A few days ago I was driving my car to downtown and noticed the idle was really low and almost made the car die completely if not applying constant gas. When I managed to get to my destination I noticed steam coming from under the bonnet (temp gauge works but did not register heat). The steam came from behind the engine (as on the picture) and it was leaking on the ground too. It smelled (and was) coolant.

I had my car towed home but noticed that the idling issue was gone and the car runs smoothly (not that I drove it, just cranked to check). Also, the temp gauge definitely works as it gave a high reading a week earlier because of low coolant level.

My car has for some period of time used up coolant without me being able to see where it disappears. I have filled up the radiator and also put some in the external plastic tank sitting on the frame. After a few days I always notice the frame container is empty, and after some more the radiator level is down too.

Where do you think the problem lies? Could it be hoses? Or the water pump? I know if I should ask anywhere its definitely HERE and you have saved my ass before <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

there are 2 hoses that go from the back of the engine to the firewall in that area. they are prone to getting small holes that only leak when the pressure is right. Take them both off and inspect them. Bet you'll find cracks if you can get a good look at them. my 90 lwb had this same problem.

I will definitely check it out. What is the easiest way of getting in there and looking? I find the back of the engine really crowded and hard to get to. Could those cracks lead it to leak and overheat and eventually boil over?

Nov. 2008, I was filling up my Raider in Earlimart...a little town north of Bakersfield. I heard 'pop' from somewhere, then saw a stream of green water from under my truck! Great! 45 miles from nowhere, no parts store, and between home and my destination.

The original 87 Mitsubishi heater hoses had just given up the ghost. I was able to purchase all the formed hoses from Napa the following day. I did belts and hoses together for the cost of about $200. The two behind the carb were not fun to access, my back hurt for many day afterward.

Good luck!

Remove the air cleaner and look behind the rear of the intake manifold. There are two hoses coming from the intake, one from the top between #'s 3 and 4, and one from under the carb at the rear of the mani (S bend with different diameters on each end, IIRC). THere is a steel water line that goes from the two heater hoses behind the motor then under the exhaust mani to the water pump. Not at all fun to get to the hoses, and loss of hide is almost guaranteed.

Rent a radiator pressure tester at Autozome or Advanced, fill the radiator full, and pump it up. The leaks will be obvious...

Wow, definitely sounds like a lot of work. Before I get on with this I am worried about the idling issue: could a faulty cooling system really cause the idle to bottom out and the engine to stall? The idle was getting worse and worse until the day it needed constant application of gas, and then the resulting leak. Could they be related somehow?

Karl, if you get it really hot, the metal swells up and it doesn't want to rotate. This is very bad. The temp gauge won't show the overheat because steam, not water, is touching the sensor, and steam is a cruddy conductor of heat. It was a LOT hotter than it showed.

At a minimum, I would retorque the head bolts NOW, before I ran it again, and I bet several are loose..

It's not a lot of work, just frustrating to get at around the carb and brake booster and MC, and the stock clamps are the spring type and often just at the wrong orientation to get the pliers on them.

Thanks for all the help and info so far! Fasteddy, the idling issue was actually there when cold starting the car after sitting over night and did not go away as it reached operating temperature. I did drive the car pretty hard on the highway the days before the idling became an issue but it seems like it went away as the cooling system decided to break instead. Very strange..

Where are the head bolts located? I am not very familiar with engine layouts and have to admit that all mechanical work I have done up until this day (alternators and water pumps on previous cars) has been entirely by reading on the web and getting guidance on this awesome forum. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cyclops.gif" alt="" />

Are there any other hoses except the heating hoses behind the block and the ones going to the radiator? According to the AAA tow truck man the water pump could be the issue, but that doesn't sound likely since it is not leaking right? And if it was stuck I suppose the belt should have snapped already?

It's been a long time since I've worked on a 2.6L, but on the 3.0 heater hoses a 1/4" flex drive (looks like a cable on a handle) makes a really crappy job a piece of cake.

I recommend you download the factory manual from the site in the tech thread at the head of this forum, which shows all the hoses in either the cooling or heater sections.