Thread: WTF is this?

Hi everyone.

My daughter's 97 SE was running hotter than normal.
I checked the coolant level and it was extremely low.
What happened to all the coolant?
I figured if it was the water pump, there would be coolant on the plastic shields underneath.
All looked clean.

So,

I filled the radiator with new coolant, started her up and observed.
Coolant is pouring out like crazy from somewhere. If it is not the water pump, what is it? What are the plastic elbows that I read about here?
I was cleaning up with a towel and found this.
Anyone know what this is?

DSCN3037 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Thanks!
Randy

The coolant elbows are little plastic elbows that go from the lim to the alternator bracket, the 97 and 98 3800's only had 1 coolant elbow iirk and it is right above the water pump.

If its not the coolant elbow then I would guess that you have a bad lower intake manifold gasket, they are prone to failing, if you replace this you might as well get the new coolant elbow and replace that at the same time. Just make sure you get the metal felpro lim gasket not the plastic one.

That looks like a cotter pin that goes on the king nut on the end of the ball-joint.

From the lim into the alt bracket then into the heater core then back into the alt bracket.

the lower intake to the tensioner bracket, which feeds the heater core.

edit: dammit.

I'd check the oil to see if there's coolant in it. If there is then you need the LIM gaskets as said before

Originally Posted by Randy GP

No coolant in oil YET

Fixed that for you. It'll happen sometime.