When I bought it, my rear main seal was out and the thing was covered in oil. Fixed that when I did the clutch.

Replaced the Coolant and AST and have been leaking coolant since then. First, it was the clamp on the housing wasn't tight enough so I replace with a hose clamp. Then, it was the same issue on the AST, so I rinse and repeat. But, I still leave a nice thing of coolant and looks to be coming from the AST side, but those hoses aren't leaking.

I think my stock radiator finally kicked the bucket. The good news is a set of Samco hoses and an Koyo Nflow are in the living room. However, I have to ask, what will I leak next?

Contemplating ordering new ast hoses while I'm doing the coolant just to get ahead of them failing.

 

Miles on radiator?

 

You can get some properly sized coolant hose to replace your ast lines at advance auto or the like. Oem ones will just be shaped and more expensive. Mine leaked a bit from a loose clamp where the ast met the bottom of the radiator. Grab a coolant pressure tester at advance auto and pump the system up. You'll find the leak.

 

Good idea to replace all the little misc. hoses around the radiator while you have it out. I recently got all mine from Ray at Malloy Mazda. After paying for the radiator and Samco hoses, the balance of the stock fitted hoses won't seem too bad. And the fitted ones go in easy.

What will leak next? Who knows. Maybe the o-ring for the oil filler, or maybe nothing.

 

Coolant leaks are generally very easy and quick to diagnose and fix. It is the oil leaks that are usually a much larger headache. I recommend deleting the AST when you replace the radiator. Just two less hoses to worry about leaking and leaves a cleaner looking engine bay.

 

I would check ALL the hoses before putting fault on the radiator. Those hoses probably haven't been touched since 1993.

You should look into the kit Ray offers which includes all the hoses .

Remember you asked so here is your next leak; the dreaded oil pan where the engine mounts bolt up .

 

AST Hose kit on order. Radiator is original and so are hoses and it has 101633 miles on it. I've confirmed the AST hoses aren't leaking anymore and there are no other coolant hoses on that side to leak. Got a new Koyo to throw in anyway. I'm keeping the AST as I like it's purpose.

I think I may be leaking from my oil pan now. It's really hard to tell, but I have oil near the front which can't be from the rear main seal. It's not very much at all though and I'll worry about that when I rebuild her.

She drips, belches, burps, what a lady.

 

You definitely have the right attitude to own a "7"

 

Absolutely agree. I was reluctant, only did it due to incompatibility with my SMIC. But done properly it's definitely cleaner, more space and reduces failure points. And I've had no negative effects the past couple years since doing it.

 

can you describe your opinion of "properly"

delete AST, cut off bung on thermostat housing, tap and fill with plug, (or aftermarket sensor) or weld it up, and same with line on radiator..?


J.

 

Pretty much. But don't forget a NEW S5 filler neck with a NEW 'O' ring and NEW OEM .9 bar cap. Available as a kit from Ray @ Malloy, IIRC < $60 shipped.

 

+1, that's how I found my leak. Mine was leaking out of the t-stat housing, someone tapped the housing for a temperature sensor and plugged it with an Allen plug, but the plug is not sealing 100%.

Beside that I have an oil leak that I can't track down, I think it's coming from the twins.

 

Well, I got the radiator out. That bugger is buried deep in the bowls of the nose. Depressed at just how tiny my IC is.

Now, I'm just waiting on my AST hoses before putting the new MASSIVE KOYO N-FLOW N-FLOW N-Flow

While I have all the bits out, I think I'll look at doing a little cleaning. As for AST Delete. If I ever go the V-Mount route or what ever IC upgrade I choose interferes, I'll make the change then. But, for now, I'm trying to control and limit the amount of changes I'm making to the car this summer. I learned the hard way, step by step is safer. Even on something relatively trivial like this AST.