a Hose to nowhere????? where could it go??

[kmartin888]

Ok, Once again I come to the board for advice. I seem to have found a hose that leads to nowhere and would like some help finding its home. Last night while filling the coolant tank I noticed that coolant started to leak out. I knew I wasn't spilling any so I checked to see where it was coming from. Low and behold I find it was coming out of this hose that lead to nowhere in particular. (I have included a picture so you can see what I am talking about. ) After checking with my trusty haynes manual (ha ha)I realized once again that this was a job for the GAOC. At first I thought it was just an overflow tube, But then I thought that these systems are supposed to be sealed and hold pressure.
If anyone has has any idea I would once again appreciate the help. (Grand am = 2001 v6 3400)

thanks again in advance,
Keith

[kmartin888]

it seems that the picture did not load last time so Im posting it again
thanks
keith

[bballr4567]

Its the coolant overflow tube. Its suppose to be there.

[nice96gt]

Yep, someone posted the same question a while ago and that's all it is...just an overflow tube

[RazorDX]

I wasn't aware the GA had an overflow tube. It was always painfully obvious in my Lumina... it hung about four inches below the rest of the car.

[rixGAphx]

It is no an 'overflow tube' as such, since that implies some liquid would flow out.

It is the 'Pressure Relief' tube, and it is to divert Boiling Hot Steam in a safe direction (away from your face if you're servicing the car when teh boil-over occurs).

The '96 V6 didn't have one, I think they came along later.
* * *
BUT, kmartin has a couple other propblems:

1. He overfilled the reservoir.

No way should the liquid level be high enough to flow out.
The tube connects at the top of the filler neck, right at the ridge where the pressure cap's sealing washer seats.
The liquid level should be 1 INCH below the bottom of the filler neck, so about 2" lower than the tube.

Look on the side of the plastic reservoir, near the front.
There's a line and the words 'FULL - COLD' (or similar) molded-into the plastic.
Do NOT fill any higher.

As the coolant heats, it expands.
It needs this 1" airspace to expand into.
If there's no airspace, the expanding hot coolant just POURS out thru the hose,onto the ground.
I'm sure he's using DexCool antifreeze, and this is sweet and toxic to dogs.

2. The coolant system IS closed, and there should never be a need to top-off the coolant.
EXCEPT, mebbe a half-cup every 6 months or so, to replace coolant that normally 'weeps' out the weep hole at the waterpump shaft seal.

So, if the reservoir needed topping-off, kmartin probably has 'Mysterious Disappearing GM Coolant Syndrome'.

He needs to find where the cooling system is leaking, and correct that leak before it becomes a very expensive problem.
With an '01 V6, 6-years old, mebbe 75k miles, his engine could be ripe for a LIM gasket leak.
Better a $750 LIM gasket job now, than an $1800 head job if all coolant is lost.

* * *

Finally, the pressure cap should only be tightened as much as an average woman can easily do one-handed.
That's all the pressure that's necessary to seal this system.
Any tighter will distort, crimp, or cut the rubber sealing washer, thereby preventing it from holding the necessary 14 psi pressure.

Hope this helps,
-Rick