Just blew a coolant line...Im worried.
 

Ok, I was pulling into a friends apartment complex and my heater core inlet hose let go. It was nasty and kinda oil soaked from when the leaking water/oil cooler was in there. I knew I needed to replace it, but I had no money. Hell, I dont even have money to buy lunch when Im at community service :(. 8 hour days and no lunch :(. Im getting side tracked...The car died right as I tuned the corner, and I wasnt sure what happened so I tried to crank it and it wouldnt fire. Then, when it finally did fire, it wouldnt run very well. It would idle ok, but then die as soon as I touched the gas. I coasted all the way down the hill about 300 feet to the apartment and steam came pouring out from under the hood. I hadnt noticed it before because I was moving I guess. There goes my two day old coolant :(. Anyway, Im worried as to why it wont restart? The temp gague never went hot cause it died right as it happened (lucky coincidence??) when it happened, but Im still worried why it died to begin with. Is it possible the coolant hit the housing or plates and cracked and/or warped one? I dont think so seeing as the coolant flows through them anyway and its the contrast of temps that cracks and warps things, and these are relativly the same temp. My Mom is coming to get me a new hose, then Im gonna refill the radiator just to get me home...If it runs :(. Any thoughts? What kinda damage could this have done?

Signed,
The Over Reactive Kid.
(A.K.A -
~T.J. :))

If the gauge didnt get hot, your probably ok. There probably cooland all over the engine compartment, i.e. coils, wires, cap................... Clean the crap up, get everything nice and dry. replace the hose, refill and she what she does.

which hose was it?

Well what I would be worried about is whether or not your temp guage actualy works. I have known people who have older cars and their temp guage never really was working it just looked like it... then <<<Bam>>> they blow a hose like your saying and fry their engine. They stop or slow down and see all the steam and pop the hood to check, "Well I was only driving a little while" :(

I sincerly hope this is not your case! :D

--Hey off topic: what are you doing Community service for, and how much?

Re: Just blew a coolant line...Im worried.
 

Haha, ok, Im done being a smartass :).

It was the line that runs from the block under the filter to the firewall (heater core inlet ;)). It broke off right at the block leaving only the few inches of hose that was on the fitting on the block :(.
Yeah, actually its not all that bad. Ive seen A LOT worse :).
Mine works, its just slow :).
An arrest a while back :(. I gotta do 78 hours. Im volunteering at City Hall here in Woodinville. Not that hard, mosty paper work and filing, I just gotta get there at 7 AM every morning :(.

~T.J.

Good to hear that disaster has be diverted!

ANOTHER GOOD DAY ON THE FORUM!
:D :D :D

LOL smartass!!!!!!! Got a buck? buy a couple of the rubber heater hose block off nipples, they come in a 2 pack usually and already have clamps. clamp the bleeding till you can get a hose.

TJ
That OEM hose is quite expensive. I've replaced mine and it was like 40 buckaroos for that stupid factory bent hose.. I think I got bent more for that price. Hopefully you can get something that resembles that at an auto parts store. Good luck starting it!! =)

AL

Man , you sure seem to have your share of problems with that car, TJ. I feel for sorry for you, you're already a completely obsessed rotorhead at your tender age. I admire your tenacity, keep hangin' in there!

Quote of the day:
"I've got the car running real good in between breakdowns..." -WG

LOL WG. I use those barbed hose splices. I take the old hose to the store and go shopping in the back. Find 2 preformed hoses that you can splice to make your hose, use the barbed nipple and viola, Mazdatrix doesnt get your $40.

hehehe I said nipple........................

Gee I hope that didn't happen to you T.J. :(

I fixed that exact hose using Rx7carl's method. Cost me about 10 bucks. (those bent hoses ain't cheap) but still a lot less then 40 and I didn't have to wait for the part.

So did I, has held up for years.

But $10<$40. :D

Hey look at it this way, at least you didnt blow a SEAL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

<someone was bound to say it>

God thats the funniest thing Ive heard in a long time. Thats gonna be my next license plate frame!!! :D.
I did that, kinda. I went there and found two pieces that I could make work, but my step dad who was loaning me the money didnt wanna pay for them. They were gonna be $11 total. Cheap bastard. Anyway, I bought 2 feet of 5/8" heater hose, and I found a funny shaped elbow for a Jeep thermostat "Bypass" or some shit. Its the exact same bend as the sharp bend right by the firewall. They wanted $5 for their barbed straight through hose fitting and clamps, so I said f**k that, and I bought a Prestone back flush kit for $0.99 (on sale :D), and it came with the fitting you splice into the heater hose, and the screw clamps :). So for $7 I made it work :). Plus I have a backflush fitting (not that I didnt already have one, but whos keeping track ;)).

~T.J.

Very smart and innovative. You've got the perfect
"McGiver" mindset it takes to be rex owner.

Now, keep that head straight @ stay out of trouble!

<end of lecture>;)

Thanks man! That makes me feel good! Im trying to stay outta trouble, Im getting the community service done, and no more speeding and I even have insurance on my baby now :). Its slowly coming together. I just need to try and find a job twice as hard now :).

~T.J.

PS - That was one of my favorite shows :)

Gazing into crystal ball,,,, What will happen next ?? I forsee,,ah ah ah, Man i read your posts , and i think to myself,, fuck that sucks. one thing right after another.
i'm really liking my car.after hearing your tales, man
And go to the store and buy some bread(cheap)and some peanut butter/and jelly. or whatever and some chips or some shit, and pack a lunch for your ass. It's not that hard to do, put it together night before. even a cup-o-noodles is better then nothing,you've got to take care of your self, so you can fix your car every other day
and have enough strenght to inform the forum of your day in progress. Lol sorry t,j, i had too, man.

a 90 degree elbow works wonders for that purpose.

i have a t-fitting on mine due to the retrofitting of the later style motor w/ the water/oil heater :( and getting all of the coolant hoses routed.

All's well that ends well.

I blew those hoses on my 83 last summer, tried to warp the autostore straight hoses into place without luck. Ended up getting the mazdatrix hoses at great expense.

Good thinking on those elbows, etc. I suppose I'll have the same prob on the 85 soon, so I'll be prepared.

B

Listen to Mark!!! PB&J rules!!!!!!!!!


http://etrata.home.attbi.com/flash/banana.swf

Check to see if the coolant reservior gurgles or bubbles as someone cranks the engine. This will tell you if you've blown a coolant seal or somehow broken into the water jackets.

Isn't there some kind of really flexy heater hose that you can buy? I'm thinking it's like silicone, but I'm not sure.

THANK YOU!! Ive been looking for that for a long time (kinda). ioTus and I were talking online on day and he sent me a link to it and it was the funniest thing ever. I told one of my friends about it, but then I couldnt find the link and they just thought I was crazy :).

~T.J.

I have it as my homepage LOL. :)