coolant spraying in engine bay

[Tayken]

I am not the most mechanically inclined, tonight I smelled something like maple syrup and stopped to check my engine (ea82 200k+ miles). Sure enough there was coolant that sprayed all over the engine bay. This is the area where is seem to be pooling and or sprayed the most. My temp gauge doesn't show that the car is overheating, as I drove it about 4 more miles home. There is no leaking under the car and my coolant reservoir was empty when I checked. I have not been able to check the radiator itself as the car was still hot. Though the radiator was just replaced by the dealership less than six months ago. I checked the dipstick and the oil is a normal color. I don't know if this is relevant but when I started the car to return home (all round about a 20 mile drive) I inserted the key and turned the car on, when I turned to car to start it I heard a pop type sound and the car was as if it had no battery; no interior lights and no turn over of the starter. I turned off the car and opened the hood after I did that my SO turned the key and the car turned on right away. If you have read all of this, Thank you so much.

[nobangmycar]

Oh dear!  What a mess!  It could be coming from a lot of places, although the car struggling to crank is a bit odd.  Hopefully it wasn't starting to seize from overheating and getting tight.  My advice would be to definitely locate that leak before driving it any further and see what your problem is.  You can pressurize the coolant system to force the leak to happen while the engine is not running and it should become obvious.  A fluorescent anti-freeze could help in tis regard like the Valvoline stuff.  Remember coolant will spray backward (and everywhere!) when you are travelling and will also drip from the lowest point when sitting so locating the leak can be tricky.

[Tayken]

Thanks for the advice! I filled up my radiator this morning and turned her on, I found the leak and replaced the hose. It was the little hose coming off the thermostat leading to the engine. Im happy it was something small like that. 

[TomRhere]

There is another similar size hose on the back of the intake manifold. Suggest you change it also.

 

If you don't know the age of the heater and radiator hoses, change them as well.

[ehartshorn]

Just went thru this myself, but it was the hose on the back of the intake manifold that was rotten.  Replacing the hose to the thermostat and heater hoses this weekend, did the radiator hoses a couple of weeks ago, which is when all the trouble started.  Fixing one weak point seems to reveal the next weak point, ad infinitum.

[MR_Loyale]

Start the engine, open the hood and rev the engine by grabbing the throttle cable. Watch for any squirts. My guess is either a radiator hose or the small thermostat to block hose.

Edited September 20, 2013 by MR_Loyale

[nobangmycar]

Glad you got it sorted.  It's always a positive outcome when it is a simple fix like that!  Great stuff!

[DaveT]

Thanks for the advice! I filled up my radiator this morning and turned her on, I found the leak and replaced the hose. It was the little hose coming off the thermostat leading to the engine. Im happy it was something small like that. 

 

Like was already mentioned - replace ALL of the hoses that you do not know the age of.  I've noticed that those smaller ones are often neglected, and they all age at the same rate.   2 radiator hoses, 2 heater hoses, the small one from the thermostat to engine block, small one at the rear of the throttle body, and a short 90 degree bend right above the water pump.  That last one is hard to see, but it is there..  You do not want to run an EA82 with low coolant.