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Coolant elbow replacement walkthrough

Pogo D Klown

Pogo D Klown

New member
okay seriously, I need to find a walk through on replacing the upper coolant return elbow, anyone know any website that will give me one. I 'm looking at it and to me it looks as thought I have to disassemble the entire upper pully system, pull off the alternator, and whatever lies beneath that. Is all of this necessary or do I just have to pop a cpl things off and pull out the elbow? STRESSED!! need to get it fixed asap!
 


Take off the alternator and they are connected into the alternator bracket. You have to pull the alternator bracket off to. You might need to pull off one idler pulley. Its not hard. Replace both of them.
 
It's pretty straight forward. Go ahead and replace the second one and make sure that they didn't break off in the bracket or block. If they did they are pretty easy to remove.
 
The '97 and '98 have only 1 plastic elbow. The other elbow is metal and part of the housing.
Not sure about the '99. 2000 and up have 2 plastic elbows.
 
Year dependent issues:
Move cooant bottle if it's on the strut tower
97-98 wiggle alt tensioner bracket and don't pry as the lower elbow is metal and you could break the timing cover if you pry.


Generic procedure:
Drain 1/2 gallon of coolant
Unhook negative cable of battery
Untension accessory belt
Remove the alternator to SC bolt (13mm)
Remove the other alternator to tensioner bracket bolts and lay alt on top of SC.
Remove alt tensioner bracket bolts and wiggle elbows out.
Lube new elbows with oil or vasoline etc and put them in.
Reassemble.

The alternative procedure is to remove the LIM.
 
I have an 03 GTP. Can't get the coolant reservoir out to access the idler bolt. There is a bar that goes across the top of it and bolt to each strut tower. Does this have to come off? Looks like the nuts are inside the wheel well. is there a bolt at the bottom of the reservoir, or just the two at the top?
 


Yeah you dont need that bar that goes across the top send it to me ill make sure it gets disposed of properly.
 
I guess thats why they call you Slick??
Bottle came right out once I unbolted the support bar. Was a breeze after that. So breezy that I bolted the support bar back before installing the bottle, lol.
Still have a little drip from the bottle. Maybe 10 drops a minute?? I put a new clamp on the overflow hose. maybe there is a small crack inthe bottle?
Anyway, my temp still doesn't get up to 190degrees. The temp gauge reads "160" - "l" -"210"- l- "260". I don't get past the first "l", I'm guessing 185?? Gonna replace the thermostat.
 
My stock gauge reads 160 with my aeroforce reading 130 then when my stock gauge reads right that first hash mark after 160 my aeroforce reads 175-180 if that help you out
 


Thats what I figure, it's running about 175/180. I never paid much attention to the temp gauge till it got close to overheating one day. Turns out the radiator cap was not on properly. I got it back on tight and temp went back down. Not long after that the Service Engine Soon light came on. P0128 code, Low Coolant Temp.
 
Replaced the radiator cap. No change.
Replaced the thermostat. Filled with coolant. Seems to be running at 195 now. I think the old thermostat was a 180. It has a stamp on it, A180
 


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