jerry598
03-18-2010, 10:59
Put a new quick connect fitting on my thermostat Xover pipe as part of my recent rebuild. The low coolant light came on the other day about 20 miles from home. I checked under the hood and sure enough the fitting was leaking steadily. Got it home without any overheating but lost about 6 qts of coolant. Took the fitting apart and could find no problem except the O ring looked a little warped.
I'm thinking that the aluminum heater hose nipple was misaligned with the fitting which may have led to the leak. I unscrewed the quick connect fitting from the Xover and attached it to the heater hose nipple and then twisted aluminum line around until it was aligned to the Xover pipe as close as I could get it. Then put it all back together using TWO new O rings. With two O rings it wasn't real easy to snap in the plastic collar but it did go together with a little pressure. Test drove the rig and all seems fine now with no leakage.
I've read about work-around mods on this fitting but none of them retain the restricted nature of the quick-connector passage. Supposedly an unrestricted straight line connection to the heater core will result in less than adequate heat in the cab when you need it. Does anybody know anything about this?
I'm thinking that the aluminum heater hose nipple was misaligned with the fitting which may have led to the leak. I unscrewed the quick connect fitting from the Xover and attached it to the heater hose nipple and then twisted aluminum line around until it was aligned to the Xover pipe as close as I could get it. Then put it all back together using TWO new O rings. With two O rings it wasn't real easy to snap in the plastic collar but it did go together with a little pressure. Test drove the rig and all seems fine now with no leakage.
I've read about work-around mods on this fitting but none of them retain the restricted nature of the quick-connector passage. Supposedly an unrestricted straight line connection to the heater core will result in less than adequate heat in the cab when you need it. Does anybody know anything about this?