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280zx major coolant leak help!
http://forums.ctzcc.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=8085		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  smashbar [ Fri Jan 24, 2014 10:21 am ]
Post subject:  280zx major coolant leak help!
Hi everyone - Before I put my car away for storage in November, I noticed a few small drips on the garage floor... didn't think much of it at the time. Now that it's been in storage for a while, I went to go crank her up, but before I did I took a quick look under the car to see if there were any more drips. Lo and behold it appears that ALL of the fluid leaked out, as the entire 2' x 2' piece of cardboard that I had placed under there was completely soaked with coolant. And of course the coolant reservoir under the hood was completely empty.

I have not had the time to so much as stick a flashlight under the hood, but it appears that it all leaked out from someplace down low. Before I roll it out of the storage unit and do some investigating, is there anything in particular I should look for? Are there common coolant-system failure areas that I should look out for? Has this ever happened to anyone else's car, or am I the only lucky one? :roll:

Oh, and judging by the central location of the puddle on the floor, it seemes to have originated somewhere slightly off to the passenger's side of the car, as opposed to the middle or driver's side of the undercarriage.

Any input would be appreciated!
Author:  Frank T [ Fri Jan 24, 2014 4:37 pm ]
Post subject: 
I would immediately suspect the heater system, then the freeZe plugs.
Check under the mat in the passenger footwell and zee if it's swampy in there.
Author:  ZCARNUT [ Fri Jan 24, 2014 7:05 pm ]
Post subject: 
Most likely culprit is a heater hose in the engine bay. Check the starter side of the engine. Then check the radiator hoses and radiator. For it to ALL leak out like that, something gave way.
Author:  Paul [ Mon Jan 27, 2014 7:03 pm ]
Post subject: 
When the little boy saw the leak in the dyke, he just stuck his finger in the hole. (you did ask for any input) :P
Author:  Frank T [ Mon Jan 27, 2014 8:44 pm ]
Post subject: 
:lol: Haha! Yeah, but Smashbar has to locate the leak, first.
Author:  smashbar [ Tue Jan 28, 2014 8:00 am ]
Post subject: 
Thanks for the 'input', friends! ...especially YOU, Paul :roll:

Hopefully I'll get a chance to go do some probing this coming weekend; assuming that it won't be -7 degrees outside. Thanks again for the ideas, fellas - I'll provide an update as soon as I've got one :thumbs_up:
Author:  Frank T [ Tue Jan 28, 2014 8:56 am ]
Post subject: 
If you can determine the level of coolant remaining in your system, that will tell you the level at which to search for the leak.

Carefully disconnect a few minor hoses around the engine. If they're empty, the leak is lower than that.

You might simply fill the whole system up again and just watch for the waterfall. That would require you to either remove the thermostat or run the car until it becomes hot enough to make the thermostat open.
Author:  Paul [ Sun Mar 02, 2014 5:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 280zx major coolant leak help!
Any luck yet?
Author:  smashbar [ Mon Mar 03, 2014 12:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 280zx major coolant leak help!
No updates yet. Hopefully I'll be able to do some poking-around within the next couple of weeks.

In the meantime... Paul... what are the chances you have a spare 'Z' center cap for a 4-spoke 'iron-cross' 280zx wheel :wink:
Author:  Paul [ Mon Mar 03, 2014 9:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 280zx major coolant leak help!
The only ones I have left are wall deco, and a ash tray. If one could be made to work......I'll look at the possibilities.
Author:  smashbar [ Mon Mar 17, 2014 7:54 am ]
Post subject:  Re: 280zx major coolant leak help!
The culprit! Anyone know what this 3-way valve thing is called?? Located at a junction of 3 coolant lines in the area just below spark plug #5.

Image
Author:  philsz [ Sat Apr 19, 2014 3:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 280zx major coolant leak help!
My friend just replaced the same part on a Land Rover.
Take heart.....
He had to remove the engine to get at it.
The English always were priceless. No wonder the Z killed off MG and Triumph.
Author:  Paul [ Fri May 02, 2014 7:22 am ]
Post subject:  Re: 280zx major coolant leak help!
I probably have a few laying around, but you could go to the parts store and buy a coolant "T"
Author:  Paul [ Fri May 02, 2014 7:28 am ]
Post subject:  Re: 280zx major coolant leak help!
BTW, does this have A/C? It looks like there was a sensor at the bottom, and that would be the location of the HVAC temp sensor.
Author:  Frank T [ Sun May 04, 2014 11:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 280zx major coolant leak help!
It certainly has a name, and I certainly don't know what it is. The Haynes manual doesn't name it, either. If I wasn't so tired tonight I'd look it up in my shop manual.

It divides hot water btwn your cabin heater and the carbs on the other side of the engine. Hot water runs to it from the lower radiator hose housing. This "3-way tube" divides that hot water btwn your cabin heater and a tube which runs around the back of the cylinder head and connects to a water pipe which runs thru the intake manifold.

As far as I can tell, it's only used on the Hitachi HJG46W 'round top' SUs and the HMB46W 'flat top' SUs. It sends hot water thru the intake manifold, aiding atomiZation of the incoming air/fuel mixture.

It's shown in both the "cooling" section and the "fuel" system of the Haynes manual, but not named.
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