coolant leak drivers side near firewall?

[dcbenvoy]

Today I got a check gauges light. My engine temp gauge was all the way in the red. I was close to home so I limped home. I had fluid dripping from under the car on the driver's side almost at the firewall.

The heat may have been acting funny earlier in the day. Seems like it was hot one minute and cold the next.

Is this likely to be a line to the hvac system or do I have a big problem?

 

[IllogicTC]

My first guess would be to get digging into the HVAC.

I myself would have pulled over and let it cool off before even trying to limp 2 more blocks, aluminum engine blocks are very touchy about overheating (not like iron blocks can't be damaged too).

 

[CaptainXL]

Today I got a check gauges light. My engine temp gauge was all the way in the red.

...do I have a big problem?

I would say you got a BIG problem. The engine should never be ran when overheating. You need to check for a failed thermostat, water pump and serpentine belt.

Aside from checking the basics like that you will need to check for exhaust gases using an indicator fluid at the radiator neck. You want to rule out a blown head gasket or warped head issue.

Check compression as well because overheating the engine expands rings and the block which can cause immediate wear to the cylinder bore.

The coolant leak could be a blown hose anywhere in the coolant circuit including the HVAC system as IllogicTC alluded too.

 

[dcbenvoy]

Oh boy. I wish I had thought to stop and cool down. I was less than two miles from home and I was concerned that if stopped it would not start again.

I'm going to have it towed to my Mechanic's and let them have a look.

The Ironic thing is that my wife had said earlier in the day that for being 10 yrs old it was in such nice shape. Lol

 

[dcbenvoy]

I should add that it's not like steam was pouring out anywhere. Like it was overheating. Although according to the gauge is was and the engine was certainly hot when I opened the hood.

 

[Hypnotoad]

Oh boy. I wish I had thought to stop and cool down. I was less than two miles from home and I was concerned that if stopped it would not start again.

I'm going to have it towed to my Mechanic's and let them have a look.

The Ironic thing is that my wife had said earlier in the day that for being 10 yrs old it was in such nice shape. Lol

Reminds me of a school bus driver I used to work with. She called into the dispatch office and said her bus was beeping at her. Turns out the temp gauge was off the chart. They told her to pull over and shut it down immediately. She responds "But I'm 4 blocks away from the end of my route..." So she kept right on driving.

A few minutes later, she calls dispatch and says her bus stopped running and she can't get it restarted. Turns out she fried the motor of an $80k school bus and the motor had to be replaced.

Sometimes it's better to just pull over.

 

[dcbenvoy]

I guess I'll find out. Spilled milk and all...

 

[dcbenvoy]

Well. I hope I lucked out. It was just a hose. Including the tow it was about $165 to fix.

I'm just hoping there is no headgasket trouble looming. Not even sure if that is something to worry about. It is running good. Next time I'll pull over pronto!

 

[KNBlazer]

if you have insurance, you might be able to get your tow reimbursed...

 

[meerschm]

since you lost some coolant, need to make sure they replaced it with the proper fluid.

don't want to mix dexcool with the green stuff.

might be a good time for a drain/fill or flush (when it warms up anyway)

 

[dcbenvoy]

Wait! Insurance is optional! Lol
I'm sure they put in the right stuff. Didn't losing it all over the road flush it out??

 

[KNBlazer]

Well, some people insist on driving with no insurance...

 

[meerschm]

Wait! Insurance is optional! Lol
I'm sure they put in the right stuff. Didn't losing it all over the road flush it out??

just for reference, I'm sure is another way to say I assume.

and if you split assume in to parts,

ass/u/me



just sayin, you may want to check. not everyone puts as much stock into the proper coolant as it should

but then again, free advice .......

 

[dcbenvoy]

Dumber things have been done. Like driving while the car is overheating! Lol
I'll confirm the coolant is dexcool in the morning. Orange, right.

 

[IllogicTC]

Dumber things have been done. Like driving while the car is overheating! Lol
I'll confirm the coolant is dexcool in the morning. Orange, right.

Yes. If someone mixed dexcool and regular coolant, apparently they can react and gel up, causing an overheat condition. And obviously non-dexcool is a nice vivid green.

 

[dcbenvoy]

It's running really nice. Which kind of creeps me out. The old adage that they run great right before they blow. Lol

 

[CaptainXL]

Well. I hope I lucked out. It was just a hose. Including the tow it was about $165 to fix.

So the busted hose drained all your coolant? That's what it sounds like.

 

[IllogicTC]

It's running really nice. Which kind of creeps me out. The old adage that they run great right before they blow. Lol

Either you're on the ball with the adage, or you burnt out all the accrued carbon or something

 

[dcbenvoy]

Yeah or at least the majority of it.

I like the carbon idea, it would be good if it all worked out in my favor. We like to keep this car for at least another year.