Vette troubles Overheading Do’s and Don’ts Part II

I’d like to wind this up but, there are some loose ends.

The actual cause was a very unusual split in the bottom radiator hose.  It wasn’t the usual, break at the clamp, or on a bend.  It was a length wise split at the very bottom of the hose.  It was large enough to dump most of the contents of the cooling system in a matter of a couple 100 feet, mostly likely most of it at the traffic light where I saw the odd maneuvering of the cars behind me.

So, thankfully, it’s not a freeze plug or anything major.  But I’m not out of the woods yet.

Why not?  There is often collateral damage when a car over heats and with at or near 300 degrees, other things start to fail.  Some gasket materials will melt, other fluids can get broken down to make them less effective. 

The major concerns with my Vette will be the gaskets for the heads and the transmission fluid.  The transmission fluid is cooled by running through the bottom of the radiator and if it’s hot there, the fluid follows.  Breaking down of that trans fluid can lead to transmission damage and necessitate a rebuild.  

The weakening of any gasket material can cause leaking of whatever it is supposed to be sealing.  Head gasket leaks, will cause a loss of  compression and a chance to damage the engine.  In newer cars, with aluminum blocks or heads these can warp and become useless.

My Vette has iron heads and block and in this case that’s a good thing.  It’s less likely that the heat had any ill effect, but there is still a chance.

Here’s a couple more Do’s after all the drama.

1. Do have your oil changed

2. Do have your compression checked.

3.  Do check all the other seals/gaskets.

4.  Do have your transmission fluid changed.

5. Do have your thermostat changed.

Currently I’m waiting for the compression test to done.  I”ll have the results Monday (7/5) and I’ll pass them on.

Thanks for reading.

Tim