Heater hose diagram?

Roulette

Maybe I'm just blind, but I can't figure out the layout of my heater hoses. One of them blew (according to a shop I took it to for a diagnostic) and it's leaking coolant from near the front passenger tire. I checked all around yesterday (without jacking up the car, going to try that today) and I couldn't find the busted hose. They want to charge me $200 to replace one friggin hose so I'm trying to just do this myself.

Anyone have a picture from the manual of maybe the lower hoses? It's so crammed in that engine compartment.....

wagodizzle

front tire :? there are two coolant hoses for the heater, and they are at the back of the engine, but not really near the front tires... anyways here is a picture of the location.


the valve for the heater is right under the sock :P the inlet hose is connected to this. the hose coming out from under the sock is the return hose.
as you can see they are located directly above the rear engine mount






btw, for $200 they better change every single hose, flush the coolant system and hand detail your car

Roulette

Thank you so much for those pictures and the description. Now I'm wondering if maybe the hose busted somewhere in the back but the fluid is just following parts and trickling out from a different spot....

And yea, for friggin $200 they better do my taxes while they're at it. Ridiculous! I need to find a good mechanic in Austin

EDIT - I should have mentioned, this is an 86 Wagon btw.....not sure if that will change the layout?

Roulette

Update:

So thanks to your awesome pics and a diagram I found online I was able to remove the busted hose with a little clever ratchet work...stupid clamps grumble grumble...Now on to the new hose and keeping my fingers crossed the head gasket isn't warped!

wagodizzle

glad i could help. the wagon above is a '91, but i guess it was similar enough

Roulette

Ok now I feel 10x more stupid than before.

I had to take off my spark plug wires from the distributor to get to the hoses, and maybe I'm putting them back on incorrectly because now my car won't start......

Does anyone know the order to the distributor on an 86 wagon? :oops:

EDIT- OK I found it online and got it started BUT now it's choking under 2 RPM and dying *sigh* The hose replacement also didn't solve the leak/steaming issue though now it doesn't overheat....

I'm tired of all these little things piling up I already put an ad on CL for $700. Screw it, I'm getting a moped.

wagodizzle

man dont give up that easy... if you only knew the problems i have gone through. in fact, thats why there isnt even en engine in the pictures above

Roulette

New update:

So, I think what happened was I am a total noob and put the wires on incorrectly (even after consulting the internet) and while the car was able to get enough spark to actually start, it wasn't enough to keep the car running. I'm pretty sure I also flooded it from trying to start it so many times with the incorrect wires. Ugh.

Anyway, the next morning I went out and smacked myself in the forehead when I realize the distributor cap is friggin NUMBERED. So yea, thanks to daylight and patience the car is now running pretty well. Only problem is, there is still a small coolant leak coming from near the front passenger tire.....right about where the coolant reservoir is. The leak is WAY "better" than before and it's holding on to the coolant in the tank for way longer AND it's not overheating anymore but the leak still concerns me.

I took the ad down for the time being. I just get so frustrated with this darn car. It seems like every other month something breaks, and the tranny is going bad anyway so really it's only a matter of time until a major overhaul is needed. Trying to decide if it's worth that frustration in the future or not.....