HELP! Radiator Fluid Sprayed Everywhere!

[lamb88ert]

I haven't been driving my ls lately due to weather, but it was dry today and I drove it over to my uncles to check out his new truck, and for him to see my LS for the first time.

I slapped it in SST and took off, accelerated to 70mph pretty fast but nothing crazy and cruised about a mile down the road. I turned into a driveway to turn around, and noticed steam pouring out of my hood and engine temp high......Under the hood I could see that radiator fluid sprayed all over under there, coming somewhere in the vicinity of where you fill the coolant. It was dark, very cold, and a pain in the ass to see in there but i didnt notice any hoses popped off. It was too cold/dark so I left it there and will be back tomorrow to assess/fix. What I'm hoping is that this is a somewhat common prob that happens and one of you can suggest something to save me a lot of time and stress tomorrow.
its a v8 2003.

Thanks in advance guys.
lamb88ert

 

[cammerfe]

Ouch

Quite possible---and common---to have part of the plastic piping crack and cause what you're describing. The plastic parts are kinda pricey. Please post your observations tomorrow.

KS

 

[lamb88ert]

And I'm assuming you are referring to the plastic piping coming off of the fill tank? The way it sprayed it def had some pressure and its a strong possibility it came from that area. And does anyone suggest any good/cheap parts sites for this car? Ill def give more info tomorrow thanks so much for quick reply

 

[mrzeee]

Dont know about good/cheap parts but I have new/reasonable oe parts!!

 

[joegr]

And I'm assuming you are referring to the plastic piping coming off of the fill tank? The way it sprayed it def had some pressure and its a strong possibility it came from that area. And does anyone suggest any good/cheap parts sites for this car? Ill def give more info tomorrow thanks so much for quick reply

Are you talking about the degas bottle at the driver's side of the windshield? Or, are you talking about the engine fill location?

It's common for the degas tank to crack, and it's common for the plastic piping at the front of the engine to crack. There's a good chance that you need to replace multiple parts.

Also, you probably should change the belt. It at the right age for it, and antifreeze degrades belts. It's easier to do while the hoses are off anyway.

 

[FASTLLS]

I think he was talking about the cooling tree Joe...

Max is top notch and customer service is A++.. I would look at getting the parts from him..

 

[charcoalLS]

This just happened to me the same fvcking day! Coolant sprayed everywhere and I think it may have cause my Cam shaft sensor to go bad. Hopefully it will dry off. I got my Hose tree from Maxx for $216.00 with next day air! He has a great day. I'm getting mine in today.

 

[lamb88ert]

Are you talking about the degas bottle at the driver's side of the windshield? Or, are you talking about the engine fill location?

It's common for the degas tank to crack, and it's common for the plastic piping at the front of the engine to crack. There's a good chance that you need to replace multiple parts.

Also, you probably should change the belt. It at the right age for it, and antifreeze degrades belts. It's easier to do while the hoses are off anyway.

Im assuming im referring to the "engine fill location"....its located by the radiator on the passengers side where you fill the radiator fluid. Im looking online to see what/where the degas tank is

 

[BlackLS06]

degas tank is the overflow reservoir located on the upper right side of the engine bay.

it has an indicator on the side of it telling you if the coolant is low.

A leak by the wheelwell means a cracked bottle.

 

[joegr]

Im assuming im referring to the "engine fill location"....its located by the radiator on the passengers side where you fill the radiator fluid. Im looking online to see what/where the degas tank is

That is the engine fill location.
BTW, just to top off coolant, you are supposed to fill at the degas bottle.

 

[lamb88ert]

thanks blackls....and to you as well joegr... Im going to look at the car now, its about 20miles away....i wouldnt sound so dumb if i could look under the hood and know what u guys are talking about. Degas is a term Im just now hearing so excuse my ignorance.

