Problems with a leak

[JDyal]

Hey all I was driving the galant the other day and when I was a block away from home, I smelled antifreeze and the engine was steaming. When I got home there was antifreeze everywhere and steamed on the engine. My dad thinks it might be the head gasket since he opened the radiator cap and put water in it and it leaked underneath the engine near the oil cap. I didn't jack it up I see since I don't have stands and I'm gonna have my mechanic check it out Monday if we're not flooded by then. I was just wondering if anyone had a similar problem or possibly know a fix for it. I'm hoping its just a hose but I don't think there's a hose underneath the engine.

[foxbrand]

could be the radiator cap or you have a small crack in a hose, what does your oil look like?

[thegalant]

Hey all I was driving the galant the other day and when I was a block away from home, I smelled antifreeze and the engine was steaming. When I got home there was antifreeze everywhere and steamed on the engine. My dad thinks it might be the head gasket since he opened the radiator cap and put water in it and it leaked underneath the engine near the oil cap. I didn't jack it up I see since I don't have stands and I'm gonna have my mechanic check it out Monday if we're not flooded by then. I was just wondering if anyone had a similar problem or possibly know a fix for it. I'm hoping its just a hose but I don't think there's a hose underneath the engine.

How many cylinders does your galant have? The radiator system is not complicated at all so if you wanted to you could run the car and look underneath and inspect the engine... It really sounds like a crack in the radiator to me because that will cause the car to get hot when it leaks out of the crack making the fan turn on to cool the engine and at the same time spray that coolant all over the motor area. Radiators are cheap do it yourself kinda thing. Check all the hoses you can find, give them a squeeze they should be kinda firm when cold and soft when hot. Check all the connections on those hoses and see if any of them are loose or coming off. Also the thermostat is a little thing in the cooling system that can get stuck shut or open some times... The big hose on top should run straight to it... Just look around... You could have bumped a curb and broke or moved the radiator drain knob. I doubt your head gasket is bad, if it was you would have more trouble than this. Cooling systems are all about leak prevention, just a leak it sounds like, it's not too hard to find a leak.

[thegalant]

haha yes good question FoxBrand...

[JDyal]

Ok guys, well unfortuneatly for me, it was the water pump, my mechanic fixed it and replaced my timing belt since it was soaked in antifreeze AND because of stupid Sandy they didn't have power for a while so it cost me $629. Now for a while my heat hasn't worked. In Feb, my dad turned on the AC and I screamed and cursed at him since it doesn't go back to heat. The way i see it is when it works, you can hear a clicking sound when it switches from cold to hot or visa versa. Ever since that day it hasn't gone back to hot and I'm freezing my ass off now. Anyone know what can be the problem? I'm pretty sure the heat works, but it doesn't switch to heat. After my mechanic fixed my car, he suggested I go to a place and get my heater core flushed. Will that help? And he said if it doesn't he's gonna have to rip it apart and replace it which is big bucks I def don't have right now. So if this has happened to anyone, please let me know. Thanks

[tamim13]

It's the heater control actuator. It's known to go bad on the 8g at a certain age. That's the clicking sound you are hearing because the actuator is not changing from hot to cold, as it's stuck and the little wheel inside has lost it's teeth. Here's a thread to start off with for information -

https://www.thegalantcenter.org/showthread.php?32371-Temperature-Control-Actuator

There are multiple ways to replace it, you can look on youtube, or search here, there's a link to a video. I personally did it from the opening from the passenger airbag. It's not too expensive for the part from the dealer.

[oakrdrs187]

Heater core should be flushed with cooling system, its not something that you do separate.

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[JDyal]

Can you tell me why that is?

[tamim13]

Your clicking is definitely with the actuator, not anything to do with the heater core.

[oakrdrs187]

Can you tell me why that is?

Coolant is already going to it, it has a feed and return line, when you switch to heat the coolant flows through the core which is why you are told to go to maximum heat setting when refilling the cooling system.

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[saulv]

plz help i have no clue what this part is called or how to fix it.i have a 99 galant 2.4 4l. i buddy of mine changed the gasket of my intake manifold. to get the intake manifold out theres this brass piece im assuming. anyway it behind the motor on the driver side. coolant flows thru it and it goes bolted to the intake manifold itself. anyway wen everything was put back together it leaks and it didnt before. any help pictures, name of part ect will be greatly apreciated

[oakrdrs187]

That piece is part of the water outlet. One side you are to put some silicone gasket maker and on its base it inserts to the water pipe, there's an o-ring there. Usually the o-ring makes through a few disassemblies, other than it being worn, which I honestly don't think it is ots probably leaking because it wasn't reassembled correctly.

[saulv]

ok now is there anyway i can find a diagram or instructions on how to reasemble also when buying the o ring n gasket what do i ask for.

[oakrdrs187]

It's pretty straight forward, you just have to be careful putting it back together.

As far as the o-ring goes, it's probably good just need to put it in right. But if you must replace ask for the water outlet gasket, tell them its the o-ring type, about the size of a 50 cent coin. Odds are they'll have to order it.

[spdracr]

his leak is most likely coming from the mating surface between the water housing and the intake manifold. it is very tricky to install that without ruining the RTV used to seal it. i cheat and make my own gasket for it. never leaks that way.

[saulv]

his leak is most likely coming from the mating surface between the water housing and the intake manifold. it is very tricky to install that without ruining the RTV used to seal it. i cheat and make my own gasket for it. never leaks that way.

yeah thats exactly where its coming from just didnt know how to explain it thanks guys deff apreciate it because i was beyond lost

[spdracr]

Get the gasket making material and make yourself a gasket. I traced the part on it and then cut out the holes for it. Never used rtv ever after that.

[oakrdrs187]

I for one have always used Gray RTV and always got it right. Its all in the reassembly. Its tricky because the flange has to go on as the bypass pipe goes in. Take your time, also scrape off any gasket material or old rtv before continuing with either option.

[saulv]

OK one more question where exactly do I place the gasket. Is there a certain way or certain position

[oakrdrs187]

Yes the one you make goes according with the bolt pattern, 1 on top and 2 on bottom. Gasket goes between the water outlet and the intake flange.

[saulv]

thank you guys i fixed the leak now have another issue. there a hissing sound coming from around the intake manifold area. i checked the intake manifold for leaks and it was good also replaced the manifold and tb gasket bt still sound like a vac leak. checked vac hoses bt they seem to b fine. almost sound like there is a jet stream of air being shot into intake manifold

[spdracr]

That noise is normal I believe. I heard it on my car and I know I don't have any leaks