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        General >> Problems >> Blown coolant pipe
        
(Message started by: Kjetil S on Sep 2^nd, 2006, 7:07pm)

Title: Blown coolant pipe
Post by Kjetil S on Sep 2^nd, 2006, 7:07pm

Hello.

The coolant pipe going from behind the thermostat housing, taking a 90 degree bend backwards and going back into the engine, sitting below the throttle body blew today. Didn't notice anything until the car was covered in white steam and the engine bay was covered in coolant. Ofcourse I stopped the car immediately.

I have now got hold of a piece of generic piping very similar to the original motorcraft pipe (same wall thickness, same diameter, enforced walls, etc) but it doesn't have the 90 degree bend, so it will have to be a temporary measure until I can get a new one from ford.

Is it normal for this pipe to burst, or should I be worried that more serious things can be at fault? The temp gauge seems to go from cold to normal and stay there, nothing unusual noticed.

Kjetil

Title: Re: Blown coolant pipe
Post by Octavian_P on Sep 2^nd, 2006, 8:51pm

Don't want to frighten you, but the worst case scenario could be a blown head gasket....but it's more porbably the age of the ruber pipe....which couldn't cope anymore and blew up....

....ps check for oil in the expansion tank, or water in oil...and stuff like that. Also put your hand on the hose and see if (when the engine is runing) the pressure is verry high...if so it will indicate trouble, otherwise it's ok

Title: Re: Blown coolant pipe
Post by Kjetil S on Sep 3^rd, 2006, 12:43am

I will keep an eye on the water and oil, however I don't really think it's the hg, as both hg and head was replaced about a year ago. Cost me a fortune, and I'm still fighting the car dealer to get my money back for that repair. Last I heard from them was a request for what I would feel was a reasonable offer, to end the case, and I replied with the exact sum it cost me to replace the head gasket and head, not a penny more or less.

Hopefully they will accept it. If I get the money, it will be spent on giving the engine a complete rebuild as I have access to presision valve grinders and piston chamber grinders. (Does have it's advantages to have a father who is foreman at a ship yard ;D) All I really need is a complete set of gaskets and about a month.

Title: Re: Blown coolant pipe
Post by jonnycab on Sep 3^rd, 2006, 1:18am

Was the pipe that blew, the one that went to the heater matrix?
From your description, it sounds like it :)

Title: Re: Blown coolant pipe
Post by Kjetil S on Sep 3^rd, 2006, 1:37am

It may very well be. I don't even know where the heater matrix is ;) Can post a picture tomorrow, if I remember.

Title: Re: Blown coolant pipe
Post by Kjetil S on Sep 4^th, 2006, 10:21am

Visited my FMD today and after 20 minutes with the computer, the parts guy couldn't find it... ???

However, he called be back half an our after I left and said he finally found it, but it had to be special ordered from Germany.

Title: Re: Blown coolant pipe
Post by Waglet on Sep 4^th, 2006, 11:04am

I had a pipe split a couple of weeks ago and ended up with a horrendous labour bill....take care.

Title: Re: Blown coolant pipe
Post by Baw_Flinger on Sep 4^th, 2006, 11:41am

Been there......
Run the car for at least 20 mins (on the road) and check the top hose from the rad, is it solid or ballooning? Many a HGF in the Scorp show no signs of water/oil mix and the only sign is a bit of water loss and solid pipes. The car can run like this for some time before getting any worse. There should not be enough pressure running through the coolant system to completly rip through a hose, normaly they would just spring a leak. Is you temp gauge doing any funky things? Any exess steam coming from the exaust or coolant smell?

Title: Re: Blown coolant pipe
Post by Kjetil S on Sep 4^th, 2006, 1:04pm

The top hose feels just normal. You can feel that there is water in it, and some pressure, but not like it's about to burst.

Temperature gauge is creeping up towards normal and stays there within minutes.

It does have some white smoke coming out, but doesn't seem to use any water. (Atleast it hasn't up until now. Will monitor it closely from now on.) It uses oil (and has been since I bought it), but I've put that down to something to do with the valves, and also put the white-smoke thing down to the oil usage. (Will be fixed as soon as I have the time to let the car stay off the road for a while).

Title: Re: Blown coolant pipe
Post by Baw_Flinger on Sep 4^th, 2006, 1:42pm

Yeh, sounds OK to me mate, dont think it is HG related then :)