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  #1  
Old 01-17-2002, 08:46 AM
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Tragedy Averted

I stopped into my favorite gas station yesterday to fill up (1.18 per gal, 93 Octane) and noticed the strong smell of coolant. I was hoping it was someone else's car, but, decided to lift the hood (bonnet) anyway. Sure enough, it was coming from my car. I looked around, but there were no visible signs of leakage. Of course, that prompted me to think, "Oh hell, pinhole in the radiator." However, there was no steam. Just that "oh too familiar" odor. There were also, no drips under the car and no overheating. So, I figured, it can't be too bad. I closed the hood, finished filling up and jumped in the car and headed for the office. I decided, once I got to the office, to pop the hood (bonnet) again and check for leakage. The odor was still strong, but, there were still no visible signs. I dropped the hood and went inside. When I left for lunch, I stopped after I pulled out of my parking place, got out of the car and walked up to where it was parked. Still, no drips. Hmmmmmm. It wasn't until I drove home in the evening that I found the difficulty.

After pulling up in my driveway, I once again popped the hood (bonnet ) and took out my trusty mini mag light (it was dark). I sniffed and followed the odor to the passenger's side of the car, near the front of the engine. Suddenly, a glint of light bounces back to me from the top of the engine. There, pooled just behind the thermostat housing was fresh coolant. Of course, now, I'm thinking "bad gasket." Nope. Further investigation showed that the clamp on the top radiator hose, going into the thermostat housing had somehow loosened and the hose had worked its way forward -- it was just barely on the pipe. If not for the hard hose from the PS pump impeding the progress of its excape by holding the screw on the clamp at bay, the hose would've blown completely off and sprayed my entire engine bay with lovely, bright green, liquid.

I quickly pushed the hose back to it's "stop" position (to the little notch on the thermostat housing inlet) and tightened the clamp, with a sigh of relief.

This weekend's project: Replace stupid split wire original hose clamps with some nice sturdy worm gear clamps.

I cringe when I think of how ugly it could've gotten.
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  #2  
Old 01-17-2002, 08:54 AM
LarryIII LarryIII is offline
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Randy,

You were almost "Soylent Greened"

Which reminds me of that famous song from that movie, which was sung by Barbara Streisand; "People Who Eat People".


Larry
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  #3  
Old 01-17-2002, 08:59 AM
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Oh, I know - your engine would have gotten so DIRTY.
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  #4  
Old 01-17-2002, 08:59 AM
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Quote:
Originally posted by LarryIII
Randy,

You were almost "Soylent Greened"

Which reminds me of that famous song from that movie, which was sung by Barbara Streisand; "People Who Eat People".


Larry
OB
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  #5  
Old 01-17-2002, 11:05 AM
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You dodged a bullet there Randy....it's no fun to get hosed! Don
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  #6  
Old 01-17-2002, 11:21 AM
1994SubaruSVX 1994SubaruSVX is offline
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it could have been worse.....

be happy coolant is not yellow.
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  #7  
Old 01-17-2002, 12:02 PM
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Re: it could have been worse.....

Quote:
Originally posted by 1994SubaruSVX
be happy coolant is not yellow.

AAAAARRRRGGGHHHHHH!!!!
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  #8  
Old 01-17-2002, 12:10 PM
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Re: Re: it could have been worse.....

Quote:
Originally posted by Aredubjay



AAAAARRRRGGGHHHHHH!!!!
Did you notice what color your little smiley is?
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  #9  
Old 01-17-2002, 01:00 PM
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Not for anything but I think the thermostat is by the water pump at the bottom of the engine. (I can't check my manual right now.) The hose at the top is where the hot engine fluid leaves the engine to get cool in the radiator.

Just a minor point in a great story. Be aware of your car. Most poeple would not have smelled the coolant.

Do you know that the newer coolants are orange?
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Old 01-17-2002, 01:16 PM
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Quote:
Originally posted by svx_commuter
Not for anything but I think the thermostat is by the water pump at the bottom of the engine. (I can't check my manual right now.) The hose at the top is where the hot engine fluid leaves the engine to get cool in the radiator.

Just a minor point in a great story. Be aware of your car. Most poeple would not have smelled the coolant.

Do you know that the newer coolants are orange?
Well, it "looks" like a thermostat housing. But, yes, I remember now, that the t-stat is by the water pump (I didn't change it myself). Thanks for correcting me. Dispite what "some" may say, I don't like to dispense wrong information.

For some reason, there are two odors that "trip my trigger." One is coolant, the other is gear grease.

Yes, I was aware of the orange coolant. It's a very confusing proposition. They say that the orange colored coolants are "green."
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1992 SVX PPG Pace Car Replica 110+k
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2013 Deep Indigo Pearl Legacy 3.6R 49+K miles

"Reading is my favorite Holiday"
Mike Davis -- at Reading VI
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  #11  
Old 01-17-2002, 02:36 PM
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Odor no better...

<For some reason, there are two odors that "trip my trigger." One is coolant, the other is gear grease>

Whatever pulls your chain. Jean wears something that trips my trigger...It came from Victoria's Secret I think..anyway, it smells better than coolant or grease....
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  #12  
Old 01-17-2002, 02:39 PM
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Re: Odor no better...

Quote:
Originally posted by SVXphile
<For some reason, there are two odors that "trip my trigger." One is coolant, the other is gear grease>

Whatever pulls your chain. Jean wears something that trips my trigger...It came from Victoria's Secret I think..anyway, it smells better than coolant or grease....
Not *THAT* trigger, turd head! Although, if I could capture the scent of the inside of the SVX, and bottle it, and have Shari put just a dab behind each ear . . . . OOOOO LA LA!!!
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3rd Registered Member 02-21-2001
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Subaru Ambassador

1992 SVX PPG Pace Car Replica 110+k
1993 White Impreza L 240+K miles
2001 Legacy Outback Limited Sedan 250+K miles
2013 Deep Indigo Pearl Legacy 3.6R 49+K miles

"Reading is my favorite Holiday"
Mike Davis -- at Reading VI
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  #13  
Old 01-17-2002, 02:53 PM
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Old feces noggin here....

<Not *THAT* trigger, turd head! Although, if I could capture the scent of the inside of the SVX, and bottle it, and have Shari put just a dab behind each ear . . . . OOOOO LA LA!!!>

Somehow I always guessed you were into leather...
Don
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  #14  
Old 01-17-2002, 04:26 PM
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Where has the orange gone?

Will organge coolants fade into yellow as they age?
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  #15  
Old 01-17-2002, 10:15 PM
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Significant Technical Input
Just a small comment...

The orange stuff (normally known as Dex-Cool) is supposed to be good for five years, however, cars that use it are engineered for it specifically. We're seeing cars that have either had orange added to green, green flushed and replaced with orange, etc. and it isn't pretty - the stuff will gunk up in the system. Kinda nasty. We're told by the manufacturers that water pump seals and gaskets are developed for its usage.

Just thought I'd tell y'all what we're seeing and maybe keep someone from messing up...

Beav
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