need help identifying missing radiator piece! plz

**28Marcos** · 06-12-2010, 06:29 PM

Car overheated on the way home from work, luckily it was on my street. didn't notice any coolant overflow from radiator cap. but did notice some fluid near the base of the radiator. After car cooled down i poured h20 and immediately noticed the water pour out here:

so what is it and where does it go? thanks LS1!

**basballny2** · 06-12-2010, 06:31 PM

are you pointing to the black hose? if so it looks like ur missing the clamp there

**28Marcos** · 06-12-2010, 06:47 PM

Originally Posted by basballny2

are you pointing to the black hose? if so it looks like ur missing the clamp there

no look just beneath it, its a part of the radiator itself. a hole about the size of a quarter.

**basballny2** · 06-12-2010, 07:23 PM

let me go outside and take a look at mine and ill get right back to you

**basballny2** · 06-12-2010, 07:31 PM

is it on the peice attached to the cap or are you pointing to the silver peice?

**Cutlass** · 06-13-2010, 05:00 AM

I'm thinking Low Cooant Level sensor. What year is your car?

**28Marcos** · 06-13-2010, 06:26 AM

its a 1999, 5.7. hmm...i dont recall a hose or a sensor being there... but i'll ask autozone maybe they have an exploded diagram, if not then the stealer would...

**Vertiviper** · 06-13-2010, 07:39 AM

I say start simple..it looks like you may be missing a hose clamp to make the correct/tight seal. Go to home depot or Pep boys and pick one up, tighten it down and see if it still leaks. You may have popped off the old one without even knowing.

**sunsetorangess** · 06-13-2010, 07:55 AM

Since you have a ls1 you do not have the Coolant Temp sensor on the Rad.
The line your Arrrow is pointing to Is a A/C line which requires no clamp, its a metal line that has a Foam pad around it to shield it from heat.
I would re-check where your coolant is coming from. You can rent a "pressure Tester" from local parts stores which Adds pressure into the system without it being hot. Then you will be able to pinpoint your leak. From the pic your two lines that are shown look swallon and are probly soft.
J

**blkSS98** · 06-13-2010, 12:00 PM

Actually Cutlass has it right, on '98s at least. Where the OP said his arrow was pointing is where the coolant sensor is on my car. I had to replace mine, very easy to do and cheap as well.

**28Marcos** · 06-13-2010, 12:33 PM

thanks guys, unfortunately i wasnt able to work on her this morning, now i have to go to work, but i'll fix it tommorrow for sure. I hope its cheap to fix i'll let you all know what i find.
later

**DaddySS** · 06-13-2010, 03:10 PM

There are three things on the right side tank - two lines from the transmission and and the drain valve. In your picture, I can just barely make out what looks a hole, and if it's not the other transmission line (you would have tranny fluid all over the place) it is a hole in the radiator. The aluminum line near your arrow is the A/C line and the black vinyl is just an anti chafing cover over the line - no clamp necessary.

From this - I am guessing you need a new radiator.

**Cutlass** · 06-14-2010, 05:44 AM

Originally Posted by blkSS98

Actually Cutlass has it right, on '98s at least. Where the OP said his arrow was pointing is where the coolant sensor is on my car. I had to replace mine, very easy to do and cheap as well.

yeah apparently 99's have the low coolant temp sensor also

**Hi-Po** · 06-14-2010, 06:29 AM

Originally Posted by Cutlass

yeah apparently 99's have the low coolant temp sensor also

Yes, They did.

**DaddySS** · 06-14-2010, 03:24 PM

Interesting, [family guy voice] "I did not know that". You have to scroll through a number of pages in the 98-02 parts manual to find it.

10096163 coolant level module - 98-99 LS1

**28Marcos** · 06-14-2010, 07:11 PM

wasnt able to fix it today, (left keys at work sunday and had to wait for my friend to get out of work today to bring them to me) but i was able to go to autozone, looked at a new radiator ($109, not gonna buy one) and the hole just had a plastic cap with two arms/prongs that clipped onto the male connector piece of the radiator. (they wouldnt sell me the peice or let me have it...)
I looked up the part #listed above at gm parts direct, and it is listed for $72 at the dealer, $37 through them.
in the morning i'm gonna see if i had the temperature sensor (should be a hanging wire somewhere if i did) if not i'll just head to the junk yard and see what i find.

**Cutlass** · 06-15-2010, 05:26 PM

I would think your old Coolant level sensor would just be hanging down there in the engine compartment by the wires. Did you look around for it?

**cammed goat** · 06-15-2010, 05:43 PM

Looks like the leak has been there for quite a while.

**28Marcos** · 06-15-2010, 09:52 PM

i remember i had disconnected the sensor because it was broken a while back and i never replaced it

i just always made sure it was full.
anyho, i bought the new sensor, topped off with coolant, started it, but had a constant drip from the sensor/ radiator. car has 220,000+ miles so i figured i should just replace the radiator (original)
Unfortunately autozone gave me the wrong radiator. it was too tall and it had an extra intake for another hose opposite side of the drain plug. I'll return it in the morning.

**28Marcos** · 06-16-2010, 10:10 AM

ran into a dilemma here. the radiator for 1999 is taller and has an extra inlet for another hose, oil cooler maybe. also with this radiator the ac (smaller radiator) will not clip onto this radiator.

looked up a year 2000 radiator and from the online images it matches what I have.
1999 rad is $109
2000 rad is $276. (part No. 432421)

fyi