Leaking coolant quick connect?

TurboTahoe · Feb 25, 2007

Hi guys,

I have a '99 burb and a '95 Tahoe - I've noticed that the last couple of months there seems to be some 'weeping' of coolant from what appears to be a 'quick connect' aluminum pipe located on the passenger side of the engine bay, near the top. Both vehicles seem to be suffering from this. How do I repair this? Thanks,

Rob

Chris611 · Feb 25, 2007

I removed the quick connect fitting and screwed a fitting that has a male NPT and a hose barb on the other end. Then cut the aluminum tube. Connect a rubber tube between the two. One problem that you may find, I did, is that the connector that goes into the thermostat housing may break on you. I had to removed the housing and ended up drilling the fitting out and retapping the hole. I've read that its pretty common for these to leak.

1994SPLODER · Feb 26, 2007

these things are nitorius for leaking on all gm engines, even the brand new ones will leak soon enough, i like chris611's idea i will try that when mine starts to leak again

SnowDrift · Feb 26, 2007

TurboTahoe;1615584; said:
Hi guys,

I have a '99 burb and a '95 Tahoe - I've noticed that the last couple of months there seems to be some 'weeping' of coolant from what appears to be a 'quick connect' aluminum pipe located on the passenger side of the engine bay, near the top. Both vehicles seem to be suffering from this. How do I repair this? Thanks,

Rob

OEM part lasted 12 years, right? Replace it with another OEM part and you might get another 12.

TurboTahoe · Feb 26, 2007

Thanks for the suggestions guys. My local dealer has them in stock "common failure, says he" for $11.68 each. It appears they are the same for both vehicles. That's inexpensive enough that I'll probably just put new quick-connects in, unless someone has an extremely allergic reaction. I thank you guys for your input - I always value it.

Sincerely,

Rob

joispoi · Feb 27, 2007

they didn't have them at the dealership when mine gave out. I went to the hardware store and bought a brass hose barbs and then I went to napa for the hose. I think the brass hose barb will outlast the truck. Probably the same price as going to the dealer.

Turbine Doc · Feb 27, 2007

SnowDrift;1618114; said:
OEM part lasted 12 years, right? Replace it with another OEM part and you might get another 12.

My only concern though when I swapped mine for a barb fitting was looking at the overall design, little plastic clips, o-rings, and on the hi-way fully loaded and it letting go, and no way to fix it unless carrying a spare.

Least case loose some coolant, worst case loose engine

With the barb fitting and rubber hose, I can replace the bad hose, or if in a really bad bind, duct tape to the rescue, temp patch on the hose so I can limp to somewhere and get a hose.

JMJNet · Feb 27, 2007

Found it at NAPA today. P/N: 730-4943. Is there a tool to open the quick (dis)connect? They seem to not have it in stock.

chrisk1500 · Feb 28, 2007

The only 'tool' you need is an opposable thumb....

Squeeze the tabs and pull after you of course have taken out the nuts that hold the hose onto the intake...

TurboTahoe · Feb 28, 2007

I just picked up one from the dealer. I will take a couple of photos and post here so that you can see how they are made. I agree - it is surprising that they last as long as they do, given the seemingly minimal construction.

Sincerely,

Rob

JMJNet · Mar 1, 2007

TurboTahoe, I also want to hear your experience in how you unscrew it from the crossover? Thanks.

DnHolland · Mar 1, 2007

Any time I do an intake gasket I always replace the aluminunm quick connect with a steel heater hose nipple. If yours is leaking good luck getting it out without breaking it. When you do break it (notice I didn't say if) get a 1/2 inch pipe thread tap and clean the threads out. Good Luck.

JMJNet · Mar 1, 2007

DnHolland, thanks for the advice. I will be prepared.

TurboTahoe · Mar 3, 2007

OK, now you guys are freaking me out!

Are you saying that attempting to unscrew the quick connect will usually result in it breaking off in the housing? How do you guys remove it then?

Sincerely,

Rob

chrisk1500 · Mar 4, 2007

When it breaks, just chip out the remains with a small pick or use a 1/2 NPT tap.....

mvgmc · Mar 4, 2007

I had mine break off in the housing. I put a small welding tip on my flame wrench and carefully gave the broken fitting a little heat. When it cooled, I gently tapped in a large e-z out and it backed out no problem.

TurboTahoe · Mar 4, 2007

OK, now I'm thinking the a steel heater hose nipple would be a better idea. Where does one get such a thing? NAPA? If so, does anyone have an appropriate part number?

Thank you so much,

Rob

Ax Subman · Mar 4, 2007

The proper replacement part for this is GM Part# 15963984 or AC Delco Part# 15-30569. This is a steel barbed fitting with a machined in orifice to restrict the flow to what it would be with the quick connect fitting. My internet research says that this is the fitting that GM used before going to the quick connect fitting.

My old quick connect fitting came right out without breaking. I used a deep well socket over the end of the quick connect after disconnecting the hose. If you try to take it out with an open end wrench, you may egg the fitting and would be more likely to break it off.

