98 5.7l vortec, leaks coolant. need advise (pics)

[Thule]

hi guys,

when i bougth my 98 the radiator leaked coolant, and it increased quickly after i purchased it,

i bought new radiator and replaced the original one, i filled it up with coolant, i know i put to much coolant,

after i started the car and started to drive it i noticed that the car dripped water behind the front wheel on the right side,

when i checked it, it leak from a rubber hose that comes out of the firewall where the hoses go in to the heater core, i assumed by the look of things that this was somekind of overflow realease, knowing that there was to much coolant, this is not connected to anything, and does not look like it should, and is not connected to anything in my 97 car ether,

it dripped for couple of days, the engine heat is spot on, and the coolant level in the expension tank is spot on both when hot and cold,

then few weeks later it started to drip agen, and sometimes quite alot, and know i have driven the car for 3 months, every day and it drips some days, and some days not, the coolant level is spot on, both when cold and hot, there is always just the right amount in the radiator also, and the engine heat is also spot on, also when i am towing,

i can hear a air pressue sound in the heater core after i shut the car down sometimes, but other than that nothing seems to be wrong, it just leaks cooland sometimes and sometimes not, i have never added coolant since i replaced the radiator and the coolant level botn in the expension tank and the radiator have not moved an inch,

anybody got any idea what is going on? is it just getting rid of the over amount i put in it?

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[df2x4]

Have you been using the AC or the defroster when it does this? My first guess would be condensation from the AC system dripping off. My trucks drip a lot whenever the compressor is running.

You sure it's coolant and not just water?

 

[Thule]

i have actually not checked if it is actually coolant, i do not use the AC much, maybe 2-3 times since i bought the car, it blows ice cold though

 

[satxwy]

That "hose" you speak of confused me at first too. Pretty sure it's the AC condensate line. The under the truck drip location is spot on for where your AC should drip. That would explain why your coolant level hasn't changed.


Sent from that one place.

 

[kennythewelder]

I live in south Louisiana, and I use the hell out of my AC. You should see the size of the water spot coming out of my truck, in the same place as yours is. It is the AC over flow hose that is leaking for sure, and that is the hose that is in your pic, if that is where the water is coming from, that is what it is. The defroster will also do the same thing, because the AC compressor is on when you use the defroster, some times. It is normal for water to drain from this hose when the AC compressor is in use. Mater of fact, this is a good sign, it means that the AC compressor is working properly. As long as it is not coolant. If it is, then your heater core is leaking, but if you are not loosing coolant, then it is just condensate.

 

[kennythewelder]

I am talking about the short hose that is open ended, and pointing to the ground at a 90 degree angel, in your pic. Welcome to the forum, by the way.

 

[Thule]

thank you, yes i am talking about the 90° one

good to know this, i was getting kind of frustrated,