I just got a ride home and left my 96 honda accord lx in a parking lot...hope its there once I get back. I started to see steam from the right side of the hood and could smell coolant and saw my temp gauge rising so I pulled over.
I loosened and checked the upper radiator hose which is where the sprayed coolant was all underneath but I dont see any cracks or tears that would mean a busted hose. Where else should I be checking? I may just go buy a new hose and try it but it may be something else. Thought the cracked looking boot was the issue but I think thats the starter. It sprayed all in that area under the hose.

 

Just got the car back, I reconnected the hose good and snug and filled with distilled water and drove 2 miles or so to my home and when I got home the water was beginning to flow from a leak down under the upper connection of the radiator hose. It wasnt coming from the hose, it was flowing out about 5 inches under that hose. I couldnt see exactly but Im guessing water pump?

 

Most likely the heater core hose to head connection.
It's hard to see since it is right under the distributor.
In your first posted pick it is the rubber hose parallel to the harness loom, right under the thermostat outlet. Note how it just disappears where the harness keeps going. That is where the 90° bend in the hose to head attachment is.
If your distributor has ever leaked oil then the hose is probably swollen/weakened and about to burst.
Hard to see since the hose has a molded 90° bend right before it attaches to the head.
Also check the ECM ECT sensor, as it goes into the water jacket as well, if its O ring is busted or itself is cracked, it may be leaking as well while still functioning electrically.

Replaced all my heater core hoses ~ 2 years ago, the worst one was the under distributor hose, that 90° bend was all sorts of deformed, oil soaked and damaged.

 

Many thanks to you MadMike! Im will check it tomorrow and confirm that it is the culprit. Assuming it is I watched this video which looks like it will cover the how to on my 96.



On the ECT sensor I will look for where that is located and check it also.
I saw this how to on that

https://www.autozone.com/repairguide...00c1528003a1df

 

If you have a lot of oily mess in that area. You may want to clean the area good while you have the hose out. And then from there redo the distributor seals (~10 for a kit) as well ss a valve cover gasket if it needs it. Otherwise this will just start all over again

 

That looks about right.
Two things in that vid that had me wondering...


#1. Move the CC cable out of your way, if applicable. It will just be annoying to have to work around it. I usually just flop it back ontop of the cowl with a mini-bungie
#2. Disconnect and remove the coil/bracekets and other items in the way. No idea why he was willing to remove the distributor but not the coil. That coil is right on top of where you need to be, get that mess out of your way. Less likely to break stuff when you have room to see.

 

As I was removing the distributor I found a few things that the last shop that replaced the distributor didnt do. The bolt at about 8 oclock was missing and they didnt connect the bracket that the wires from the distributor connect to...just hanging. And there are 3 wires that are all cracked on the one they replaced my old OEM defective one with. My engine was stalling out and they said it was the distributor and they had one on that was now working and it wasnt new. Cost me $150 for the trouble shooting and replacement/repair. Are these wires ok to just wrap with electrical tape?

 

It did turn out that the hose was damaged on the end where it connects to the engine.

..looks like a slice was made.

 

and of course I had something break. It was the wiring to the temp sending unit connector. Just popped out as I was pressing the tab underneath and trying to pull it broke.

 

I had taken this pic before I removed it, also shows the missing bolt on the distributor..which I went to that shop and asked for one and they gave me one so its back on now.

 

I used that pic as a reference to see how the color wires were oriented going into the clip. I then reinserted the connectors to the tabs in the sensor but if you pull on it it will slide out. So, is it best to go to a junkyard and start looking foir that connector or can I repair the one I have you think?

Here it is back in place.

 

For the failing insulated wires, you might want to look into getting a new pigtail with wires. Re-insulating them isn't the problem its that the wires have been exposed and may corrode, rot, and break. You could undo the connector and wires, and use shrink wrap to individually insulate them.

Easy way to tell if the hose was cut or blew is to cut the hose across the middle of the cut.
If the weave is the same color in the slice as it is on your cut, then the hose may have been accidentally cut when they were working on it. If the cut has a darker/discolored weave, then the hose itself just failed.

The tabs for the individual crimped on connectors need to lock them inside the plastic housing. Check to see if there are little tabs that stick off the metal connectors that should lock into the plastic housing. Doesn't look like it broke, more like it just came undone. I've had a few connectors do that. Push the wires back in place and feel for a snap, jiggle the wire in/out if it doesn't move you are good. If not, use a pick to raise the little tabs up so they grab the plastic housing.

Bit of laziness going on there. Maybe they didn't take the air intake tube off and couldn't see the missing bolts/didn't want to be bothered with it?