I stopped to pick up my girlfriend on my way down to visit my parents since she lives about half way. About a mile from the ramp for the highway I started noticing fog in the headlights of the car behind me. I thought that was strange considering I couldn't see any fog any where else. Then I started to notice the temp gauge creep just above 200 and started to get worried, told her to stop talking for a minute and she gave me a puzzled look. About 500ft from the ramp I started slowing down and then came the sweet smell of coolant and the big cloud of smoke from under the hood so I pulled of on the shoulder right next to the ramp.

Popped the hood and what do you know, the hose running from the heater block to the top of the tensioner had pulled out of the tensioner. My first thought was huh... the screw holding it in must have got loose and fell out. Good thing I'm within walking distance of an Ace, I'll just go grab another and be on my way. Then I saw this:



Yea... That'* a problem. Luckily rockstar04 lives inbetween where I was and my parents place and works at a parts store. Gave him a call, they had the tensioner in stock and the coolant elbows and I got his sweet discount Told him to grab the parts and I'd meet him at his place.

The lines on top of the tensioner can hold themselves in just by the gasket without the screw in luckily, so I just popped the hose back in, just so happened to have a couple gallons of coolant in the trunk since it'* been slowly leaking from the elbows. Filled it back up and on my way I went (a little more cautiously of course making sure to rock the engine as little as possible). Picked up the parts from my friend, stopped at wally world for some more coolant, headed to the shop I usually do my work in. It was full, 7 garbage trucks stuffed in every bay and I wasn't sure if any of them were good to back out. Called up another friend who was at work, but said the wood burners already stocked, just gotta light it and he'd be home in an hour to keep my company.

A couple hours later I had the new tensioner on and it hasn't leaked a drop so far. Hopefully this is the end of the coolant shenanigans.

Glad you got it. Must say I haven't seen any of those bolts break off.

I've never messed with those bolts, and its not like they really have any pressure on them. I'm guessing someone tightened it too much and weakened the head, and when it got pressure it just ripped off, or its been gone for a while and just now blew out.

Hard to tell in the picture, but the break looks old, no shine to it.

and now i see what you were talking about at taco bell tonite LOL.

well i know your back on the road and running again