So this started with a trip to the gas station. I noticed the 88 spfi wagon was hesitating a lot. After the 10 blocks to the gas station, the temp needle was like 1/8 of the gauge away from red. I opened the hood, and the radiator was empty. This is odd. I fill it up. After I get home, I popped the hood, and the whole inside of the compartment is covered in coolant. Oh joy.

 

What should I look for? The radiator is brand new, so I doubt that failed (though, is there an easy way to check?). When I filled it up, there was no visible leaks coming from the radiator, or anywhere else.

how is the oil?

Likely you blew the little water hose that goes between the intake and the block. Very hard to reach, but its usually the first to go. IF you have a turbo... you have ALOT of them to blow. But generally on non turbo's thats the culprit. (it goes out the top front of the engine up towards the thermostat housing)

how is the oil?

Oil's good. I check that like a hawk. There's no oil in coolant or coolant in oil, or any of that, and it was just a bit below the F dot.

Loose hose clamp?

How's the water pump? Check the small right angle hose that goes into the heater core tube from the pump. Check the heater core hoses for splits. Fill it up with water, start the car and rev it while watching the engine bay - the leak should become apparent pretty quickly if it's that large.

 

GD

yah, fill it and bring it up to temp. it should start spraying long before the car gets close to overheating. i thought i blew a water pump a few weeks back.. almost dried my radiator out before i noticed anything. let my car sit for a few hours, filled it up and on the way home, i stopped at one point to ensure i had coolant in the reservoir.. and found it spraying out of a tear in the upper rad hose, just beyond the edge of radiator inlet tube. every rad hose ive ever had, on any car, thats gone bad ripped right there.