in my coolant system which i'm thinking is from my LMG job I did last spring. Also changed the oil while I was at it and no signs of water where in it. So here is what i'm thinking...

Broken radiator cap and or thermostat caused abnormal pressure in the system
Due to the pressure someplace somewhere caused a leak
Also due to the pressure it forced some of that gunk up into the heater core clogging it

Does that sound like a reasonable series of events? Heater core job doesn't look to bad based on wright up. Gonna try some coolant flush first, any recommendations?

Also why does crap always bust when my driveway has snow on it.

**dsmuts** · 12-18-2013

Just flush your core out and you should be good to go.

**ericspecullaas** · 12-18-2013

Originally Posted by Fahrenheit

I start to notice a sweat smell and then white smoke.

umm your lim may be leaking..... you shouldnt ever smell anything sweet if you do thats coolant beening burned in the engine, and why you see white smoke/steam.

**indygrandprix** · 12-18-2013

Originally Posted by ericspecullaas

you shouldnt ever smell anything sweet if you do thats coolant beening burned in the engine

Totally false. The coolant is hot and if there is a decent leak you are going to smell a sweet smell. If you don't believe me go poke a hole in your radiator hose next time its reached operating temp.

**Fahrenheit** · 12-18-2013

The sweet smell was from the coolant being leaked in the morning engine compartment

**Daheazle** · 12-19-2013

Like dsmuts said just flush your heater core. Back flush first. Then forward flush. Heater cores in gp's plug up alot if the coolant has been low and it has dexcool in it still. Dexcool turns to sludge whem their is air i the cooling system. I would recommend flushing out the dexcool and use a gold colored universal coolant.

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**BillBoost37** · 12-19-2013

Yup.. flusheroooo

**Fahrenheit** · 12-19-2013

To flush it do I just get one of them adaptors that let you put a garden hose on the heater line

**Daheazle** · 12-19-2013

Yep. Take off both the heater hoses at the tensioner bracket (engine side) let one dangle and hook the garden hose to the other

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**Scottydoggs** · 12-19-2013

how to flush the coolant.

remove the t stat, put the t stat housing back on, take the upper hose off the radiator, then push it down to the ground to a bucket or let it fly.

get your garden hose out, put it in the rad turn it on, then fire up the car, let it run till clear water pumps out the top hose.

then turn the hose off, run the car till no more water comes out the upper hose. then turn it off.

put your t stat back in, with new gasket, the upper hose back on.

now take 1 gallon of full strength green antifreeze, not the 50/50 crap. ( parts store cheap green is fine to use) dump the whole gallon in the radiator, fire up the car, fill the rad with hose water till its full. top as needed till its ready to be bled of air. it will burp and take coolant as the water in the block warms up the t stat opens up for a few seconds till cold coolant hits it and it shuts again.

now to bleed the air out, let it idle rad cap off till the fans turn on, (when the fans are on the temp is over 195 deg, the t stat is wide open) then open the bleeder screw on top the t stat housing a few turns till a steady stream of coolant comes out the hole, shut the screw, top off the rad. cap it.

done.

the heater core , take both hoses off the alt bracket, then butt a garden hose to one hose till a full stream flows out the other hose.

**BillBoost37** · 12-19-2013

Bah..it's winter and he only needs to flush the heater core currently.

**Scottydoggs** · 12-19-2013

Originally Posted by BillBoost37

Bah..it's winter and he only needs to flush the heater core currently.

its not like i type that any more Bill. ive got it saved in a word doc. good old copy/paste.

**BillBoost37** · 12-19-2013

Cheater

**Scottydoggs** · 12-19-2013

i got a few of them made up now. the common issues, where im sick of typing the same damn thing over and over lol

**BillBoost37** · 12-19-2013

I figured...you seem to post some of the pics too fast

**Scottydoggs** · 12-19-2013

Originally Posted by BillBoost37

I figured...you seem to post some of the pics too fast

my pb accout is 3% full. its easy for me to find a pic i know i have lol and google helps out a ton too. lol

**Fahrenheit** · 12-19-2013

Thanks guys will flush the core next week to get me through winter then do a more complete job come summer

**BillBoost37** · 12-19-2013

You don't pull from mine? hahahaha

**Scottydoggs** · 12-19-2013

i cant even get into yours any more. and i dont know why.....

**Fahrenheit** · 12-27-2013

What barb size will fit into the heater hose? 5/8s?

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