Overheating... hissing noise coming from the front of the car... coolant leaking

[jawn101]

I just walked down the the parking garage and I found the leak. It's one of the small short coolant hoses, and I can reach it from the wheel well. One of these: http://store.delorean.com/p-6277-hos...connector.aspx

There is a Goodyear auto repair shop across the street. I'm thinking about getting a few gallon water jugs and some duct tape to wrap around the hose so I can drive it up the ramp out of the garage and across the street to Goodyear. Anyone know the inside diameter of that hose? I should be able to get some stock coolant hose cut to length and have Goodyear slip it on there for me and refill the car with coolant. What coolant should I have them use? I have the green stuff now, and Toby told me I should stick to the green because he had seen problems when trying to convert or mix it with another type.

Duct tape won't hold that, not for an instant. Since you've already got the system open to the air, just get a new hose and replace it, then fill and bleed the system. Regular green coolant.

[DeLorean03]

Inner diameter (abbreviated ID) should be 1.25" - that's my guess based on the fact that nearly all the other hoses are the same size.

Coolant: nothing super special. Prestone 50/50 mix works fine in my car for 10 years now (:

[Jonathan]

I would test the cooling fans before you drive it again. If you lost coolant and the air pocket was centred on the otterstat, it might explain why they weren't on. Not sure why they would run again with the car in accessories. Some of that sounds a bit screwy, but could all be normal. Safest bet would be to ensure the fans come on before getting the engine up to temp.

Jumper the otterstat connections and turn the key to accessories. Both fans should run. Double check both are running and not just one as was suggested.

Test them also without the otterstat jumper but instead while using the A/C. If your freon level is sufficient (only you know that), you should see the fans come on when MAX A/C is selected and the key is turned to accessories. Again, no need to run the engine to do these tests.

It's an easy few minutes to prove they are working prior to getting all your hoses sorted out and coolant refilled and firing the engine back up again. Definitely do all your coolant hose repairs, but test the fans before you drive the car again.

[jgarland79]

I stopped at O'Reilys and asked them for a 3.5" long x 1.25" ID coolant hose. The guy dug around in the back with a tape measure and found me a hose that would fit and cut it into 3.5" sections for me. I'm going to go swap it out and fill it up with coolant enough that I can drive it out of the garage and wait for a tow back to the house so I can burp cooling system.