Hi all..

285k and the head gasket blew on my 96 runner. I decided to put in a reman engine, my mechanic did the install. Things were fine. I picked up the truck (after he test drove it over mountain for 40 miles. I then drove 140 miles to SF, and all of a sudden, water lines are blowing off of the engine... anyone have a clue? do i tow it back to the mechanic? Is there a problem with the reman that would cause this? any ideas? I'm out here with my boy, and things are a little scary!

 

Could be as simple as the tech forgot/failed to adequately clamp the hose ends, or unusual pressure in system. Seems like the next stop should be the shop that did the install. Perhaps there is a rental car in your near future???

 

I can only guess money was tight did the mechanic reuse the old hoses ??

One just let go just bad timing

It is possible a loose clamp as well.

Just which hose came off??

Did the hose come off or did it fail and split??

 

new hoses. the first hose that blew was a loose clamp. the hose was going to the heater core. fixed that. the next day, it was a small hose from the middle top of the engine that had the little port. That came off and was spewing water from the engine. there was a clamp on it. we reclamped. don't know if the mechanic is stupid (he's not usually) or if there was some reason the engine was building unusual pressure and blowing hoses. two in two days..... oy.

 

Take it back, have him look at it. Reman or not, that should not be happening.

 

I would check all the hose clamps or spring things.
then I would run it and check for bubbles in the overflow tank.

But the best this is .. Just take it back to the shop and see what they say.

 

Sounds like a few things were not tightened.

 

Other then the hoses coming off did you have any temperature issues .

Without looking most radiator caps are I would guess 10 to 15 psi abnormal high pressure should push coolant out the overflow .

I am thinking just some loose clamps sometimes things need to be tighten after a few hundred miles

Better safe then sorry.