Lepper
09-24-2024, 09:59 AM
[headbang][headbang][headbang][headbang]
Finally had to do the dreaded flange and just want to complain about how ridiculous this job is. I have never had to do such a job that required so many other stipulations.
First you need triple square sockets, but not just any triple square sockets, but stubby ones to be able to access the flange bolts.
The access to the flange requires either muscles memory or extensive watching of videos, usage of cameras or mirrors to get the sockets into position. I watched videos for months before finally giving it a shot and it took me 5 hours.
The metal coolant pipes and the rubber coolant hoses get stuck together. I had to take a butterknife and go around the entire seal to get it to break. This was after an hour of using picks and flathead screwdrivers. The lower metal coolant pipe comes to a T and is very hard to remove while on the vehicle. I eventually settled for the short hose that goes from the flange to the metal coolant pipe.
The spring clips are almost impossible to get out out unless you have pneumatic hose pliers or needle nose with the perfect angle. I didn't have them and had to use my regular pliers, which took so long. Highly recommend these, would have saved me at least an hour.
I didn't remove the vacuum pump or lines. This would have made the job much easier, but the time saved would have been spent removing and reinstalling and I dont have a bit ratchet or swivel ratchet to take the pump off.
The fact that you have to replace the vacuum pump, or rebuild it and replace the o rings AND potentially the rear timing cover gasket just to make this job last is ridiculous. They purposely engineered the car so that oil would leak on to the flange and its connections and cause those appliances to fail too. The o ring in the coolant temp sensor, the heater core to flange o ring and the o ring on the flange itself will all fail and are potential failing points. You might fix one and if one of the others are on their way out, they will shortly and surely let you know right after you do one of others. In in a perfect world you would do everything at the same time, but I dont have money to do every single one of these jobs at the same exact time.
After I finally got everything back together, I turned on the car and my fan is now running 100% and doesn't stop. Seems to be a sign of a faulty Coolant temp sensor. Noticed it was leaking out the coolant temp sensor housing hole, so I swapped it with a fresh o ring which held at first but then started leaking again. I now need to replace the Temp sensor, and use the specific O ring that comes with it. I also have a new retaining clip.
The heater core lines with the quick fittings are a waste of money, gives the hose another failure point, and is another thing to replace. They could of easily ran a hose with a standard hose clamp from the flange to the heater core but they decided to make one end "quick" fittings that aren't quick at all because you have to have a pick to take the retaining clip out and they have an O ring which fails. Before the temp sensor started leaking again, it was spraying out of the quick fitting and now I need I need to buy a new flange to heater core quick fitting line.
To summarize, to properly and safely do this job, you need
Flange $9 FEBI
5mm(Coolant Pipe) and 8mm(Coolant Flange) Triple square stubby sockets. (Set of 6) $25
Coolant Temp Sensor $20
Retainer clip $1
T30 to take off coolant pipe
10mm to take off coolant pipe
Pneumatic hose clamp pliers $20-25
OEM Coolant Flange to heater core pipe (Supply) $90
OEM lower coolant pipe to heater core (less common to break, but if you might as replace it if you wanna be 100% thorough.) $54
Vacuum Pump O ring rebuild kit $20/New Vacuum Pump OEM $250
Timing cover gasket OEM $12
Coolant rubber piping $8
=$500 potentially if you wanted to do everything and had to replace vacuum pump or $270 if you wanted rebuild the vacuum pump yourself and it works.
Going to hope a new CTS fixes the issues but am concerned that it might be something else because my fan wasn't running before I changed the flange. I will have to order the heater core lines. Has anyone ever replaced just the quick fitting and crimped/put a hose clamp on yourself? Is the only thing holding the temp sensor in the retaining pin? There is no twist or turning or locking it into place?
Oh yeah I also broke the brake booster vacuum pump check valve line so im gonna need a new one of those which is about $70. Gonna see if I can RTV it back on, but its going to be need replacing.
Just glad that I am hopefully within $100 of this being resolved, but my body hurts now and I am going to bed. I stayed up all night doing this.
