r-enzyme

iTrader: (1)

Guys,

Some of you may know, I replaced my original engine with a reman back in January. It's been running great since then. I've been breaking it in, just recently started going over 6K rpm. I just got to 1500 miles on the reman.

Tonight when I got home (cold night, car was sitting parked outside in 29[f] degree weather for 4+ hours) I noticed a ton of smoke and found a coolant leak from the hose that sits just to the driver side of the wiper fluid res. I let it cool down for a while, and then I pulled the hose off to inspect it for cracks.

The hose looks completely fine so I'm baffled by the leak. But the reason I'm posting is this:


I just started laughing. I guess when I was trying to to pry off the hose I completely mangled the metal?? Is this even fixable? Did I just total my car? I can't even imagine how to go about fixing this or if it's even possible.

bse50

I don't see it as much of a problem. Try to open it back, worst case scenario you will need to cut\bevel it and a longer hose.

200.mph

iTrader: (9)

are you talking about a small tube on the firewall? there are two connections there and they are for the heater core. pics?

r-enzyme

iTrader: (1)

bse50, thanks for your levelheaded response. Sorry for being overly dramatic. I was just pretty pissed at myself for doing this late last night when I got home.

I'll try your solution and see what happens. Although opening it back up does not seem to be feasible. I don't know if it was softer because it was still warm, but it doesn't want to seem to budge at all. I swear I never applied THAT much pressure in the first place....

200.mph, can you see the pic I posted? Yes this is on the firewall.

bse50

heat it somehow. It should make the job a lot easier. If you have something conical in shape (like a vampire stake, lol) gently hammering it inside could open it without causing any further damage.

200.mph

iTrader: (9)

no i cant

Digger1911

A pair of needle nose pliers works well to reshape the opening of the tube.
Then I use a socket to make it perfectly round.

ken-x8

Are you sure you did this, and not the guys who replaced the engine? That could be why you had the leak in the first place.

I've bent a radiator flange or two in my day, but that metal was much thinner and I was always able to unbend with pliers. The needle nose plier trick looks like a great idea. You might need to use a wrench to get some leverage when you twist them. There are also tools that muffler guys use to reshape exhaust pipes, but I don't know if you can find any that small.

Ken