Real root of bursting coolant elbows
 

Okay so this KEEPS happening... replaced the elbows a couple times... 2nd time we found out I had leaks other places so I had those taken care of.below

I had the intake gasket set with fittings, replaced theromostat & water pump and a coolant flush & oil change.

This was at a shop... maybe a month or 2 later a coolant elbow BURSTS open at the angle...
I call the shop "yeah that should be covered by the work we did" waste of tow truck and day assholes won't claim any responsibility.

So me and my dad replaced the elbow, about a month or 2 later now it burst open again.


Okay but even after we replaced it the car seemed to be running okay... once and a while the guage would get over half, not up to 3/4 but inbetween. Seemed to be using up extra coolant but not bone dry.

So the other day I figure that maybe the system needed to get bled a little bit more, which I do, I put more coolant in, bled it. Drive the car around the block, get it back to my driveway and rev the engine a few times..

the elbow burst open again (same way)..which the guy at the shop claims he never seen it happen like that, but this is the 2nd time to me in 6 months.

Where is all this extra pressure coming from??? My dad thinks maybe they fudged the job at the shop.

After I replaced the L.I.M. I noticed my elbows leaking. Most likey it was from when I pulled out the intake that they cracked. I replaced them but I can still smell a slight coolant odor. I doesn't lose coolant and I can't see it leaking anywhere else, so I has to be that horrible engineering flaw.

thermostat in backwards?

@JuniorCar - Tstat only fits one way. So it's not backwards.

@All - I have not seen the elbow burst, but I've seen it push out and I've seen where the o-ring on a new one did not seat properly. Mine pushed out this spring, I attribute it to MY fault for NOT properly bleeding out the air. Since the car had an air pocket, air expands differently then water/coolant and there for put just enough pressure to push the elbow out (that I put in LAST SPRING).

After this happened, I did some reading. Apparently this is a common problem many have seen with the Dorman $5 elbow kit from the parts store. The o-rings are not right (a little too thin allegedly, a recent manufacture defect). Per some people on the Bonneville forum, Dorman recalled the kits from the stores and one guy claims a Dorman rep said to look for the number 11300 or higher stamped on a Dorman elbow to know if it was revised. Other advise, go for genuine GM elbows.

When mine blew out first week I had my Monte out for this year, I bit the bullet, went to the dealer and paid $27.31 for Genuine GM elbows. Yes, the GM elbow casting is different then the Dorman casting, but since I could not compare BRAND NEW elbow O-rings, I can't tell you if they were different. When installing, I used a tiny amount of lube on the side of the o-ring going in (which is the outside of the elbow connections). Did NOT lube the inside part as I did not want to make it easy for the thing to push out. After that I PROPERLY bled my coolant system.

So, in your case, I am guessing they are Dorman elbows, try GM elbows, properly bleed the system and hopefully no more problem.

Okay so replaced both elbows with the GM parts.

Bled the system (no air bubbles just coolant coming out)

Okay everything seems to be functioning fine...EXCEPT...

after driving and warming the car up the temp will read before the half way notch or a little on it...
after some more driving it can get up to the 1st or 2nd notch after half way
shortly after it will go back down to before or on the half way notch

Considering all the work I've done/had done does this seem normal or is there something else to consider?

That's hard to say. The temp gauge is not 100% accurate (hence why everyone should learn how the gauge reads when all is right with there car). It also depends on outside temp, was it stop-n-go driving, blah, blah, blah.

After the car cools, check the radiator, see if it needs a little top-off.

Well today was in the 90's...

(~6miles 60mph+ no problems traffic got reduced to one lane then it was noticed during the ~2miles @ ~30mph stop+go)

Next time was regular commute on side streets, did it out of the blue after about 8miles ~30-40mph

Later on when it cooled off I added more coolant, no problems.
When I was getting on the highway I had to step on the gas to merge, I noticed it went close to the 2nd notch after the halfway.

After I got off the freeway a few blocks later I noticed it went back down.


I'll check out my fluid levels in the morning. Hopefully this issue can be put to rest.

Hmmm, even with the temp gauge being somewhat off, that does sound high.

Re-verify that you don't have an air pocket.
1 - top off the radiator.
2 - run the car for a few minutes in the driveway.
3 - before the tstat should open, open the bleed valve (if you get air or steam, you still had an air pocket). Close once it's streaming coolant.

Another thought comes to mind of when was the last time you changed your t-stat? It could be that it's old and taking longer to open then it used to (time for replacement).

Hope that helps.

maybe consider a new radiator ?

Or i would recommend when it does get that hot.....Try running the defrosters and see if it cools down (should turn on fans), and see how fast it falls....I know its a pain in the Beep....but better that then blowing out the elbow or melting the intakes

If you are blowing it that much it isn't because you are running a little bit hotter, but it has to be building up pressure somewhere. If it is getting that hot and the t-stat isn't opening right away couldn't that build up some system pressure?