Finally had to do the dreaded flange and just want to complain about how ridiculous this job is. I have never had to do such a job that required so many other stipulations.
First you need triple square sockets, but not just any triple square sockets, but stubby ones to be able to access the flange bolts.
The access to the flange requires either muscles memory or extensive watching of videos, usage of cameras or mirrors to get the sockets into position. I watched videos for months before finally giving it a shot and it took me 5 hours.
The metal coolant pipes and the rubber coolant hoses get stuck together. I had to take a butterknife and go around the entire seal to get it to break. This was after an hour of using picks and flathead screwdrivers. The lower metal coolant pipe comes to a T and is very hard to remove while on the vehicle. I eventually settled for the short hose that goes from the flange to the metal coolant pipe.
The spring clips are almost impossible to get out out unless you have pneumatic hose pliers or needle nose with the perfect angle. I didn't have them and had to use my regular pliers, which took so long. Highly recommend these, would have saved me at least an hour.
I didn't remove the vacuum pump or lines. This would have made the job much easier, but the time saved would have been spent removing and reinstalling and I dont have a bit ratchet or swivel ratchet to take the pump off.
The fact that you have to replace the vacuum pump, or rebuild it and replace the o rings AND potentially the rear timing cover gasket just to make this job last is ridiculous. They purposely engineered the car so that oil would leak on to the flange and its connections and cause those appliances to fail too. The o ring in the coolant temp sensor, the heater core to flange o ring and the o ring on the flange itself will all fail and are potential failing points. You might fix one and if one of the others are on their way out, they will shortly and surely let you know right after you do one of others. In in a perfect world you would do everything at the same time, but I dont have money to do every single one of these jobs at the same exact time.
After I finally got everything back together, I turned on the car and my fan is now running 100% and doesn't stop. Seems to be a sign of a faulty Coolant temp sensor. Noticed it was leaking out the coolant temp sensor housing hole, so I swapped it with a fresh o ring which held at first but then started leaking again. I now need to replace the Temp sensor, and use the specific O ring that comes with it. I also have a new retaining clip.
The heater core lines with the quick fittings are a waste of money, gives the hose another failure point, and is another thing to replace. They could of easily ran a hose with a standard hose clamp from the flange to the heater core but they decided to make one end "quick" fittings that aren't quick at all because you have to have a pick to take the retaining clip out and they have an O ring which fails. Before the temp sensor started leaking again, it was spraying out of the quick fitting and now I need I need to buy a new flange to heater core quick fitting line.
To summarize, to properly and safely do this job, you need
Flange $9 FEBI
5mm(Coolant Pipe) and 8mm(Coolant Flange) Triple square stubby sockets. (Set of 6) $25
Coolant Temp Sensor $20
Retainer clip $1
T30 to take off coolant pipe
10mm to take off coolant pipe
Pneumatic hose clamp pliers $20-25
OEM Coolant Flange to heater core pipe (Supply) $90
OEM lower coolant pipe to heater core (less common to break, but if you might as replace it if you wanna be 100% thorough.) $54
Vacuum Pump O ring rebuild kit $20/New Vacuum Pump OEM $250
Timing cover gasket OEM $12
Coolant rubber piping $8
=$500 potentially if you wanted to do everything and had to replace vacuum pump or $270 if you wanted rebuild the vacuum pump yourself and it works.
Going to hope a new CTS fixes the issues but am concerned that it might be something else because my fan wasn't running before I changed the flange. I will have to order the heater core lines. Has anyone ever replaced just the quick fitting and crimped/put a hose clamp on yourself? Is the only thing holding the temp sensor in the retaining pin? There is no twist or turning or locking it into place?
Oh yeah I also broke the brake booster vacuum pump check valve line so im gonna need a new one of those which is about $70. Gonna see if I can RTV it back on, but its going to be need replacing.
Just glad that I am hopefully within $100 of this being resolved, but my body hurts now and I am going to bed. I stayed up all night doing this.