KingBonacci

About 2 weeks ago I had my mechanic flush the coolant and replace it with new coolant from his recommendation. He said it looked old and had a bad smell to it. They did this "BG" protection plan/service to the cooling system which I'm not entirely sure what exactly that means.

So now I believe every 30k miles It needs to be done again with the same BG service. So just yesterday on my way home from work the radiator light started coming on and going off and I noticed smoke coming from under the hood. Pull over and pop the hood to see coolant dripping down on to the ground, enough to make a good size puddle. I can here a fizzleing sort of sound like it would if air and water was being squeezed through a tiny hole. It seemed to me that it was coming out of the large hose above the thermostat but couldn't tell.

So I fill the reservoir back up with coolant drive it to my mechanics and start looking under the hood with him, he points to the thermostat gasket. Start the car back up, and no more leaking, it won't reproduce the leaking or the fizzleing sound it made after you turn it off. The only thing I noticed is the large hose he took off to flush the coolant had a diferent hose clamp on it.

Mazda used the squeeze off style hose clamps but it seemed my mechanic replaced it with a flathead screwdriver kind. I leave it there over night and he calls me today and wants to just replace the thermostat. What are the chances it could be leaking from the thermostat gasket? It all just seems odd to me since the cooling system was just messed with by them when they flushed it. So he just wants to replace it. This sound like BS? Where else could it be leaking from? How would you be able to tell if any of those hoses around the thermostat where leaking, just by looking? Sorry for the redundant questions and thank you in advance for any help.

fuztupnz

iTrader: (4)

I and others have had the T-stat housing gasket fail which created a barely noticeable leak that burnt off before it hit the ground. You'd smell antifreeze when you get out of the car, but it would never puddle or drip to the ground. It could be an issue for you as well. I'm talking about the housing to the block gasket, not the o-ring gasket on the t-stat itself.

If it's puddling and smoking, you've got a lot more coming out than that though. Sounds like a hose isn't on tight, or it has build up under it and isn't sealing.

KingBonacci

I'm not exaclty surewhat the diference is of the gaskets on the t-stat, he is talking about the one that is in between the middle of the t-stat itself. The one that divides the upper part from the lower part I believe. He thinks it's leaking from there. That sound like BS?

fuztupnz

iTrader: (4)

not necessarily BS, if they botched the job and pinched the seal, or if they put the thermostat in wrong, it could be leaking.

KingBonacci

Thermostat is the original one still. Don't think they needed to take it off for a coolant flush. Is it worth replacing it? I just want to avoid paying for that if the t-stat is fine and then have the leak come back again.

zoom44

never let ANYONE do ANYTHING to ANYTHING you own if they don't fully explain what they are going to do so that YOU understand it.

KingBonacci

I agree. He explained it to me afterwards and this is the paper that he gave me about it. I guess he circled the ones pertaining to me. WTF is this? Could this have done something to the thermostat?

Wingznut

iTrader: (1)

This is what immediately stood out to me, as well. Don't be shy to have them explain it to you over and over, if it's not crystal clear. Have them explain it while looking under the hood of your car, if that's what's necessary.

It's incredibly unlikely (near impossible) that a thermostat gasket can leak enough to cause a puddle one day, and then not leak at all the next. Is it possible that the mechanic did something like not quite tighten the hose clamp all the way, and then fix it when you brought it back, and then point at the thermostat housing in an attempt to cover up his mistake?

Did he do a pressure test on the cooling system?

If it were me, and I had the time, I would just take the car back, and monitor it like crazy for a few days.

Wingznut

iTrader: (1)

Oh, this looks like a warranty plan... I presume it's something you paid separately for? Or is this just like their "warranty" for the cooling system service?

Would the thermostat repair that the mechanic is proposing be covered under this plan?

EDIT: Nope, it's clearly defined on the right side that a thermostat is not covered.

fuztupnz

iTrader: (4)

^ that looks like you got screwed on that warranty or whatever it is. Looks like it only covers the coolant itself and freeze plugs. Cancel it and get your money back, and take the car to someone that knows what they're doing.

Wingznut

iTrader: (1)

Umm... Not really.

"Covers only the lubricated parts contained within the heater core, water pump, freeze plugs, and radiator."

EDIT: Upon further investigation, this plan isn't an additional charge. It's basically just their warranty from the cooling system service.

KingBonacci

So what is it? Is it some additive? I don't get it.

fuztupnz

iTrader: (4)

^ water pump and radiator are good to have covered. I read that wrong. I read it as only the lubricated parts of said items, not just the heater core.

My advice still stands, return the warranty and take the car to a mechanic that knows what he's doing.

It sounds to me like the left a loose hose and tightened it when you got there like stated above.

edit: quoted for clarity and because i noticed the same after re-reading it myself. Looks like it's just a warranty on the job performed.

KingBonacci

When I first pulled over it was a producing a significant drip enough to make a good sized puddle within a couple of minutes and was making a random fizzleing/gurgleing noise. I let it cool refilled the coolant resavoir which was now empty and drove it to the mechanic. When I got there it was not leaking at all I restarted it a few times and still no leak.

fuztupnz

iTrader: (4)

Did you notice where the sound and fluid was coming from? Was you overflow cap on all the way when you took it off?

Wingznut

iTrader: (1)

Like I said before...

KingBonacci

It sounded like it was comming from that larger hose there by the t-stat. But hard to say exactly.

KingBonacci

I tugged on the hose clamp on that larger hose and it seemed really tight.

KingBonacci

I'd love to just take it back and check it out myself but I just don't want to get stuck and pay for a tow.

fuztupnz

iTrader: (4)

This is the best advice to give.

Heeroguy

sounds to me like you have an air bubble in your system.

this will show u having full coolant. but what happens after longer drives the heat builds up and will boil the coolant so it will eventually find a way out, hence the hissing sizzling sound and also the puddle.


imo take you rad cap off and run ut car idle for a while and watch the levels if it all of a sudden bubbles and your coolants goes low, add more coolant and keep it going untill not more bubbles

KingBonacci

Took the car back today, mechanic said it retightend everything and gave it a long ride and it seemed fine with no leaks. He keeps saying "all the corrosion" which he is saying is on the housing on the thermostat which is basically build up of coolant over the years and that is what made it leak. He is saying it's worth replacing the entire thermostat and clean the hoses really good or maybe even replace all the hoses.

Mazda32007

I would definitely replace the thermostat by jacking up the car from the rightside. You use a flashlight to exam the thermostat and see if thier is any leakage around the thermostat if so replace. Even if it is just the gasket, replace the whole thing.