Re: IML: Look Ma! No Leaks!

[<dansgarage@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

HI All,  first off, thanks to EVERYONE who chimed in with all the help and 
information a guy could want about the leaky hose problem in my '66. Special 
thanks to Dick Benjamin for his many emails pointing me in the right 
direction...also to Mike/Paul/Dennis/Kenyon/Dick/etc.....!!! 
Well, as is usually the case with these things when it really started bothering 
me that I coucldn't find the leak in the hose or the connection where the hose 
slides on, I decided to do what most guys would do....sat down and had a beer 
and thought about it for a while!!!!!! 
...I changed the thermostat/gasket from the Hi-Temp one that ws in there. 
...finally got the bolts off (inventing new words!) 
...cleanedthe old gasket off with a razor and sandpaper 
...took several attempts, but got the thermostat and gasket back on 
...tightened up the two bolts on the thermostat housing (invented MORE new 
words!) 
...had to do this 3 times before getting a good non-leaky connection 
...before putting collant back in, replaced the lower hose (3 days to FIND one!) 
...once hose was back on coolant added, then started dripping from top of hose 
down the hose length 
...removed hose 
...Wire-brushed hose connection (again) and made metal shine! 
...put hose back on, tightened clamps, still leaking 
...Checked the lower hose again and again since thats where the leak looked to 
be coming from but.. 
...leak is coming from BEHIND the water-pump housing 
...Checked and tightened all bolts I could get to (thinking I hasd loosened 
something when doing the initial work on the thermostat) 
...thought I'd have to replace water pump housing as it just HAD to be cracked 
or something 
...checked the saem part on spare 440 motor (from Kenyon) 
...sinc ethere are NO places for anything to leak in the rear of the housing, it 
could be )OH NO!) a manifold gasket or...? 
...banged head against wall....I just felt like I was missing something 
someplace... 
...LIGHT BULB GOES ON IN BRAIN!!!! 
...the leak started AFTER changing the thermostat/gasket..AND.. I never actually 
ran the motor in between the thermostat replacement and the removal of the lower 
radiator hose! 
...DUH! it just might (dare I get my hopes up?) that the thermostat gasket was 
leaking where I could not easily see it (meaning, in back under the AC unit) and 
then running down the back of the water-pump housing to come out onto and rip 
down the upper radiator hose!!??? 
...Reused those NEW WORDS I made up, from earlier 'thermostat work' and finally 
got the wrenches to get a good 'bite' on the two bolts by approaching them from 
the firewall side, under the AC bracket and plug wires. 
(NOTE: several IML'rs warned me of how much 'fun' it is trying to do the 
thermostat removal/replacement. Talk about needing 'specialized' tools!!!!) 
...EUREKA!! I found that from this angle/position the two bolts could be 
tightened up just a bit....maybe, just maybe THIS was the source of the leaks! 
Yep! with a tiny flashlight I looked in back of the thermostat housing and still 
could see a bit of anti-freeze down in the little 'pits' on top of the motor in 
that area. 
...Now, did the gasket get messed up? was I going to have to go through this 
again and replace the gasket before getting a 'leakfree' trial?? 
...Ran the car for 20 minutes ( no leaks), took it for a short drive (still no 
leaks!) and ran for another 30 minutes. STILL NO LEAKS!!! 
...Kicked self in rear (HARD) for not checking the thermostat FIRST! instead of 
turning a simple problem into a major production!!! 
NOTE TO SELF!...just 'cause the leak is showing up on the hose doesn't mean its 
the hose that's leaking! 
 
Actually, several guys hit the problem right on the head (thanks guys!!) in 
their emails, which (Naturally) didn't 'click' until I had sat down with the 
beer. Amazing, how that works, huh??!! 
 
Well, hopefully, that was the problem and once I go for another ride I will feel 
better if there are NO LEAKS then! 
Now, I can take the car over to get the front allignment done and be all set for 
the SCIOC Picnic on Oct. 1st!!!! 
Thanks sooooooooo much everyone!!! (and, Kenyon, I did remove the pump-housing 
from that spare motor and seeing there were NO places for anything to leak from 
under ther, it ...plus the beer....started me thinking!!! Thanks, Bud!) 
 
Dan Melnik (This Bud's for you all!) 
 


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