Broken on the side of the road: coolant leak at the otterstat.

[jangell]

On the way home, and I spring a coolant leak. It’s at the otterstat. I noticed the cloud of steam because it was spraying directly onto the headers, and I found it before the engine temperature went out of range. The question is how to fix it and get home, or if I should just get it towed.

The clip is still there, but tightening it doesn’t help with the leak.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190127/fe5abc6c21f0a82333ba325e264c6dad.jpg

[Michael]

Even if you can fix it there, it will be unlikely that you can properly burp the air out of the system on the roadside. Tows are cheap, engines are not.

[dn010]

You sure it’s not the hose further back from the otterstat that has no clamp that is leaking?

[David T]

Loosen the rad cap so you don't build up any pressure, that may stop the leak enough to get you home.

[dn010]

I’ve overheated before due to a “radiator cap” that didn’t seal completely on the expansion tank so beware...

[jangell]

It’s definitely the otterstat, not the hose. I got it towed back, and I’m going to remove the pipe now and get the otterstat bung welded closed (the otterstat isn’t even hooked up in my setup).

Thanks!

— Joe

[FABombjoy]

You should straight pipe it and run your fans from Megasquirt.

[dn010]

+1. ^ This is what I did.

[jangell]

They are run from MegaSquirt — the otterstat is literally a plug at this point. I’ll be sealing that off for good.

— Joe

[jangell]

...although I'm curious, what did you guys use for a straight pipe? It feels like the raised ridge on the ends of the pipe are important for sealing against the hose, and finding one that's the exact right size seems non-trivial. It's why I was just going to have a friend of mine weld a cap over the otterstat bung.

-- Joe

[dn010]

I just used a piece of pipe from another place on the car since I had spare. Ridge or not, it’s holding just fine for many years now.

[opethmike]

Ridged. For... her pleasure?

[FABombjoy]

I have a pipe bead roller - a luxury that's useful for those few times you need it.

If you send me a pipe and return shipping I'll bead yer pipe. If ya know what I mean.

[opethmike]

I have a pipe bead roller - a luxury that's useful for those few times you need it.

If you send me a pipe and return shipping I'll bead yer pipe. If ya know what I mean.

Stealing my sense of humor? $50 fine!

[jangell]

:) Thanks guys -- my friend already has my pipe and is going to weld the otterstat port closed, so I should be good to go there.

-- Joe

[FABombjoy]

Normally I’d say to pick up some cheapo 1.25” aluminum tube and sell the otterstat piece, but if it’s leaking then no sense in saving it.

[Josh]

whenever making coolant pipes make sure there is a bead on each end.
Luke does it the proper way with a bead roller, you can also improvise and weld a thin bead around the circumference of the pipe. Anything to stop the clamp from slipping.

You dont want that pipe coming off, especially if you are near it. I know some guys say it is fine, but it simply is not. I have seen hoses pop off due to lack of a bead - it is a mess. Even more so if you are near it.

[jangell]

My friend wasn’t able to get the coolant pipe welded, but his friend had a perfect length pipe and the tool needed to make the bead, so now I have a brand new straight pipe that fits exactly as it should. I drove back to my dad’s on Sunday, and then back home in the DMC with zero problems over the 2.5 hour trip.

Thanks again everyone!

— Joe

[About time]

Looks like I'll have to learn a new language at some point, WTF is an otterstat? lmao

[jangell]

It’s a temperature switch mounted on the bottom of a coolant pipe on the driver’s side of the engine bay. It turns on the cooling fans when the coolant gets hot enough. It’s also prone to leaking or falling out and dumping all your coolant on the ground. Honestly, I’m surprised it took this long for mine to fail. People turn the pipe over to reduce the chance of that. With an EFI conversion, you can use the coolant temp sensor and the ECU to control the fans instead. You could probably rig up something like that without EFI, too, if you know some electronics and can build a circuit to read the sensor.

I have no idea why it’s called an otterstat. http://store.delorean.com/p-6348-cooling-fan-switch-with-seal-otterstat.aspx

— Joe

[About time]

It’s a temperature switch mounted on the bottom of a coolant pipe on the driver’s side of the engine bay. It turns on the cooling fans when the coolant gets hot enough. It’s also prone to leaking or falling out and dumping all your coolant on the ground. Honestly, I’m surprised it took this long for mine to fail. People turn the pipe over to reduce the chance of that. With an EFI conversion, you can use the coolant temp sensor and the ECU to control the fans instead. You could probably rig up something like that without EFI, too, if you know some electronics and can build a circuit to read the sensor.

I have no idea why it’s called an otterstat. http://store.delorean.com/p-6348-cooling-fan-switch-with-seal-otterstat.aspx

— Joe

So do you just carry a spare in the glove box and simply plug it in when one goes bad? Thanks in advance

[jangell]

Not necessarily a bad idea, but this is the first time mine has failed on me in the 15 years that I’ve had the car. Luckily I won’t have to worry about it again.

— Joe

[TheStoffel]

My otterstat failed on day 3 of ownership. It's a rite of passage.