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Just realized my radiator hose leak was a $6 hose clamp, not a blown gasket
I was ready to dump $400 on a head gasket kit after seeing coolant pooling under my Corolla in the Walmart lot on Route 9. A guy named Dale wandered over and pointed at the clamp instead, which had chewed a groove into the hose over 80k miles. Swapped the clamp and a $9 hose section in 20 minutes with a screwdriver and it has held for 3 weeks now. What is your go-to check before you panic about a bigger repair?
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anthonyh8520d ago
Man, that sinking feeling in the Walmart lot is real, I've been there staring at a puddle trying not to think head gasket. Glad Dale walked over when he did, because you were about to spend $400 on a guess. My first check is always the cheap stuff, starting with the clamps and hose ends right where the leak shows up, since a groove worn in over 80k miles fakes you out every time. Twenty minutes and a screwdriver beats a weekend in the garage any day.
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