Don't forget Kids!!!!!!!!!

[FMSPEED49]

So I am out driving in the cold, last night, and i notice the heater quits working, hmm, and I havent gotten around to fixing the light bulb on the temp gauge, hmmm, light the bic, gauge says 230, hmm, thats not good, pull over, hmmm, steam, hmm, freeze plug gone, not good.

Turns out i missed one under the oil filter housing, and it blew out.

So I, slap a expandable in, fill her up, she seems to run ok, a little steam, from the exaust, hmm, get her home, pull the head, all looks good, head seems flat, (but going on a trip to the machine shop anyway), head gasket good, all pistons and valves good.

Open up the air cleaner, and i find, when she pop'd, it sprayed coolant into the air cleaner, so i will clean it out, but this explains the steam from the tail pipe.

So the moral of the story is, Find all the freeze plugs and change em, and for Christ sakes, get the light on the temp gauge working.

[martybose]

Decided to take the old girl to work today, just for giggles. I get up on the freeway, cruising along at 65, all seemed well. I get about 5 miles down the road, then find myself thinking "Is that coolant I smell?" I look in the rearview mirror and see a cloud following me, look back at the water temp gauge and it's starting to go up. Pull off to the side of the freeway, and there's coolant everywhere on the front end of the car. Open the hood, and there is coolant just flowing out of the front end of the motor. The waterpump bolt that also holds the alternator adjustment arm has backed out completely, and is only still there because it hit the fan pulley first. In the meantime I have a nice 3/8" hole in the front of the block for the waterpump to pump the coolant out of!

Put the bolt back in, put in the half gallon of coolant I had in the car, tried to drive it home slowly. Only made it about half a mile before the water temp went way up, so shut it down again. Called for a tow truck, then used the time waiting to start cleaning up the engine compartment. When I got her home, I added another gallon of coolant, and it still isn't full. Did a compression check, doesn't look like I hurt the head gasket.

I'll get some more coolant tomorrow, then go down to the car wash to thoroughly wash down the engine compartment, hood, and fenders. Never did make it to work!

Marty

[FMSPEED49]

Any day not at work is a good day, usually. I FEEL YOUR PAIN.