I went to wash my car and found this piece hanging down behind the trans cooler. Didn’t seem to be attached to anything. I have not found any leaking coolant. When I was done washing it- I did wash the engine because I changed my oil on Wednesday- there was a loud smack or bang when the engine turned over. I turned it off and found a little piece of foam under the front of the car. Everything else seemed to be in place- belts, fan, hoses, etc. Started it again and idle was rough. It steadied out pretty quickly, so I think that was just some water in the intake. Maybe the bang was a backfire or something, but it sounded more mechanical than gas.
My question is this: is this part integral to the construction of the radiator and would it falling off cause any leaking?
My question is this: is this part integral to the construction of the radiator and would it falling off cause any leaking?