I've got coolant squirting out from the joint in the hose that leads to the air intake, just above the flame trap on my 91 240 (not turbo) Happens when I rev the engine. Nice bright green, no oil mixed in. I figure it must be getting into the breather box but can't figure out how. Anybody have any idea on what could be causing this? THanks

 

Are you sure its coming from the flame trap hose and not the heater hose running from the head to the interior of the car? The hose I am referring to is in the same vicinity.

Also, when you rev the engine and look at the coolant tank reservoir, is it gurgling like a volcano? If so, then you most likely have a head gasket failure.

 

Can you take a picture and give us a better idea where it is coming from. Unless it is a heater hose then this is going to be a problem.

 

It is just not possible for coolant to be coming out of the breather box. The heater hose is nearby--may be from there.

 

Thanks, I didn't think it was possible either which is why I asked for help.
It is definitely coming from the flame trap. I took it apart down to the hose from the breather box and that's where it's coming from. I can feel coolant on the heater hose that is below but can't tell if it is leaking or it is dripping from the leak above.

No the reservoir is not gurgling so maybe there is hope.

As far as I can tell I have to take off the fuel rail and intake manifold to get down to the breather box. I was trying to avoid that.

I will let you know what I find when I do

Thanks I will try to get a picture posted

 

If I can offer a suggestion :Leave the fuel rail on the intake ,and just remove the intake as one assembly. I've done this 2 or 3 times to replace the flame trap assembly on my '89. It's pretty easy. Label the vacuum lines with masking tape or something so they go back where they belong.

 

Thanks for the tip on removing the intake manifold, I will try that. The image below shows the assembly blown up. The leak is where the diagram indicates C

where the flame trap joins with the hose to the air intake

 

If that is where you are seeing antifreeze then it is in the oil separator below. Did you drain the oil to see if there is antifreeze in it. It is hard to believe you don't have water in the oil or a head gasket problem.

 

Even of the oil is full of coolant, the coolant would not be coming out of the flametrap. And if by some miracle it did, the coolant would not be "bright green" but milky since it would be getting churned up and mixed with the oil. Unless somebody hooked up some hoses incorrectly, (people do strange things), this whole scenario is just not possible.

 

I agree that it makes no sense.
My son has been driving the car for a year, done some work on it but nothing with the hoses as far as I know. Had a shop put in a new water pump about 4 mos. ago. but this just appeared in the last couple of weeks.

I haven't drained the oil but there is no sign of water mixed in on the dipstick or the oil filler cap.

I wont have time to tear it apart for a few of weeks but I will tell you what I find. I am hoping that there is a leak in the heater hose that is somehow getting into the oil separator, through a crack or something, and squirting out when the pressure is increased.

Thank you all for your help.

 

Mystery solved. I took out the breather box, without removing the intake manifold (its a lot of work but can be done) and in doing so pushed on the heater hose from the block to the valve near the firewall and saw coolant squirting out. There was a pinhole leak on the underside of that hose that was squirting directly on the joint where the tube to the flame trap joins the breather box. This joint was loose and the coolant was being sucked up the tube and out the fire trap. I have parts ordered to replace the box and heater hose. $50 in parts rather than replacing a head gasket is OK by me.

 

Mystery solved. I took out the breather box and in doing so discovered a pinhole leak from the heater hose. It was squirting on the joint where the tube comes out of the box to the flame trap. That joint was loose an the coolant was being sucked up and squirting out the flame trap