I just purchased http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/pm...062228075.html and on the way driving home, the engine started smoking.....I stopped the car and noticed that there was rad fluid leaking. My guess is that my engine over heated, damaging the rubber hose, causing the fluid to leak out and smoke.

What could it be? The fan? The radiator fan relay? Coolant temperature switch?

 

I checked the fuses and they are fine and I ran the car with the heat cranked up and without the heat cranked up and noticed that the fan wasnt working. I narrowed it down to the fan and when I can get some wires, I will test the fan to see if it works. It might be the fan switch too. Hopefully its not the water pump.

 

Find the hose that was leaking. Replace hose. Refill system. Bleed system.

 

qft.

fan switch is a common problem on our cars going out. sadly the fan switch is on the back of the block, however on my hatch, and my old sedan, i switched the thermostat housing out for one off of a 92+ because the fan switch is on the thermostat housing, and is a lot easier to replace. i suggest you do this.

car looks clean a hose more than likely just got old and split open. rent a cooling system pressurizer from autozone and it'll show you where your leak is.

as far as your CEL goes, as long as your car is still obd0 pull the carpet back on the passenger side from under the dash, and count the blinks from the red light then post them up

 

Thanks. I just got a power steering belt installed and the wire hooked up to the ignition (when the car turns on, fan turns on) and on my way back home, the needle is almost maxed out to the red zone! I cranked up the heat and it didnt do anything so I luckily drove it into my parking spot.... the radiator fluid reservoir was empty so I filled it back up.... does anyone know what the problem is? I dont have a garage, tools or time to work on the car anymore...

 

this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUzOTnsWImI

try this and go from there

 

you need to fill up the rad and "burp" the coolant system.. Find a way to get the rad higher then the rest of the car (park on a incline). open the rad cap (while cold) and start car and let it run for 20 to 30 min with the heater on. Fill it as needed as the air bubbles exit the system. You should be able to feel the thermistat open as the bottom rad hose should get warmer the longer the syetem runs.

You do need to find the line that spit and replace it.

 

I just fixed the leak I found. I ripped out the hose and cut off the tear and put it back in with screw in clamps instead of those crappy pinch clamps and so far no overheating issue.

 

Honestly I hear of better luck with the pinch clamps than the screw clamps, but they're a complete bitch to remove. lol

Also the guy says:

"Motor:
Mini-Me setup
D16a6 Block with a Z6 Vtec Head.
Currently running a6 distributor and ECU.
Brand new Radiator.
Just did a coolant flush with new coolant."

He probably didn't burp it correctly or something... Also it should be obd0 if using a6 dizzy, correct?

 

I absolutely hate pinch clamps....But I still use them aha.