Re: 4KcsQ leaking coolant (2nd try)

[Kneale Brownson <knotnook@traverse.com>]

That's where the famous plastic heater control valve is located, Jimmy.
You could have a leaking hose in that area, which probably would be a
heater hose, but given the universal experience of heater valve failure,
that'd be the first guess.

I changed one of one of my 4Kcsq's this summer and one on my 5kcstq.  It's
a difficult job only because of the valve's location behind/beneath myriad
plumbing about as far away from anywhere outside the engine compartment you
can stand.  Otherwise, it's just a matter of removing a couple hose clamps
(after draining some coolant from the system) and the clip that holds the
cable from the heat control lever in the dashboard.  After wrestling the
valve from the grips of the hoses, installation of the new one is, as the
saying goes, the reverse of process followed to remove it.  You can clamp
off the hoses (for a cold ride in the winter) or replace the valve with a
piece of pipe (for continuous heat) to get by until you can get a valve.
They aren't too expansive from any of the mail order suppliers that give
the Quattro List a price break.

Kneale Brownson



At 02:50 PM 10/14/99 +0000, Jimmy D wrote:
>After a year and a half of hibernation my '86 4KQ is officially (and 
>legally) back on the road.  Outside of needing an alignment everything went 
>pretty smooth on my hour drive to work this morning  (Thank God I didn't 
>need the fire extinguisher my wife made sure was in the car).   That is 
>until I got off the highway for the last mile stretch to the office - Ahh, 
>the sweet smell of antifreeze wafting off of an exhaust manifold in the 
>morning!  The problem is I'm not a mechanic (not even close) but my 
>financial situation is requiring I become one... quick!  The other problem 
>is some ingenious German engineer decided to weld the battery shelf to the 
>engine compartment so I can’t see exactly where the leak has sprung.  Can 
>someone shed some light on what is under that battery that might be leaking 
>(please say it is just a hose) and offer any suggestions on getting to it.  
>This is a duel purpose question since it is my understanding that the center 
>diff lock in the same area on this year and model and it wont lock.  I'm 
>assuming it has frozen up and just needs some lube.
>
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