...What, now?

[opus10583]

Hi,

Shop A, 6weeks and $3k in labor, shop B another 3days and $300, $2k in parts all-around: Coolant suddenly piddling from the heater pipe flange like a nervous puppy set upon by toddlers.

Apparently, reversing 33years of abuse and incompetence is going to be a bit harder than I'd imagined.

I discover the upper nut is snug and the lower feels like a bolt set in plumber's putty… This can't possibly end well.

It seems as though tightening the nut lengthens the stud, which brings on a stinging pain behind both eyes… Being somewhat unprepared I gingerly try to seat the stud with a set of pliers. Then I double nut the whole and "tighten" it all until the dripping stops, I use quotation marks because it all feels so tenuous and fragile. Works well enough to get me home without losing too much coolant but…

Suffice to say, the leak still exists and I'm now fairly sure, after trying to torque the nut cold and again finding little more resistance than taffy, the stud is stripped.

I'm beginning to doubt the receipt I have from the PO indicating the pump had been replaced only a year ago by a known Chicago specialist (in addition to the top installation that didn't include securing the rear edge, or hoses indicated as replaced that clearly weren't, etc., etc.)

Is this by any chance a known thing with an easy inexpensive fix?

...Any quick fix until parts arrive on the Big Brown Truck?

Thanks,
Mark

[majicwrench]

$3k in labor?? Wow what did they do?? Not sure what water pipe flange you are refering too.
Smoking....again, what did they do to engine??

[opus10583]

$3k in labor?? Wow what did they do?? Not sure what water pipe flange you are refering too.
Smoking....again, what did they do to engine??

Hi,

Cut, grind, form, fit, weld. ..."Surface rust", as the PO described it.

Heater pipe flange.

Nothing to the engine, it's old, wondering if the smoking I'm seeing is characteristic.

Thanks,
Mark

[azruss]

the heater pipe flange is probably warped. take it off and file it flat. that will help with the spongy feel. also make sure the center mount is not tweeking the pipe. that could cause your leak as well.

[opus10583]

the heater pipe flange is probably warped. take it off and file it flat. that will help with the spongy feel. also make sure the center mount is not tweeking the pipe. that could cause your leak as well.

Hi,

Center Mount?

...I fear that may have been considered vestigial.

I see it in a vendor's photo; where's that supposed to attach to?

Thanks,
Mark

[baltobernie]

I see it in a vendor's photo; where's that supposed to attach to?

Attaches to cylinder head (or maybe the exhaust manifold) with a D-shaped strap clamp. Many Spiders have lost theirs long ago. Not easy to see with the engine buttoned up, but very embarrasing when you start pulling on a "free" cylinder head with a cherry picker and (fatally) bend the pipe.

[azruss]

center mount is a bracket that slips around the pipe with a slot. it connects to the lower center manifold stud. this will take the strain off those 2 wimpy 6mm studs the flange bolts to. it doesnt take much to strip out a 6mm thread.

[opus10583]

center mount is a bracket that slips around the pipe with a slot. it connects to the lower center manifold stud. this will take the strain off those 2 wimpy 6mm studs the flange bolts to. it doesnt take much to strip out a 6mm thread.

Thanks, Russ(?)!

No, I didn't imagine it does... Pretty sure I know who did it and when it happened (not me, for a change), not sure it wasn't intentional.

Any ideas, with what I should replace that which I imagine is no longer there?

Thanks again,
Mark

[131]

Any ideas, with what I should replace that which I imagine is no longer there?

Remove the pump, not a big job. Drill out the holes (may as well do both) and repair the threads with a re-coil or heli-coil kit, or whatever name your mob may call them over there. The bracket that attaches to the manifold stud provides essential strain relief to the 6mm studs. Ensure mounting face on the pipe is flat and use a quality sealant on both sides of the gasket when re-installing.

Cheers,

Mick.

[azruss]

if you have fab capabilities, you might be able to modify an electrical conduit clamp, or perhap use some plummers strap.

[opus10583]

Thanks Mick, Thanks Russ!

[rlux4]

The hanger strap on my car had been cut before I got it. In my case this resulted in the movement of the heater tube causing a failure of the gasket at the water pump. Took me a while to find the problem because it didn't leak, but pulled in air when the engine ran, displacing coolant and overheating on the trip to Oregon '08. I used plumber's tape to support the pipe until I get around to making a replacement hanger out of stainless steel strap like the original was. This is now the tail end of 2011 and the plumber's tape is still doing the job.
Ron

[opus10583]

The hanger strap on my car had been cut before I got it. In my case this resulted in the movement of the heater tube causing a failure of the gasket at the water pump. Took me a while to find the problem because it didn't leak, but pulled in air when the engine ran, displacing coolant and overheating on the trip to Oregon '08. I used plumber's tape to support the pipe until I get around to making a replacement hanger out of stainless steel strap like the original was. This is now the tail end of 2011 and the plumber's tape is still doing the job.
Ron

Thanks Ron!

"Plumber's Tape"?

Mark

[manoa matt]

I'm pretty sure I have that bracket if you want it. matt.scarton@gmail.com

Early cars had the bracket that slid over the tube. The 2L cars had a tab welded onto the tube. The 2L tube also has a slightly larger diameter compared to the 1.8L tube.

[rlux4]

Teflon tape is commonly micalled plumber's tape. Plumber's tape is the metal or plastic strap with the holes all along it's length. I used the metal type.
Ron