2001 Infiniti I30 leaking antifreeze

[frenetic]

Wooooow the IOM is a deadzone! Don't mean to crosspost but I'd love some help.

The A/C cut off last Monday and I assumed it needed another recharge (there's a leak in the A/C system, will fix it in the winter) until the next morning, I tried to drive to work and noticed the defrost wasn't working. Heat wasn't hardly working either. I was a few blocks from the freeway when I started seeing steam/smoke from the hood. Pulled over and saw leaking antifreeze, so I tried to make it back home and take the other car to work. Needless to say, I didn't make it home. The car was still driving but I must have lost too much antifreeze because I could feel it. I got the car towed home. Got around to taking a look under the hood and noticed this one metal pipe connected to a hose that looked like it runs to the A/C system (the pipe runs to the firewall and back out to the driver side) - this pipe is covered in antifreeze. I can't determine the location of the leak, unfortunately.

I have attached some pictures that hopefully show a clear location of this pipe. Does anyone know where this leak is coming from?

I appreciate the help. I have been helped so much by this forum in the past!



This is right between the radiator and the front of the engine on the passenger side.

[NutriaforBreakfast]

You may be able to buy a radiator pressure tester at Harbor Freight. When the system
is pressurized you may be able to see antifreeze coming out of the car. A friend of mine
just did this with his 89 thunderbird

[the converted]

That's definitely an AC hose. Your best bet is probably to refill it with water and run the car for a little bit. If you lost that much coolant that quickly, it should be pretty obvious where it is coming from.

[frenetic]

So there's a horizontal crack right there, underneath the air intake on top of the radiator. Going to look through the FSM and see if I can replace just that piece. I would rather not do a whole radiator replacement. Anyone seen this before? How did it happen?

EDIT OK so the FSM says remove the radiator, but judging by the way this is set up I should be able to replace the upper tank without doing that. The FSM says to use the crimper tool but I have no idea where to get that. There are just a hundred or so metal tabs that fold over to hold the upper tank in place. As soon as I source an upper tank I will take that one off. That's just a really weird place for a crack.

[frenetic]

I should note, why there is green stuff all over the AC hose and why antifreeze is not leaking from there - when the A/C was refilled they suspected it was leaking, so they put a dye in the freon and that must be where the A/C leak is.

[NutriaforBreakfast]

I know replacing the radiator in a 98 maxima is easy-about $100 for one at Oreillys if I remember
correctly. Mine cracked up high too- close to the neck of the radiator. Be sure to reclaim the
rubber feet on the bottom of the radiator to reuse if you put a new one in

[frenetic]

I know replacing the radiator in a 98 maxima is easy-about $100 for one at Oreillys if I remember
correctly. Mine cracked up high too- close to the neck of the radiator. Be sure to reclaim the
rubber feet on the bottom of the radiator to reuse if you put a new one in

Yeah, priced out the part from Infiniti for $100 bucks, so it's a huge relief.