When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Coolant leaking from end of hoses and cap. Replace all 14 year old hoses?
So everything in my engine bay is pretty much leaking, My alternator went out about an hour ago. The car wants to die at idle and the battery light turns on radio shuts off ect, I have a PS pump leak and I am about 80% positive that is the problem. However, I did use about half a bottle of PS stop leak 2 weeks ago, and I accidentally filled above the line. Since then, I have been keeping an eye on The PS pump fluid level and it has not moved since adding the stop leak. After inspecting the engine bay more thoroughly, I can see stains all over my engine bay and look like they are coming from the ends of my radiator hoses and cap. The car is not over heating, the hoses don't look cracked it is just the ends that look like the leak is coming from. After replacing the alternator should I change out all the hoses? Also I drive the car pretty hard it will see redline a couple times every other day. Maybe, that is the fluid that shorted the alternator?
i would definitely start with the upper and lower radiator hoses... After 14 years and all that engine heat the rubber can go bad and not provide a good seal... Ebay, RockAuto, or local parts store for the hoses....
I would replace your hoses for sure. Just because they're not busted or leaking doesn't mean they haven't lost their seal over time. They're cheap and easy to replace.
Absolutely, after 10+ years its time to change the hoses. I would do all of them upper and lower radiator and also the heater hoses as well. Its less expensive to replace the hoses than a over heated engine with a warped head.
If it were my beater car, I'd just cut the bad ends of the hoses and reattach it, but it's not much to replace them with new ones.
Also I notice you are using adjustable clamps? I'd get the oem clamps. It provides the exact amount of tightness and seals better that the adjustable ones. Also I heard that over time you could damage your radiator to hose connection by overtightening the clamp.
Hey guys new problem, I had the alternator rebuilt and beefed up, cleaned up power steering fluid and it hasn't leaked. I put the alternator in and started her up and now it seems like the alternator isn't charging at all unless the revs are in a higher rpm. For example in drive at idle the battery light will turn on and the electronics will flicker.. But when I throw it in neutral, everything gets brighter and everything works like normal.. Does anyone know what it could be its driving me NUTS. Alternator is charging at 13.4 and battery checked out good what could it be? I got new hoses and the belt doesn't squeal anymore so I don't think it's a fluid issue.. Every time I'm at a red light playing music everything starts shutting down and I have to throw it in neutral..
Guessing you're battery is not fully charged - also check that the pulley is the same size as the stock one or smaller. If it's bigger that won't work - also I have had an alternator that was beefed up and it didn't charge too well at idle.
As far as the hoses - if it were my car, I would - and have - just replace every hose on the car with OEM hoses from the dealer - the price is't that much different and you won't need to ever do it again unless you own the car forever and a day. There are not many hoses on these cars vs. other cars so it's not too big a deal.
One more thing - ditch those screw clamps and get the proper OEM hose "spring" clamps, they will maintain constant pressure vs. the screw clamps that need re-torquing.
You should note that the GS400/430 upper rad hose is snapper on one end and can be installed backwards making it easy to come off or leak.
I had an upper hose like yours that pushed back and it blew off at about 5500rpm one day - not too good - get it fixed.
Thanks every one for the kind advice, our cars are getting old and I hate to have to add another "how do I fix it thread". I will get the clamps at the dealer on Monday when service opens, I had no clue my clamps were even aftermarket. I should have known since it looks just like the aftermarket ones I used to keep my evap hoses from falling off.
Guessing you're battery is not fully charged - also check that the pulley is the same size as the stock one or smaller. If it's bigger that won't work - also I have had an alternator that was beefed up and it didn't charge too well at idle.
As far as the hoses - if it were my car, I would - and have - just replace every hose on the car with OEM hoses from the dealer - the price is't that much different and you won't need to ever do it again unless you own the car forever and a day. There are not many hoses on these cars vs. other cars so it's not too big a deal.
One more thing - ditch those screw clamps and get the proper OEM hose "spring" clamps, they will maintain constant pressure vs. the screw clamps that need re-torquing.
You should note that the GS400/430 upper rad hose is snapper on one end and can be installed backwards making it easy to come off or leak.
I had an upper hose like yours that pushed back and it blew off at about 5500rpm one day - not too good - get it fixed.
Wow, I forgot to charge the battery before I started it up.. I completely forgot.. It's a good thing the battery checked out good and I didn't do any damage by doing that. Anyways thanks for the quick reply, what did u end up doing with the alternator? And I'm pretty sure it's the same pulley as the original since it has a nick on the pulley from when I dropped it trying to find a way to wiggle it out the bottom, I actually drove the car across the city using side streets and when I got home I sat in the parking lot playing music with heavy bass and it took approximately 8 minutes of that to completely drain the battery while in drive. but as soon as the battery light came on I popped it into neutral and all it was all better.. Wierd, still stumped as to what I should do from here since the car is drivable. Maybe new battery terminals and a big 3 upgrade.
(WRONG MODEL FORUM Mods detete)
When I was changing the STARTER on my 99LS couple weeks ago, I changed two vacuum hoses that looked the worst. One is PCV hose ( I changed the grommet in the valve cover as well) the other one was on the opposite side of the engine.
What happens with age, rubber gets hard and brittle, cracks on the end and if you try to pull it onto a fitting, the crack just gets longer, splits along the hose. You can cut to make afresh end, but you can snip only so much...hose gets shorter and sometimes too short
Val
Last edited by valex; 10-12-18 at 08:18 PM.
Reason: wrong model forum
So everything in my engine bay is pretty much leaking, My alternator went out about an hour ago. The car wants to die at idle and the battery light turns on radio shuts off ect, I have a PS pump leak and I am about 80% positive that is the problem. However, I did use about half a bottle of PS stop leak 2 weeks ago, and I accidentally filled above the line. Since then, I have been keeping an eye on The PS pump fluid level and it has not moved since adding the stop leak. After inspecting the engine bay more thoroughly, I can see stains all over my engine bay and look like they are coming from the ends of my radiator hoses and cap. The car is not over heating, the hoses don't look cracked it is just the ends that look like the leak is coming from. After replacing the alternator should I change out all the hoses? Also I drive the car pretty hard it will see redline a couple times every other day. Maybe, that is the fluid that shorted the alternator?
Thanks guys
Is there an advantage to using SS Braided hoses over the OEM rubber to replace the radiator hoses or any other engine hoses? My radiator and the hoses look like this but within the last year I change my radiator and replaced my TB/WP, I still see that white residual stuff on almost the exact same location and around my hoses has that pinkish stuff that I assume is coolant.
01-12-15, 08:12 PM
Coolant leaking from end of hoses and cap. Replace all 14 year old hoses?