SnowDrift · Mar 5, 2007

TurboTahoe;1631180; said:
OK, now I'm thinking the a steel heater hose nipple would be a better idea. Where does one get such a thing? NAPA? If so, does anyone have an appropriate part number?

Thank you so much,

Rob

Don't get too worked up about it. I replaced mine at about 145,000 miles and it came right out. If it breaks off, it can easily be taken out, since it's hollow and not like a solid bolt.

TurboTahoe · Mar 7, 2007

Thank you guys for the encouragement. I have now picked up two of the factory quick connects. In terms of disconnecting them do you guys have any hints? Is it simply a matter of pinching the plastic tabs and pulling the pipe out of the quick connect?

It looks like a 1 1/16" socket should fit. I'll give it a whirl.

Should I bother to drain the system, since this is right at the top of the engine?

Sincerely,

Rob

chrisk1500 · Mar 7, 2007

drain it a bit or you will get a bath....

TurboTahoe · Mar 19, 2007

OK guys,

I ended up installing the leaking quick connect on the 'burb yesterday. With all your hints, it went very smoothly - in fact, it was only a 15 minute deal. I worked on the vehicle while it was stone cold. Shot threads of old quick connect with PB blaster. Took off the coolant system pressure cap, but did not drain. Put a drain pan underneath vehicle. Pulled off quick connect, got a small stream of coolant into pan. Using Axeman's suggestion of using a 1 1/16" socket, gave slow steady pressure on quick connect. It came out easily. New one went in just as easily. No more leaks!

Thanks guys!

Sincerely,

Rob

P.S. For those whose quick connects broke, did you use a deep socket, or did you use an open ended wrench? Inquiring minds want to know!

mvgmc · Mar 21, 2007

I used a box wrench. My fitting was so thin it probably would have broke anyway.

TurboTahoe · Apr 24, 2007

MAN! The Tahoe heater hose quick-connect replacement was a complete PAIN!

It took me 4.5 hours to get it changed, ate up my Sunday afternoon.

You guys were right, even with PB blaster and the correct socket, it sheared off immediately, in fact I was surprised it had not broken off before I touched it, it was so fragile.

I ended up going to NAPA, and getting a special Lisle tool, LIS62200 (see photo) - get this, it's a PATENTED Heater Hose Coupling Remover. Cost me $5.

I had to remove the upper intake manifold in order to get enough room to pound the tool into the remains of the hose coupler. (I had to chip several pieces of the hose coupler out with a small chisel to get enough material removed so that the tool would go in) I was afraid I had gotten some aluminum chips into the thermostat cross over, so I did the following:

Removed the thermostat
Used a wet/dry vac on the hose coupler end
Put an open garden hose running with lots of water into the thermostat opening.
Sucked several gallons of water out of the hose coupler end of the thermostat crossover.

I'm pretty sure I got all the chips out. I was reluctant to try and take the whole crossover out, as I think several of the nuts and bolts look pretty brittle (it's an East Coast car), and I didn't want to have to deal with having to replace all the broken studs if that occurred.

AUGH!

Anyway, I succeeded in getting the hose coupler remains out, and then cleaning everything up, putting a new factory coupler back in. No more leaks for now.

I have now gone to the dealer and picked up the coupler mentioned earlier in this thread. It is GM part #12597484, and sells for around $13.00 at the dealer. It looks almost identical to the hose couplers at NAPA, but the GM part has a much narrower orifice leading into the heater hose. I believe it is because you don't want to run so much volume of coolant into the heater core, because it would throw off your heater controls. (Anyone have a better theory?)

I plan to do this all once again, replacing the quick connect with the #12597484 heater hose coupler, to avoid this problem from ever occurring again. I can just imagine the quick connect leaking and messing up a fishing trip, leaving me stranded.

I suppose the oil cooler lines suffer from the same dilemma. It is clear that GM designed these items for ease of installation, NOT for longevity or durability. That just eats me up! Shame on GM for doing this!

Thanks for listening,

Rob

turbovanman · Apr 24, 2007

Yeah, they can be a pain but I don't understand why the complaining. Sure the old design was dumb, pot metal but the new ones are steel and will outlast the truck. As for them coming undone in the middle of nowhere, not a chance unless you didn't push the connector in properly. I personally love them, makes servicing so much easier. My 2 cents.

TurboTahoe · Apr 24, 2007

turbovanman;1738108; said:
Yeah, they can be a pain but I don't understand why the complaining. Sure the old design was dumb, pot metal but the new ones are steel and will outlast the truck. As for them coming undone in the middle of nowhere, not a chance unless you didn't push the connector in properly. I personally love them, makes servicing so much easier. My 2 cents.

Hi TurboVanMan,

It's actually the other way around. The OLD design was the steel coupler, the new one is the pot metal one.

My comments are around the fact that the coupler snapping off in the housing is so common that an enterprising entrepeneur actually patented a device to help you remove the broken remains of the part. It tooks hours of work to fix - that's the point.

I'm not sure why there would be much of a difference in servicing - the old one requires you to undo a hose clamp, the new one requires you to pinch and pull out. Do you find the quick connect a lot easier?

Sincerely,

Rob

Leaking coolant quick connect?

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