Coolant explosion

[Pro3racer]

I just got home 5 minutes ago(when this happened, so sorry, i haven't searched). I shut my car off, was walking away from it, then i just heard a loud "shhhhh" noise. I can see light smoke from under the hood, so i pop it open, and coolant is everywhere on the passenger side. My tranny is soaked, all the linkages, there enough to be dripping down onto the floor. What the hell just happened!! It's like everything was good, until the car was shut off, there were no precursers, the car was running fine all night, i didn't exactly baby it all night, but i didn't beat on it either.

 

[Staytuned]

Check all your hoses first. Thats the obvious place it would be coming from.

 

[Pro3racer]

I just did, the lower hose is a tad soft, but there is know evidence of the blow out there. I can see along some of the other lines, which way the coolant was flying, and it seems like the thermostat/cap area. It still smoking, about 15 minutes later now, i'm waiting for it to cool down before i do anything. Could it be to much coolant?? Wouldn't the hose blow during my drive, and not right after i shut the car off? just wondering?

 

[Staytuned]

A hose will go when a hose wants to go whether you are driving or not. If you over filled your coolant bottle it will be full that's it...it will dump any extra out on the road.

It doesn't take a big hole in a hose to make a big mess and lots of steam. Just wait for it to cool down and check it all over.

 

[diab0liK]

I had the same problem, although mine was coming out of the overflow cap area.

Very possibly a bad Thermostat, not opening, unless you have blown a hose somewhere.

I'd replace the tstat, top it back off w/ coolant, and see if it happens again. Then you have to flush the system, and keep your eyes peeled for leaks and stuff.

pm me if you want, like I said, I just dealt w/ this.

gluck m8

diab0liK

 

[Pro3racer]

Thank you very much, i'm going to wait till 11:00, then go out and check, it should be cool enough then. It'll be a long night, i need the car in the morning(work).

 

[diab0liK]

ouch.

I feel that, though, I was up at 2am one night flushing my damn alternator, in the snow.

gluck mang

diab0liK

 

[Pro3racer]

well, my thermo is good, my temp gauge is always right in the center, except today it was a tad lower, probabvly because i added coolant, since i was low. I know i have a leak somewhere in my system, near the water pump area, but thats another story. My lower radiator hose is very soft, i suspect a leak. There is coolant all the way to the firewall, thankfully it didn't go across the motor. It runs fine now, i think i might just rap it up in duct tape tomorrow morning, to get me to advance auto before work. I looked at the radiator cap, and the rubber grommet(black), on the bottom looks very warn, and cut in many places, so i'll pick up a new cap while i'm there. What do you recommend for a cap? i'm just getting a generic one, but i mean pressure ratings. Ther only weird thing is, that there is no coolant on the hose, I checked all my hoses, and none of them have coolant on them, only everything else does?????

 

[oldman]

Could be the heater hose that runs from the back of the water neck to the firewall.

 

[Pro3racer]

would you have a pick, or a good diagram of that, that makes alot more sense, but i'm clueless on where the heater core is, i've owned the car for a while, done a lot of work on the car, but have no idea where the heater core is or the hose.

 

[oldman]

Water neck is the housing thermostate is in. There's a hose on the back of the housing hat runs to the firewall. Sorry I don't have pics but you should buy a manual.

 

[Pro3racer]

i've been tring to find my manual since i got home, its somewhere in my house, somewhere!! Thanks though, that seems like the right area.

 

[Pro3racer]

Could somebody tell me the dimensions of the heater hose. I'm going to go buy some hose tomorrow morning, after thinking a tad, the heater hose is a pretty good idea.

 

[oldman]

Could somebody tell me the dimensions of the heater hose. I'm going to go buy some hose tomorrow morning, after thinking a tad, the heater hose is a pretty good idea.

The hose is molded so it's best if you bring it with you so they can match up something close to it. Was the hose damaged? If you gonna change it anyway mind as well change the return hose as well.

 

[Pro3racer]

Am i going to have to do an entire drain/flush now, or does coolant not remain in these hoses? I decided to baby my car to work this morning, so we'll see what other damage i can do to it . I was just getting started to fix the car to sell it, now hells breaking loose.

 

[oldman]

They will have coolant in them but you don't have flush the whole sysytem though it might be a good idea if you've done it in a while. If the hoses are damaged you should be able to see the leaks after it warms up while at idle. You shouldn't drive the car anymore until you figure out what' wrong.

 

[realhp=turbo]

Get a new radiator cap. That is the one part that is the most inexpesive item to replace first. The radiator cap is designed to release anyexcess pressure from the system over 13 to 16lbs. When they go bad they do some funky stuff. Id start there aswell as buy the lower hose.
mike, ex-jiffy luber

 

[Pro3racer]

well, my car ran fine today, no overheating, no hesitation, completely nornal. I did add some coolant, since i lost a lot last night. I am starting to think it may be the cap. I have used the cap alot lately, and last time i removed it, the rubber grommet on the bottom, was pretty cut up. I'll pick both parts up tomorrow, and reply, like i said, i still don't know where the leak happened, and well, it didn't happen again.