Cooling System Tee Disintegrated

[JohnnyBfromPeoria]

On my 04, there is a cooling system tee that joins the 1/4" line coming off the throttle body with the 3/8" line running from the top of the radiator to the surge/recovery tank.

I started smelling coolant the other day and was able to trace it to a leak at this plastic tee, which is fortunately located just behind and just underneath the drivers side of the airbox/air filter housing. I removed the airbox at the throttle body and set it aside.

As I started to manipulate the coolant hoses to get at the squeeze clamps on the tee, it disintegrated completely. I had to dig the plastic bits out of the hose ends. Naturally, there are no appropriately sized tees available at 5 p.m. on a Saturday in Apache Junction, AZ. I settled for a 3/8" (x3) tee and jammed the 1/4" hose onto one fitting for now. I'll find a more-correct fitting this week and report back.

This leads me to then suggest that you inspect this part, too. If it fails on you, it disables the car quickly. My car has 84K miles, so not a ton, and the cooling system is otherwise in decent shape with the specified (though not my favorite) coolant and distilled water mix. This part utterly failed; es no bueno. Check it!

John B.

 

[JohnnyBfromPeoria]

Auto parts stores are not helping here. Two different NAPA stores are trying to push a vacuum fitting into service, one you trim off the smaller fittings to get to the sizes you need, but my impression is that the material is not tough enough for cooling system duty.

O'Reilley and AutoZone have nothing. I'll check, of all places, WalMart, as they often carry Dorman parts.

Alternatively, I can try to step up the 1/4" line to 3/8" with an adaptor but I haven't found one of those yet either.

John B.

 

[JohnnyBfromPeoria]

In typical automotive fashion, the tee comes from GM as part number 10354454, but it's not just the tee. You get so much more, as in three hoses, six clamps AND the tee. What a deal, right? Best price I have found so far is right about $100 shipped to me. Sigh.

John B.

 

[05 GRAND DADDY]

Would a 1/4” brass tee work? Plenty on Amazon.com

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[JohnnyBfromPeoria]

A brass tee would likely work just fine, but it has to be 3/8" across the two opposing sides and 1/4" at the cross of the tee.

John B.

 

[05 GRAND DADDY]

They have it:

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[JohnnyBfromPeoria]

Thanks! You're a better searcher than I am. And that's a far better part than OEM.

John B.

 

[05 GRAND DADDY]

Thanks! You're a better searcher than I am. And that's a far better part than OEM.

John B.

Between Google and Amazon I love them both ... Lol [emoji38]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[long Tall Sally]

There are three sizes need for the XLR depending on year. I have a supply of all them if anyone wants some.

 

[JohnnyBfromPeoria]

If anybody is still running with the original plastic tee, they ought to get the brass parts from LTS. The original part is bound to fail sooner rather than later at this age.

John B.

 

[05 GRAND DADDY]

There are three sizes need for the XLR depending on year. I have a supply of all them if anyone wants some.

Where is this locate on an 05 and which T is need? And what’s the cost?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[JohnnyBfromPeoria]

From my original post in this thread:

"which is fortunately located just behind and just underneath the drivers side of the airbox/air filter housing"

John B.

 

[05 GRAND DADDY]

Thx I be checking this T now that’s she’s in heated storage for the winter season


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[JL-Z]

Is it possible to have the number reference of this "T" ?

 

[JohnnyBfromPeoria]

Is it possible to have the number reference of this "T" ?

I just went to the local hardware store and bought it.

John B.

 

[XFireXLR]

Had the same issue with my 2006, it had a coolant leak tech found the leak at a tee fitting over the radiator and soon as he touched it.....it exploded and sent coolant all over the place and him, he replaced it with a brass fitting.

 

[mickeytee]

that tee is made well .it will stay in place usually until pressure on the system then it will leak until the pressure drops and then it will stop. Many people think its the water pump when its really this tube.

 

[CRAIG STURGEON]

I HAVE MY 2008 XLR IN THE SHOP AS WE SPEAK, AND THEY HAVE TO ORDER A PIECE, WHEN I GET THE RESULT I WILL POST IT KEEP TUNED it has been a month and still waiting for the Crossover pipe,etc when it comes i will let all of you know the results.