Again, this was late at night with snow flying everywhere, but based on my forensic examination of radiator splatter....it appeared to have exploded somewhere in the front right near the bottle, so Ill go check that out today...hahaha thanks guys

Mrzeee = part # 8A080 $151 plastic according to fordpartsonline

Maybe you could do some magic to that number and send me an email/pm?
Im pretty sure thanks to everyones help thats gonna be my issue, i now remember reading several threads about ppls plastic cracking

again you guys are great thanks

 

[BlackLS06]

 

[mrzeee]

That bottle p/n 5w4z-8a080-aa list $151.78 lvc = $118.39 plus shipping.

 

[Jim Henderson]

Like some of the guys said, don't be surprised if you need to replace multiple parts.

Most of the plumbing is hard black plastic that seems to develop heat and stress cracks at about the same time. The degas bottle is white plastic and also develops some nice stress cracks too.

The degass will usually leak down around the driver side wheel well. The front water outlet pipe(there are two in the manual and they are different) will develop cracks on the seam at the top. Often it will leak but you won't see steam when you pop the hood. That's because the steam is very hot and under a lot of pressure(superheated??). You can easily find the leak if you put a trickle of water near the pipe. If there is a crack it will blow water all over.

The Tstat housing will also get brittle and may snap off the retaining "ears" that hold the Tstat in place. The other water outlet pipe is the one right under the Throttle body and slightly under the front off the intake manifold. That will crack around the lips that retain the rubber band that seals the slip fitting.

I replaced one part at a time over a year and everytime meant I lost water/coolant, got stuck in traffic, overheated the engine etc. It is probably better to bite the bullet and replace all the hard plastic plumbing at the same time. It won't be cheap even if you do the work yourself.

So either nickle and dime it and lose lots of time, coolant and pita in traffic, or bite the bullet all at once.

Wild guess is if you replaced all the parts, you will spend a weekend afternoon doing the work. This assumes the outlet pipe under the intake manifold has short screws that you can back out, mine were a beach, just a 1/16" shorter and it would have been easy.

Parts if I recall is going to be upwards from about $600. I haven't yet replaced one or two of the hoses or smaller plastic parts so don't know the real total.

I suppose the one good thing is, once you replace all the parts, your are probably good to go as far as cooling system for the next maybe 100K miles.

Good Luck,

Jim Henderson

 

[lamb88ert]

ooook

let me clarify......
the leak is near the windshield wiper fluid fill spot. last night in the freezing snow i was sure it was for coolant.

i took pics ill need to post, thx alot jim, if i were to guess i think its the front water outlet pipe...ive noticed its hard pipe and then a 6 inch threaded looking hose that looks swelled up. let me post pics thx alot jim

 

[joegr]

let me clarify......
the leak is near the windshield wiper fluid fill spot. last night in the freezing snow i was sure it was for coolant.

i took pics ill need to post, thx alot jim, if i were to guess i think its the front water outlet pipe...ive noticed its hard pipe and then a 6 inch threaded looking hose that looks swelled up. let me post pics thx alot jim

Probably the coolant output pipe/thermostat housing and/or the top radiator hose where the plastic tee is. Both of these cracked on me as well as the degas bottle at the same time. I went ahead and replaced the lower radiator hose (plastic piece in the middle of that too) and a few other plastic cooling parts while I was at it. Don't forget the belt too, now that it's been sprayed with antifreeze.

 

[cammerfe]

Does anybody know if the England-sourced plastic parts for the Jag are similarly likely to crack?

KS

 

[joegr]

Does anybody know if the England-sourced plastic parts for the Jag are similarly likely to crack?

KS

Yes, for the ones that will fit the LS. It's the same part made by the same factory. It just costs more to put the Jaguar tag on it, ship it to the UK, and then back here.

Later years (after LS production stopped) of the S-type switched to a different degas bottle that mounted up front, between the radiator and the engine. I don't know if that one is as subject to cracking.

 

[lamb88ert]

i never got a chance to give you guys an update.....it was the upper radiator hose, I believe thats the actual name for it i cant pull up the ford parts site right now to confirm..

As far as replacing the other plastic right now Im not even hearing that sh*t at the moment lol. Its iceworld here right now and I havent been driving the LS....

Thanks alot to everyone for your help and advice its a lifesaver