30 Mar 12 14:33, Mark Hofmann wrote to All:

 MH> Turns out the radiator sprung a major leak between the transmission
 MH> cooler and the antifreeze (both in the radiator).  This caused a
 MH> flood of transmission fluid to entire the coolant - overflowing the
 MH> overflow, breaking the hose, and making a huge mess.

Man, that's a heart breaker.

 MH> I have yet to pick it up from the shop, but it got a new radiator -
 MH> new hoses, thermostat, and both the antifreeze system and
 MH> transmission system were completely flushed.

Kewl.

 MH> I had no way of knowing this was going to happen or I would have
 MH> replaced the radiator myself.  It was too late by the time this all
 MH> happened as everything needed a flush.

Did you keep the old radiator? It would be interesting to know what that
internal trans-cooler line is made of. Plastic, like the end caps or
brass/copper lines?

 MH> I should have taken pictures...  It was the oddest looking mess (and
 MH> smelly) that I have ever seen.  Nothing like loads of antifreeze and
 MH> transmission fluid all boiling and exploded all over the place.

I'll bet it got pressure washed too. 8^)

 MH> I'm just glad that it didn't ruin the engine or transmission.
 MH> Everything was tested and is fine now.  Hard to believe after the
 MH> mess that I saw yesterday. We had to have it towed - since the hose
 MH> was ripped in half and no antifreeze (if you could call it that)
 MH> could get into the engine.  It sort of looked like a coffee with lots
 MH> of cream in it - about 10 gallons of it.

It wouldn't have driven very far with no trans fluid, unless you hooked
both lines together outside of the radiator.

 MH> I have never seen or heard of a radiator failing like that.  You
 MH> learn something new everyday.

I had a similar situation with my 72 Cheyenne pickup. The upper radiator
hose blew in half and there was anti-freeze all over the place. The engine
began to run hot, but I didn't notice it right away. When I did, I pulled
off the freeway and as I stopped, the engine caught fire because those old
Quadra-jet carbs leaked fuel out of the throttle plate holes as they wore
out of round. Fortunately, a passerby had a fire extinguisher with him and
put that fire out before I could by suffocating it with a beach towel.


                R\%/itt


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