Hard/Swollen coolant hoses...

[Boosted19]

Hey got a question. When my car is warmed up (95 tsi) All the coolant lines get really, really hard like a rock and get swallon. Real big. I tried changing the t stat already no luck yet. I have alreay had one line start leaking. (the oil cooler line, the one that runs along the alt. and O2 housing.) I was thinking maybe a clog somewhere. Any ideas? Thanks!

 

[IslandTSI]

Did you flush the rad? Try leaving the bottom hose of and pour some coolant through, that will give you an idea if there is a clog. Get a proper flush kit if you haven't already.

 

[Boosted19]

Guess I should have stated... I have a new rad. in it. I work at a shop so I will do a flush to it this week. (we have a flush machine) Does that what it sounds like a clog somewhere?

 

[IslandTSI]

Could be. I'm no expert on the subject but that would be my first thought. Sounds like something is causing it to build up pressure. Is the car overheating at all? I guess its rather cold out so it would no be as obvious.

Flush it out and let us know what happened. Hopefully that solves the problem

 

[BISHILVR]

My car actually froze up the other day when it was like -3. Going about 60 put enough wind on it to really bring it down. First time thats happened to me in a dsm, good thing I happened to glance at the temp gauge before it got into the red. Had to shut it down, let it cool, drive some more repeat. Cheap yellow junk coolant from wally world dont cut it. They no longer sell the green coolant at wal-mart!?, stupid of them. No more yellow "mixes with everything" junk coolant for me, the rust that was in the coolant from the lack of rust inhibitors was real nice too.

 

[Boosted19]

well its new green coolant in it. The temps are in the 20's. Yea no over heating. Even with it just sitting. I was also thinking the cap is bad. Maybe its not venting the pressure.
When I got the car it had no t sat and a red aftermarket rad cap. So Im guessing they were having a problem too. Hopefully its a junk cap. If not it might be a headgasket. Exhaust going into the coolant. I will do a block test today at work. And Im also buying a rad cap. So hopefully the cap fixes it!!!! Knock on wood...

 

[antlip]

Did you check to see if its going into your over flow bottle?

 

[BISHILVR]

I'm going for head gasket. Even if the cap was bad it should'nt normally have to open anyway, that is only for times that it boils over and there just should'nt under normal driving be that kind of pressure on it anyway.

 

[Boosted19]

Well fixed the problem... Was a bad t stat. Got a bad one from carquest. Exchanged it and drilled one little hole in it just to make sure. The lines are perfect now. Car doesnt overheat and warms up good yet. So thanks for all the help!! Oh and I did a block leak test like 20 times just to make sure. And there is no exhaust gasses in the coolant.

 

[jumpfroggy]

Cool! I was going to suggest headgasket, I've seen a lot of buildup when the gases start leaking into the coolant. But tstat is so much easier, glad to see it was a quick fix.

You said that you were going to get a new cap too, did you? If you're building that much pressure up, I'd think the cap is not venting when it's supposed to. You shouldn't need a higher pressure cap unless you're doing something tricky with your cooling system, I'd dump the aftermarket for a stock just in case it's higher pressure (you don't want it masking more problems).

Also, I'd check those hoses... if they've been under a lot of stress (sounds like the guy before had this problem too and was trying to fix it with no tstat/aftermarket cap) then they're probably worn out. Replacing is cheap + easy, compared to busting the hose on the highway miles from home.

 

[Boosted19]

yea im glad it wasnt the headgasket. Thats why I did the block leak test like 20 times. Yea the hoses are slowley being replaced!!!