86 951 Driver

So last night like a dumbass I ran out of gas about 1 mile from the gas station last night. The first I went to had no power. So I'm driving after I get a gas can and refill my car. I'm on my way to the gas station when I smell something like antifreeze throught he A/C vent. I look at my temp gauge its damn near in red. So I pull over in the next parking lot pop the hood, turn the heat on full blast when I hear this hissing sound. All I could think is I'm ****ed almost every place is closed because of power, I have no duct tape, and I just lost 2 gallons of antifreeze. I got some water for it refilled and by the time I got to my neighborhood I had to fill it up again. I don't know if its a hose or what. I just hope there isn't to much damage to the manifold and that the piston rings are still intact. Are the coolant hoses expensive? Also are they hard to change. I'm going to do them all if the one is busted. Does this sound like it could be a hose or something more serious? I feel like crap right now. The Neon doesn't run right, now the porsche after all the special treatment I give her and she goes and does this.

Phi1720

Hose kits are usually around $100. Not that hard to change them if you have jack stands & a buddy. I just finished doing mine.

quinnfiske

May not be that bad. If the temp needle was in the "normal" range, not yet in the red, you are probably OK. If it was pegged, be very afraid.
One of the part suppliers (I forget which one) sells compete hose kits. That is probably the best bet. Otherwise, if you poke around enough you should be able to find the leaky one. If you can't find a leak, it may be the head gasket. Getting smoke out the tailpipe?

86 951 Driver

NO smoke out of the tailpipe except the occasional oil burning. Thats just from leaking valve seals. I think it might be a hose, because when I squeezed the top radiator hose there was a hissing noise.

quinnfiske

Those hoses are probably mostly the original ones, now almost 20 years old. Changing them would be a good idea in any case. You have made me nervous about mine.... You might have a bad water pump also, but I don't know how often that happens.

86 951 Driver

If the water pump was bad wouldn't the timing belt have snapped?

Phi1720

Nope. If the pump is bad, fluid will be coming out of the weep hole in the water pump. If you can get under the car & take the belly pan off, run it & check the weep hole to see if coolant comes out there.

_______________
-Scott
85.5 944
96 Mazda Miata

xsboost90

if its hissing it sounds like a hose. Maybe you could go run the car and look to find the problem- since we are just guessing here.

86 951 Driver

I'm really worried about running the car to long with it like this. It scares me to because of the aluminum head. Aluminum heats up really weird.