The 300 overheated tonight and spewed all the coolant out!!!! Help!

[izmyttz]

Ok so I recently replaced the lower radiator hose with the Stillen one. I drained the radiator and flushed it out. I installed the hose and refilled the radiator with anitfreeze and water mixture. Ok so tonight I was driving and pulled in at the gas station and my car was steaming out the top part of the hood. Popped the hood and it was leaking/steaming from the rear of the engine. There appeared to be this cylinder thingy with hoses coming off it and I didn't look like any of the hoses broke or had any holes. I couldn't really get down there..It was f'n hott!! So I had to fill the radiator with water and drive it to a friends house close by. I was wondering if the part that was "steaming" anitfreeze was designed to release when there was too much pressure? Is it possible that I filled the radiator too full when I changed the hose? Any help is appreciated. I wont' be able to take pics of the part in question until the morning when there is light and the car cools down. Thanks guys.

[Zwicked]

If it's leaking out the back you possibly have a blown or leaking heater hose. About center at the back (and down a bit) of the engine, there are 2 short (6" or so) hoses about 1" diameter that go to the firewall and connect to the cabin heater core. Not terribly hard to change.Also the coolant supply and return pipes that feed the heater hoses are in the same location and sometimes where they bolt together they leak.If your car still has all the plenum coolant hoses, there are a couple of those back there as well. If you are unfamiliar with the Z engine, maybe find someone close who is, as most mechanics won't understand the coolant system of the Z as it's unlike most others.

[Milo (San Antonio)]

Good information there. Agree, most likely coolant hoses.

BTW - when you did the flush did you run the heater on full blast as well? Did you burp the system and when filling the car back up did you park it at an incline with the nose up?

I ask, due to possibility you have air pockets in the system.

[izmyttz]

Well I found the blown hose....looks old and like it should have blown awhile back. I can't understand why the previous owner when he did the JDM swap didn't put a new ECU Harness and new hoses on the new motor..idiot or just cheap. Well I had to take off about 3 hoses to get to the one that blew but it's down quite far. I have to run to the auto parts store to get some hose. I'm going to replace all three that I took off so there won't be an issue again with it. Question. I live in Florida...do i need anitfreeze/water or just water? Also I didn't know about the incline..but I did run the heater and "burp" the system I believe..I filled up the radiator and waited..then it burped and I filled it more then I waited for it to go down and then I started the car and ran the heater for a min or two. Then shut it off and did the same till it didn't burp anymore..is that the correct way? Well thanks guys for all your help.

Good information there. Agree, most likely coolant hoses.

BTW - when you did the flush did you run the heater on full blast as well? Did you burp the system and when filling the car back up did you park it at an incline with the nose up?

I ask, due to possibility you have air pockets in the system.

[Milo (San Antonio)]

The way you did should be fine.

As far as fluid balance. I'd run 80% water and 20% coolant (water wetter or purple ice, etc). I flush my radiator twice a year. Once for summer and once before winter. When the winter flush comes, I run 30% antifreeze, 20% straight coolant and 50% water. That is what I like to run and what has worked for me and friends here in hot *** San Antonio.

[Zwicked]

Good for you! If those hard pipes leak, especially the one closest to the pass side, it is a real challenge.YES! use anti-freeze as it acts as a water pump lubricant and if you don't your water pump won't last.

[izmyttz]

antifreeze and coolant? thought they were the same thing...well i fixed the hoses..got all three replaced. had to use regular hose clamps with the screw down bolt cause the squeeze ones i couldn't get back on there. I filled it with water for now..I will drain it tomorrow and get some antifreeze mix. Exactly how much do i need? just like one gallon of the premix stuff and add water to fill the rest of the way up? Also do I just put water in the reserve? Or antifreeze mix also? Thanx again for all your help

The way you did should be fine.

As far as fluid balance. I'd run 80% water and 20% coolant (water wetter or purple ice, etc). I flush my radiator twice a year. Once for summer and once before winter. When the winter flush comes, I run 30% antifreeze, 20% straight coolant and 50% water. That is what I like to run and what has worked for me and friends here in hot *** San Antonio.

[Canyoncarver]

When the winter flush comes, I run 30% antifreeze, 20% straight coolant and 50% water.

Yes, please explain the difference between the anti-freeze and the coolant.

[Zwicked]

Obviously in your area the reason for coolant isn't to prevent freeze up like in the winter where I live, however coolant (antifreeze) is just that, it also makes the fluid more effective in cooling as well as a lubricant for the pump.I would mix it 30 to 40% antifreeze with water ( won't even take 1 gallon). Best if you use de-mineralized water like you can get in 1 gallon jugs at Walmart or a supermarket as it won't corrode the innards as much.

[Milo (San Antonio)]

Agree w/ Zwicked.

Antifreeze has anti-freezing properties. It keeps water from becoming ice, in a simple sense.

Antifreeze/coolant has anti-freezing properties and a small amount of coolant properties.

Water is a great reducer of heat, hence the main reason it is used as a large majority in almost every coolant system. I would agree with Zwicket in going with distilled or demineralized water (about $.89 a gallon) instead of normal tap water as water from tap can have minerals that can help increase rust deposit/PH deposits/etc.

Coolant additives (Purple Ice, Waterwetter, etc) are just coolants thats main purspose is to reduce temps in the coolant system.

Time of year makes a difference on what you run, or at least it should. Everyone seems to have their own opinions on what do use and the difference in amounts.

[Canyoncarver]

For those not in the know: Coolant=glycol=alcohol=anti-freeze. The same properties of anti-freeze also have a higher boiling point than water .... hence coolant.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antifreeze

[izmyttz]

Ok Now what's the deal!!!! I drove the Z today to get the rear window tinted. I stopped at the store and came back out and Coolant all on the ground! Damn it! It's not leaking from the upper heater hoses i replaced..they are bone dry on the outside..sounds lower..something i can't see...any ideas? I added water to it..drove it about 30 mins more and nothing leaked out..it didn't over heat or anything..i'm confused.! HELP!

[Canyoncarver]

When you see coolant on the ground, does it happen to be anywhere near the left front wheel?

[izmyttz]

you mean like it was boiling out the reserve? it was closer to the left side but it seemed to be from the middle when i moved the car..it just ran towards the drivers side.

When you see coolant on the ground, does it happen to be anywhere near the left front wheel?

[Milo (San Antonio)]

Have you ruled out the water pump?

[Canyoncarver]

I only ask because a bad radiator cap will cause over-heating problems ..... and as you surmised ...... it will blow out the reservoir. That you also mentioned that it holds coolant for a while, suggests something other than a blown hose or bad pump.

Radiator caps are cheap ....... in case the one you now have is old.

[izmyttz]

no my buddy gave me one from his old 300...it says 1.3 on it..is that the correct psi's?

I only ask because a bad radiator cap will cause over-heating problems ..... and as you surmised ...... it will blow out the reservoir. That you also mentioned that it holds coolant for a while, suggests something other than a blown hose or bad pump.

Radiator caps are cheap ....... in case the one you now have is old.

[Canyoncarver]

I dunno. If it converts to ~14-16 lbs it might be. If it's old too, you still need a new one.

[izmyttz]

it's about a yr old..it's a NISMO one from his old N/A

[Canyoncarver]

should be good.