Hi guys,

Went on a cruise up to salisbury today. Bout an hour drive, before I left I noticed that my coolant level had fallen, and so was in the process of filling it up with some more coolant. At that moment me mate comes up and does up the radiator cap for me once I am done.

The cruise went all well, and after a total of 2 hours drive and about 1 k from home I notice that the temperture guage reads hotter than normal.

After being home for about 15 min I also noticed that there a huge coolant leak going down my driveway. Looked in the engine bay and there was cap had'nt been put back on. Also, it appeared that the loss had mainly occured from a split bottom rad hose. Did'nt have a real good look though. Way too stonned and all my mates where there to pay much attention.

Now I live up Norwood way and would like to fix these problems tommorow. My budget is about 200 dollars. If possible I would like to get a new (or at least clear and clean) surge tank, and braid the bottom rad hose as too match with the top one. Which wreckers would be open on a sunday (need surge tank), is the OG speed shop open on sunday? Is repco open on sunday? Does K mart sells blocks to stand the car on (any idea on $$$)

If you could point me in the right direction of whose open and and whose not that would save me time and hassles (as I dont have a car). Also any tips for the job?

Alex C.

I don't know about wreckers being open on Sunday, you may find one. Repco is open 7 days till 5 or so, gotta love em. Hope you get it sorted. Sorry I can't help much, you'll have it sorted for less than $200 that should keep you happy!

Ben

K-Mart sell axle stands, while your bottom hose is off, might as well take out the thermostat, and reverse flush the radiator, its easier to replace the bottom hose if you take the fans out, if its EF/L, do it for way less than 200, though braided line might be unobtainable on a sunday.

Ok thanks guys.
Had a good look at it all this morning, seems the bottom rad hose was fine. So were all the other hoses leading too and from the radiator.
Had a look underneth the car and there was coolant present on the engine stands (correct name?) Looks almost like it was comming from the engine (or that area). Made me feel nervous.
Any ideas?
I think I will take it into a specialist tommorow. Grrrr...
Alex C.

Bummer, which side of engine was coolant coming from? have a look under the heat sheild on exhaust. Or under inlet manifold, heater tap maybe rooted.

Ah, that would be about the place where the coolant was comming from. Is a heater tap a big expensive job?

Na, not really, but a prick of a job to get it out, so i understand, heater tap isnt much, maybe 50 at most??? though i heard some where, they make brass ones, not sure about that. Replace al hoses while you are there, buy a few metres of heater hose, cut to length, i dont think any of those are pre formed hoses.

Brass heater taps eh? Will call around for those tommorow.

Yeah the heater tap isn't too hard to get to, put the car up on stands and u can get to from underneath (EF/EL). We just had to replace the main heater hose in my car the other day called out a local mechanic and he said i will leave it until i can fix it it only took us from 8pm till 1am to get old one off and new one on. We found out that the heater hose was from factory and in case u are wondering, a EA heater hose will fit it, yes i know the EF one is straight and the Ea one has a few bends in it but trust me, it works

So its easier to get to the heater tap from underneath? how much was your heater tap? took 5 hrs? damn.

Hmm......... thanks for the help guys.

i do hope your joking old boy 5 hours do replace a heater tap

thats includes the breaks for drinks and munchies i hope

even then i hope theres the standard 3 hour trip to the spare parts shop

ROFL no we didn't replace the heater tap as that was fine, it was the bottom heater HOSE, the one the runs under the intake manifold

In addition to my raditor woes I now have blown head gasket/cylinder head.

Also need mobile phone and new shoes.

So, change of plans fellas. Since the head needs to come off I am investigating getting one on which is ported and polished. I am in the process of calling round and doing the research on it now. Since I can use a new ford laser for the next two weeks there's no rush and it will give me some time to get the cash togerther.

Yay, new cylinder head!
Boo... up for alot of cash!