So My Morning Was.....Interesting Shall We Say

"My92SSEisn'taTardis" (92ssei) 10/18/2013 at 23:59 • Filed to: whyplasticcoolingsystempartswhy???,, notcoolGMnotcool

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Driving to school this morning its 2 and I haven't had my morning tea, yet so not fully awake, when I notice my temperature gauge is higher than normal but still within operating limits. I'm on a hill when my temperature gauge starts creeping towards hot and my low coolant warning comes on....seriously not a great start to the morning. I managed after a little while to pull off on a residential road just as the gauge is getting too high for my comfort and I'm starting to see a little steam from the hood. So okay fine my cars done for the day and temporarily being ditched and now I have to find a way to get to school cause everyone I know is asleep or at work, a ten dollar taxi ride later, not late for school (phew!). After school is finished called a buddy to go get the car and see if it was drivable. Nope, cause I found the leak after topping off the radiator, my coolant bypass to intake manifold fitting decided it didn't want to stay with the manifold anymore and split at the threads quite cleanly I must say

Stupid piece of plastic(metal version shown but you get the idea). At least as far as fixes go this is not that difficult. Trickiest part is gonna be getting the thread in the manifold to come out....

Jeremy Bloyd-Peshkin > My92SSEisn'taTardis 10/19/2013 at 00:06

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Old one is plastic? If the manifold is metal, then a torch will do the trick. If not, it's not going to want to unthread without some leverage because pipe threads. If the inside diameter is small enough, you could use an ez-out. Otherwise, some drill bits and a razor blade will be your friends. But if the manifold is metal, the torch will be fast, easy, and bad for your lungs. Win-win.

M54B30 > My92SSEisn'taTardis 10/19/2013 at 00:20

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That sucks. Had a coolant bleed screw leak in my 530i, hated getting to work (because waiting for parts...) and everyone's like "hey, durr, you know your cars smoking" after I told them the day before what was up. Good thing home -> work was about 4 miles. Found out in winter it forced my thermostat to stay stuck open - cha Ching cha Ching....

My92SSEisn'taTardis > M54B30 10/19/2013 at 00:32

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yeah no kidding, I can just imagine, and that was always something that baffled me about BMW and their fixation with plastic cooling systems that weren't that chemical and/or heat resistant in the first place, thank goodness for 3rd party metal replacements...

POD > My92SSEisn'taTardis 10/19/2013 at 00:33

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Glad it's an easy fix.

I'd happily pay the same for the car and get less creature comforts if only I got more metal parts in the motor bay.

My92SSEisn'taTardis > Jeremy Bloyd-Peshkin 10/19/2013 at 00:37

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its nicely underneath the supercharger snout and the amount of oil and coolant there is a guaranteed fire / smoke generator (also space issues with the torch I have), so torch is not really practical there, but thanks for the suggestion. my buddy and I are going to try to melt the parts back together and unscrew them but failing that we shall probably use the razor trick...

My92SSEisn'taTardis > POD 10/19/2013 at 00:42

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really at their volumes of production its not that much of a difference metal vs plastic fittings, unless you're getting fancy with them, its more so planned obsolescence, lets drive up parts sales and laziness on GM's parts is my view on it....then again I'm just an EMT and not a gm engine designer so my viewpoint is rather narrow as it were.

ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper > My92SSEisn'taTardis 10/19/2013 at 00:43

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take the threaded piece...(fallow me on this)....lightly apply some crazy glue....(keep fallowing)...then let it dry, then hit it up with some wd-40. and twist it out. Bat-shit-crazy I know...but bush mechanic approved.

My92SSEisn'taTardis > ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper 10/19/2013 at 00:50

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worth a shot if we can't melt the pieces successfully back together, thanks....

(ps-follow, not fallow unless I'm clearly not getting a joke here)

Trin-Engr > My92SSEisn'taTardis 10/19/2013 at 00:52

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Best trick I have used to remove plastic snapped off threads is a large flat screwdriver the blade tip is almost the internal diameter of the fitting stuck in the manifold. Since flats are almost almost tapered out from the tip, pushing the driver hard into the plastic will deform it and the blade will wedge in it - basically creating an internal slot in the plastic. Should then just turn right out (unless it is well an truly stuck and shreds, then hello drill/razor blade).

POD > My92SSEisn'taTardis 10/19/2013 at 00:53

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Glad to meat another heath care professional. I'm an OT. Planned obsolescence is one of my most hated terms. It's also probably why I do most of my work on my car myself.

I agree though. I think most things are designed to have a "shelf life".

ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper > My92SSEisn'taTardis 10/19/2013 at 00:53

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My brain...it has been know to fail me sometimes. hahaha, spelling is a weekness. (that was a pun)

My92SSEisn'taTardis > ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper 10/19/2013 at 01:05

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Don't apologize my brain has those days too when it can't brain so good either, as the gif demonstrates

ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper > My92SSEisn'taTardis 10/19/2013 at 01:09

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Its cause its the weekend. also I love .gifs

My92SSEisn'taTardis > ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper 10/19/2013 at 01:20

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Who doesn't, enjoy this classic one

I should watch this again actually...

orcim > My92SSEisn'taTardis 10/19/2013 at 02:48

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That's what the GM mechanics were doing to the "computers" in the early 80's in order to get corporate to replace them under warranty. They could ever prove they were "broke" so they came in with screwdrivers still embedded in them, etc. Classic time.

Buick Mackane > POD 10/19/2013 at 03:29

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Can you tell us what an"OT" is?

POD > Buick Mackane 10/19/2013 at 03:45

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Occupational Therapist.

ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper > My92SSEisn'taTardis 10/19/2013 at 10:21

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LMAO, yes. you win.

M54B30 > My92SSEisn'taTardis 10/19/2013 at 10:50

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Good god yes, these systems are something else. Like everything else on the car, when it works it works great, when it stops, everything sucks.

I hate cooling systems in general. If your suspension is worn, it's just an uncomfortable ride. If your tires are shot, you take it easy in the rain. But cooling systems... When it goes bad, you're stuck on the side of the road. And it's rarely cheap to fix.

desertdog5051 > My92SSEisn'taTardis 10/19/2013 at 11:44

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Drink coffee. That should solve the problem. :)

My92SSEisn'taTardis > desertdog5051 10/19/2013 at 12:15

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There's a reason I drink Irish Breakfast (or Lady Grey for that matter) tea in the morning and not coffee.....that and its a better subtler taste for me