If you have ever had a coolant leak on a camaro 3.8 v-6 or know this part well help!

[JeffP1167]

I finally found the coolant leak on my camaro, It appears to be coming from this elbow. this elbow is on the belt tensioner bracket and from here this elbow goes into the bottom of the intake manifold. How does it seal if there are no o-rings? Basically this drip would show up on the bottom of my belt tensioner (where the spring is housed) then drip on the water pump. I can see coolant stains by this elbow on the aluminum bracket and leading to where the drip is.

does anyone have a picture of this elbow (a new one) to confirm it isnt broken, you can also see a small chunk of mine missing.

 

[JeffP1167]

Here is the elbow after pulled from the bracket. the end is the same as the one that went into the intake manifold, same larger band at the end of it. Is this larger band all that seals this elbow ??? I would have thought there would have been a o-ring or something on it but perhaps this larger band is all that seals it.

Anyone know for sure?????



Crumb this picture might be the problem, kinda looks like both ends have broken after the larger bands it appears there is more to this elbow then whats left on mine ...

 

[JeffP1167]

crumb !!!!! 152.00 bucks for this part but it should solve the problem. My tensioner was weak anyways so to replace that you have to buy this complete part because the tensioner is integral to this part and does not unbolt like others you have see.



you can clearly see why my elbow was leaking. The o-ring sections have broken off on mine. I'm not sure how to get this part out of my intake manifold though.

 

[JeffP1167]

I found some other issues with my car as well, the heater hoses are ultra soft like they a rotted out. I ebay'ed the heater hose assembly and it is 150 bucks and will change all the other coolant hoses as well.

This car has never even had a radiator hose replaced on it. It is at 136k miles right now and the only work that has ever done to the motor is 1 alternator, 2 coolant flushes, 1 tuneup. So overall this 3.8 did good since new and although
I have to put a lot into it, it is after all 14 years old and has required very little work to get it this far. The only major repair it has ever had was a driveshaft. and brakes & quite a few light bulbs. Even the shocks and struts are original to this car. Yeah I know they should have been changed a 100k miles ago haha

so to date the car has only had this work done, so this is actually my first GM car that hasn't bankrupted me just to make it to 100K miles. But after 14 years guess time took it's toll on my coolant hoses and I must replace them all hahaha

a few air cleaners
a few brake jobs
driveshaft replacement
1 tuneup
1 catalytic converter
2 coolant flushes
2 transmission services
quite a few lightbulbs (mostly due to DRL)
1 fuel pump
some wiper blades
And of course the fuel line issue.

 

[clutchdust]

Wish I found this thread yesterday. I could have helped you immensely. Just did this a couple weeks ago on a '98 Firebird. I couldn't believe it when I pulled out that cheesy plastic crap too. The good news is the parts stores sell both those elbows in the "help" section for next to nothing.
As for the piece you have in there, you might need to get a pick set from a tool store like Harbor Freight. But be careful, as you noted there is nothing that will prevent the broken piece from just being pushed into the manifold.

 

[JeffP1167]

Wish I found this thread yesterday. I could have helped you immensely. Just did this a couple weeks ago on a '98 Firebird. I couldn't believe it when I pulled out that cheesy plastic crap too. The good news is the parts stores sell both those elbows in the "help" section for next to nothing.
As for the piece you have in there, you might need to get a pick set from a tool store like Harbor Freight. But be careful, as you noted there is nothing that will prevent the broken piece from just being pushed into the manifold.

I would have just gone the elbow route but my tensioner feels pretty weak anyways. I've also found my heater hoses that go into this tensioner bracket are extremely soft so I will be ordering a new heater hose assembly off ebay and do the radiator hoses as well. Time is just now taking it's toll on the original stuff I guess.

 

[mrvette]

Stepson came over with his '97? Exploder, and so the heater valve he thought was installed rong, as they had no heat....went to switch a couple hoses around, and sure 'nuff same shit as you alls' pipes there, the same damn plastic just broke clean off, he claimed it was only 3 months old, but it looked all crappy, and I can't see how it would be that new....but at any rate the plastic broke without a fight.....same damn valve I have on the vette now, makes me feel so confident...:bonkers::goodnight:

 

[JeffP1167]

Stepson came over with his '97? Exploder, and so the heater valve he thought was installed rong, as they had no heat....went to switch a couple hoses around, and sure 'nuff same shit as you alls' pipes there, the same damn plastic just broke clean off, he claimed it was only 3 months old, but it looked all crappy, and I can't see how it would be that new....but at any rate the plastic broke without a fight.....same damn valve I have on the vette now, makes me feel so confident...:bonkers::goodnight:

Probably the left over vietnam agent orange they put in our cooling systems. I have never seen a cooling system trashed like what that stuff does.

 

[JeffP1167]

Okay, so anyone have a clue how to fix these heater core hoses? Has a ter right before the fitting that slips into the belt tensioner bracket. Seems to be a special fitting that clips to the sides of the outlet or did GM design a master piece that when it went bad you have to go back to GM to buy the whole assembly?





