Did a total top end refresh this summer on my 88.

My son calls late last night saying coolant light is on and is a bad coolant leak under the hood. Steam and all. He shut it down as soon as the coolant light came on..... learned him well! Go pick him up, and can tell its from under the airbox. Dump some water in it and get it to a parking lot and leave it for the night.

Tore into it at lunch today and find the nipple had come out of the housing on the water outlet housing. Bit of JB Weld and leave it sit all afternoon. Added a couple gallons of water and got it home. Roger has me a new one ordered and a gasket should be here tomorrow....Sean thanks for looking that up for me and getting it to Roger.

Not sure if this is a common issue, search for me did not turn anything up. Should this part be replaced as part of a top end refresh? Not sure what the part cost, but may be a good piece to add to the list while its apart for top end refresh or while coolant is drained.

 

I've only replaced them if they look really corroded, or feel loose. Never just as a preventative measure.

 

it sounds like you got a chance to do some PM, with the JB weld
while your at it replace the heater control valve and the short hose unless you already have done this

 

At the age these cars are, I'd replace it if it hasn't been replaced yet.

 

This has come up before as a mystery leak / remarkable find.

Maybe it was Malcom, I forget.

Sounds like another data point. Interesting how the failure modes, as they shift with car age, can be identified here online.

 

That's not a bad idea really. Brad, I didn't get the price when I ordered it, let us know if it's reasonable.

 

Stan, I did all the hoses, clamps, and heater valve. Even did the gasket on the outlet housing when I did the top end refresh.

Again, not a tough fix. Just a PITA when it quits on you away from home after 11 PM on a week night, son has a buddy with him....... ok I will quit.

Will let you know what it cost if Roger will ever invoice me.

Would it even be a bad idea to rough up where the housing meets the nipple and put some jb weld or something similar if you don't replace the housing? Cheap insurance. Im guessing the nipple is pressed in the housing somehow? Slid right back in, was no damage or anything.

Im guessing I could drive it as it for a while. Not sure how long jb weld will last. I did not rough surfaces or anything. I just needed to get it 12 miles or so.... all highway driving. Not a fan of me or my family driving something held together with temp fixes.

 

if the insert isnt corroded then JB weld should put things back in operational order
I have repaired a few of these with the JB just make sure it get a 24hr cure before you coolant

 

The new part will not fail, it is designed differently. The past year or two I've started to see this more, even on my own car!

I think headgaskets due to corrosion are also coming due. Lots of those in the past year.