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Plastic elbow leaking water


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I'm not sure what this is called or how to fix it. This part runs from the intake and looks like it goes tot he water pump housing? My car is a 96 buick regal 3.8.

 

Ha!

 

That fitting cracked on me just this December.

 

Check it out. I think you have a 3800 Series 2, but you might have the same problem.

 

http://www.w-body.com/forum/index.php?topic=65068.0

 

The fitting inside the engine block that takes a hose from the engine block to the water pump housing is made of pot metal, which has a tendancy to get brittle after a while and crack. I'd suggest replacing that ASAP.

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So does this just pop out or how do you get it out?

 

I'm not sure what this is called or how to fix it. This part runs from the intake and looks like it goes tot he water pump housing? My car is a 96 buick regal 3.8.

 

Ha!

 

That fitting cracked on me just this December.

 

Check it out. I think you have a 3800 Series 2, but you might have the same problem.

 

http://www.w-body.com/forum/index.php?topic=65068.0

 

The fitting inside the engine block that takes a hose from the engine block to the water pump housing is made of pot metal, which has a tendancy to get brittle after a while and crack. I'd suggest replacing that ASAP.

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So does this just pop out or how do you get it out?

 

I'm not sure what this is called or how to fix it. This part runs from the intake and looks like it goes tot he water pump housing? My car is a 96 buick regal 3.8.

 

Ha!

 

That fitting cracked on me just this December.

 

Check it out. I think you have a 3800 Series 2, but you might have the same problem.

 

http://www.w-body.com/forum/index.php?topic=65068.0

 

The fitting inside the engine block that takes a hose from the engine block to the water pump housing is made of pot metal, which has a tendancy to get brittle after a while and crack. I'd suggest replacing that ASAP.

 

I had to use a reverse bit for this. Its like an angled drill bit that starts narrow and gets wider, an when going in reverse, tightens inside the fitting till it gets stuck enough to start reversing the fitting and pulls it out. That little piece that broke off was stuck inside the engine block.

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So the side that goes into the intake is screwed in? What about the side that goes into the water pump does it just pop in?

 

had to use a reverse bit for this. Its like an angled drill bit that starts narrow and gets wider, an when going in reverse, tightens inside the fitting till it gets stuck enough to start reversing the fitting and pulls it out. That little piece that broke off was stuck inside the engine block.

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So the side that goes into the intake is screwed in? What about the side that goes into the water pump does it just pop in?

 

had to use a reverse bit for this. Its like an angled drill bit that starts narrow and gets wider, an when going in reverse, tightens inside the fitting till it gets stuck enough to start reversing the fitting and pulls it out. That little piece that broke off was stuck inside the engine block.

 

I'm not 100% if its the same with your L36 as it is with my L27, but for me, the fitting in the engine block screwed in and the hose clamped onto that, while the hose just clamped directly onto the water pump housing. There was no fitting going into the water pump housing. Hopefully you won't have the fitting stuck in the engine as it happened with me.

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Actually looking at the picture in your post, I don't think we have the same problem. My plastic piece is L shaped and looks like an elbow. Your piece is straight. I will take a picture show you what I mean.

 

 

 

I'm not 100% if its the same with your L36 as it is with my L27, but for me, the fitting in the engine block screwed in and the hose clamped onto that, while the hose just clamped directly onto the water pump housing. There was no fitting going into the water pump housing. Hopefully you won't have the fitting stuck in the engine as it happened with me.

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and on the series II engines its not screwed in its just a press fit, BTW another reason I think the L36 is junk, PS there are two elbos like that one you can see one you cant, its called the heater bypass valve/tensioner assembly and the pipe goes into the lower intake manifold.

 

 

L36 FTL

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I stopped at the delearship today and got the part for Just under $11.

The part number is 24503423.

 

My next question is How do you install it? Do I have to pull the water pump?

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Replacing coolant elbow.

 

You have to remove the alternator and the tensioner assembly to replase the coolant elbow in your Regal.

98 and newer 3800II use 2 coolant elbows as shown in the picture. 95 to 97 3800II only use one elbow.

 

3701ok4.jpg

 

You should have coolant elbow part #25403423 with two orange o-rings.

 

Did the Dealership sell you a new lower tensioner o-ring?

I don’t have the GM part # for the lower tensioner o-ring but the Felpro # is #93694.

Parker o-ring size 2-117

 

After you remove the alternator you will have two ½â€Âheaded black bolts still holding the tensioner on.

One bolt will be below the tensioner pully and the other will be just above the power steering fill cap.

Remove those two bolts and wiggle and pull the tensioner towards you and off.

 

Now you will need to remove any pieces of plastic that might of broken off the old elbow and still be in the lower intake manifold.

Also clean up the hole in the aluminum timing cover.

When you have every thing cleaned up remove the o-rings from the new elbow and the one one the tensioner and do a test assembly.

The last thing you want to do is crack or bugger up the hole in the timing cover.

When you do the final assembly smear a little RTV on each o-ring and every thing will slide into place.

 

tensionerew7.jpg

 

 

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Thanks for the picture. I knew what the lower o ring was once I got the tensioner plate off. I did get the piece that broke off out of the tensioner hole but I can't get the piece out of the intake manifold. I know there is a piece in there because I used a screw driver to pop that piece loose and it shot it inside the manifold. I used a mirror and I can't see it and with my fingers I can't feel it. So how do I get it out or will it be ok if I leave it in there?

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Wow, all I can think of is using a shop-vac and try to suck it out or pull the chunk back in front of the hole.

 

I tape a piece of heater hose in the end of the shop-vac hose to get in tight places.

 

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excellent posts Ron. i couldn't have put it better. :smile:

 

as for the chunk that went back into the manifold......... i wouldnt leave it in there. are you sure it went back in there? it would have to have broken into smaller pieces to do that.

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Yep it went back in there. I did manage to get the O ring out and I trying to get the plastic piece out but I managed to shove it back in there further. The plastic piece is a hard piece so hopefully it won't come thru the elbow.

 

 

excellent posts Ron. i couldn't have put it better. :smile:

 

as for the chunk that went back into the manifold......... i wouldnt leave it in there. are you sure it went back in there? it would have to have broken into smaller pieces to do that.

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I've had them break off inside the manifold and fall inside like what has happend to you. It was easy for cause i had to pull the intake anyway to replace the gaskets, So i took off the small plate on the opposite end of the manifold and was able to fish it out that end. You could also try to jack up the car to one side and try to get it to come back to one end.

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I did finally get the piece out of the intake. A combination of pliers, shop vac and grabbers. I also went and got an o ring for the lower tensioner from AZ. It's a little big but I put lots of RTV on that o ring and the bypass elbow so hopefully everything will stay sealed. I let it run for 10 minutes and no leaks. :knock on wood:

 

Thanks everybody for all the help and hopefully someday I will be able to help someone as well.

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