You can see how the plastic clip locks into the grove on the outlet and secures the hose.

 

[mrvette]

Total time saved per hose, on the assy line is 5 seconds, if that, total bux spend in PIA repairs....500 bux......

rocket science engineering....

I hate shit like that, just flat stupid for no good reason....

And people wonder why I would never buy anything newer than maybe a '90 something....

:crutches: You know, I don't mind CHANGE as long as it's a proven improvement, but change for change sake?? :crap:

 

[MYBAD79]

did you try Autozone for the hoses ? they sell Dayco and they seem to be pretty good.....

 

[JeffP1167]

did you try Autozone for the hoses ? they sell Dayco and they seem to be pretty good.....

to answer your question ... NO .... That is mearly a waste of time going there because these lines are somewhat like an iceberg, being that you don't see the whole berg because about 3/4 of it is submerged. These hoses don't simply use a hose clamp that secures them.

I did cruise to pick-a-part and found a 2003 camaro v-6 and it's hoses were in excellent shape for 20.00 bucks. Brand new this setup is like 160.00 bucks. These 2003 lines will get me by till I can have my pipes fitted with new lines and crimps and at that time I will re-do the other hoses on the car as weell.

Here is what the assembly looks like.

 

[mrvette]

Standard issue one each, kitchen chair, same as we have....

thank you China.....:clap::drink:

 

[JeffP1167]

When I was at pickapart I notice a couple other GM cars with the series 2 3800 that used a fitting in this braket with a pipe coming out and the hose just slips over it and a hose clamp used and then it is retained but a bolt that threads in just below where the fitting slips in which my 3.8 also has this threaded hole.

 

[JeffP1167]

Well after 45 minutes of idling no leaks were seen. Hopefully this will get me by for awhile. I really don't like that setup with just hoses and clamps. I kinda like to keep this camaro original looking.

 

[MYBAD79]

that brings back memories,,,,, i bought these hoses a few years ago but i highly doubt i paid that much... well maybe I did....because ofe leak the coolant was pissing onto the serpenine belt so it would fly off the pullies..... that's leaving you stranded without power steering, water pump or alternator..... awesome.....

i'd check AZ for the radiator hoses you mentioned, they're like 40 bux for both..... pretty sure that's with life time warrranty

 

[ksink7]

I am currently working on the same issue. I found that those hoses were leaking so i put an o-ring on the metal place that you can see in the picture. That solved my problem for that leak now I have a leak where I replaced the elbow shown in another picture posted. I bought the plastic elbows at auto zone which were 3.99 and we accidentally broke them in the manifold so we spend a couple hours just trying to get that out. What we did was heated up a screwdriver and bent the tip just a little so it was at a 90 degree angle and I pushed it all the way back in. Then we took a chisel and made sure we were hitting the plastic piece (I used my iPhone and put it on video mode and turned the flash on which made it easier to see in the hole) then I just tapped it with a hammer so we could split the piece in two. After a little wiggling we were able to get it out. Now that we have it all back together it is still leaking from the elbow. Im not sure if we can just use a thicker o-ring on the elbow piece? If anyone knows how to fix that let me know.

 

[mrvette]

I am currently working on the same issue. I found that those hoses were leaking so i put an o-ring on the metal place that you can see in the picture. That solved my problem for that leak now I have a leak where I replaced the elbow shown in another picture posted. I bought the plastic elbows at auto zone which were 3.99 and we accidentally broke them in the manifold so we spend a couple hours just trying to get that out. What we did was heated up a screwdriver and bent the tip just a little so it was at a 90 degree angle and I pushed it all the way back in. Then we took a chisel and made sure we were hitting the plastic piece (I used my iPhone and put it on video mode and turned the flash on which made it easier to see in the hole) then I just tapped it with a hammer so we could split the piece in two. After a little wiggling we were able to get it out. Now that we have it all back together it is still leaking from the elbow. Im not sure if we can just use a thicker o-ring on the elbow piece? If anyone knows how to fix that let me know.

Welcome to the motley crew.....

Sorry I can't help you, but hopefully someone smart will come along.....


:clobbered:

 

[MYBAD79]

These plastic ellbows are a pain: it was around 2005 when I had the pleasure to deal with this crap.... I replaced ellbows and hoses if I remember right.... Fixed it but wasn't cheap....

Unless I'm missing something: why not tap the holes for NPT and use a NPT-barb.fitting ?? That should fix it once and for good.....

 

[JeffP1167]

These plastic ellbows are a pain: it was around 2005 when I had the pleasure to deal with this crap.... I replaced ellbows and hoses if I remember right.... Fixed it but wasn't cheap....

Unless I'm missing something: why not tap the holes for NPT and use a NPT-barb.fitting ?? That should fix it once and for good.....

I found a better fix, for 1,000.00 fixed the leaks, gained 85 horsepower, got rid of annoying lifter rattle.

bought 1997 z28 donor car and replaced the shitty 3.8 :bounce: