Leaking radiator fluid

[AtrueCroft]

When I took all the interior out of my 80 series, Land Cruiser, I was trying to remove one of the rear heater hose from the bottom of the cruiser and ended up cutting one of the lines (idiot self) the radiator fluid started leaking. I came back and I noticed a few places of radiator fluid in the vehicle. Do you know how this could happen? How come it’s in different parts of the vehicle if it was only leaking from the hose?

 

[Kernal]

Were the hoses wet as shown in the photo above before you started cutting/removing them?

Was there a leak on the floor (or carpet) before you removed or cut the hoses?

How did you remove the hoses ie: cut then tug, pull, twist, yank?

It is possible (easily) to damage the heater core and the attached pipes by being too aggressive with the thin brass pipes those hoses are attached to,
so a leak from the rear heater core and/or the attached pipes under the seat could flow over the floor gutter where the wiring harness sits.

Or, the pipes were leaking before you touched the hoses and coolant sprayed upward through the hole in the floor and under the carpet onto the floor.

Or, you have a second leak from the front/main heater core. Was the carpet wet near the transmission tunnel hump?

 

[AtrueCroft]

Were the hoses wet as shown in the photo above before you started cutting/removing them?

Was there a leak on the floor (or carpet) before you removed or cut the hoses?

How did you remove the hoses ie: cut then tug, pull, twist, yank?

It is possible (easily) to damage the heater core and the attached pipes by being too aggressive with the thin brass pipes those hoses are attached to,
so a leak from the rear heater core and/or the attached pipes under the seat could flow over the floor gutter where the wiring harness sits.

Or, the pipes were leaking before you touched the hoses and coolant sprayed upward through the hole in the floor and under the carpet onto the floor.

Or, you have a second leak from the front/main heater core. Was the carpet wet near the transmission tunnel hump?

There was no leaks before I accidentally cut the heater hose a little bit. Then it started leaking coolant. I was trying to yank on it a little bit, but not too bad. I was trying to remove it, I originally had took in the carpet out because mine was completely trashed and I need to replace it.

Everything was fine before I cut the hose.

After I cut the hose, I was pulling and yanking on it. I couldn’t get it off. I was trying to get rid of the rear heater.

I assume because I was yanking on it it got into the gutter by the passenger door.

But as you can see on the other side where the passenger driver side door is, there’s a puddle of coolant there, which I don’t know where that came from and it wasn’t there before.

 

[Kernal]

The coolant is under pressure and the hose points upward so one possiblity is the slice in the hose allowed fluid to be sprayed upward through the hole in the floor then under the rear heater and from there it would pool somewhere under the front passenger seat.

OR, the pulling and tugging on the hose damaged the heater core inside the rear heater and fluid leaked out from there and under the front (L) passenger seat.

Post up photos of the heater pipes including where they run to the heater core (assuming you've pulled the rear heater already?).

 

[AtrueCroft]

The coolant is under pressure and the hose points upward so one possiblity is the slice in the hose allowed fluid to be sprayed upward through the hole in the floor then under the rear heater and from there it would pool somewhere under the front passenger seat.

OR, the pulling and tugging on the hose damaged the heater core inside the rear heater and fluid leaked out from there and under the front (L) passenger seat.

Post up photos of the heater pipes including where they run to the heater core (assuming you've pulled the rear heater already?).

I haven’t been able to pull the heater out because it was giving me all sorts of problems, I tried everything best as I can. Once I go back I’ll send some photos over. All your theories seem to be realistic. I just don’t know why it was on the passenger side but then again it might’ve been leaking and slowly drained into that area.

 

[Kernal]

"I just don’t know why it (coolant leak) was on the passenger side (floor)"

The rear heater assembly has it's own small blower motor and heater core and receives hot coolant from the engine via a series of hoses and pipes. It's designed to blow auxiliary (extra) heat rearward for the rear seat occupants but it is located on the right front floor of the cabin under the front right seat inside the cabin (passenger side for LHD 80). So when the rear heater core leaks (inside the cabin) the coolant drips onto the same (R) side of the vehicle's floor. Clear as Mud?

 

[AtrueCroft]

"I just don’t know why it (coolant leak) was on the passenger side (floor)"

The rear heater assembly has it's own small blower motor and heater core and receives hot coolant from the engine via a series of hoses and pipes. It's designed to blow auxiliary (extra) heat rearward for the rear seat occupants but it is located on the right front floor of the cabin under the front right seat inside the cabin (passenger side for LHD 80). So when the rear heater core leaks (inside the cabin) the coolant drips onto the same (R) side of the vehicle's floor. Clear as

"I just don’t know why it (coolant leak) was on the passenger side (floor)"

The rear heater assembly has it's own small blower motor and heater core and receives hot coolant from the engine via a series of hoses and pipes. It's designed to blow auxiliary (extra) heat rearward for the rear seat occupants but it is located on the right front floor of the cabin under the front right seat inside the cabin (passenger side for LHD 80). So when the rear heater core leaks (inside the cabin) the coolant drips onto the same (R) side of the vehicle's floor. Clear as Mud?

View attachment 4135972

Yes, this makes a lot of sense and it’s as clear as you sounded it to be. The whole purpose of me removing the rear heater was because I was buying a 80 rear heater delete kit from a guy that makes them in California, where I live. It’s extremely hot and I don’t see the point of having it. The other thing is when my core fails, one common issues overtime it dumps coolant all over the carpet. This is one of the reasons why I had to replace the carpet.

 

[Kernal]

Which "kit" are you referring to, the hose and clamps to bypass the rear heater pipes up on the firewall, and/or a cover for the oval hole in the floor where the rear pipes go down through the floor?

LCP - Rear Heater Delete Hose

Molded Rear Heater Delete Hose The upgraded installation with a perfectly molded hose.

sites.google.com

FWIW you can cover the small hole in the floor with HVAC grade aluminum tape or Dynamat/Hushmat type material, either placed inside on top of the hole
and another piece from underneath below the hole after cleaning the surfaces well.

Or, buy something like this:

Delta Vehicle Systems - 80 Series Rear Heater Delete

Delete your 80 Series rear heater, plug your hole

www.deltavs.com

 

[AtrueCroft]

Which "kit" are you referring to, the hose and clamps to bypass the rear heater pipes up on the firewall, and/or a cover for the oval hole in the floor where the rear pipes go down through the floor?

LCP - Rear Heater Delete Hose

Molded Rear Heater Delete Hose The upgraded installation with a perfectly molded hose.

sites.google.com

FWIW you can cover the small hole in the floor with HVAC grade aluminum tape or Dynamat/Hushmat type material, either placed inside on top of the hole
and another piece from underneath below the hole after cleaning the surfaces well.

Or, buy something like this:

Delta Vehicle Systems - 80 Series Rear Heater Delete

Delete your 80 Series rear heater, plug your hole

www.deltavs.com

This is the kit I saw. What you recommend is probably much cheaper and less a hassle.

Land Cruiser 80 Rear Heater Delete kit

If your 80 Series Land Cruiser (1990–1997 models) is leaking coolant into the passenger-side cabin floor from the rear/under-seat heat exchanger (coolant-to-air unit), this kit makes the delete clean and professional. The factory rear heater setup routes coolant under the passenger seat, and...

www.asrparts.com

 

[Kernal]

Need to look at the fixes carefully as both say "rear heater delete" but they are totally different kits, one is a hose and clamps to bypass
the hot water circuit at the firewall that flows down and rearward to the rear heater, the other two are plates that cover the hole in the floor under the rear heater.

Not familiar with the square aluminum plates above but it appears there isn't anything that helps make them watertight?? IMHO you really don't need a vault door to cover that relatively small oval hole in the floor, lots of inexpensive options.

 

[AtrueCroft]

Need to look at the fixes carefully as both say "rear heater delete" but they are totally different kits, one is a hose and clamps to bypass
the hot water circuit at the firewall that flows down and rearward to the rear heater, the other two are plates that cover the hole in the floor under the rear heater.

Not familiar with the square aluminum plates above but it appears there isn't anything that helps make them watertight?? IMHO you really don't need a vault door to cover that relatively small oval hole in the floor, lots of inexpensive options.

I had to put the project on hold because I couldn’t get that rear heater out and I didn’t want to cause any more damage. Any tips to get it out? I wasn’t sure if I was gonna buy this product or not and I’m not sure if it’s actually “water tight”. That company is difficult to get a hold of. I could buy that hose you recommended and use some HVAC tape to cover the hole. I don’t wanna make it too complicated. I’m already having problems with my sunroof and that’s a whole other issues smh.

 

[AtrueCroft]

I had to put the project on hold because I couldn’t get that rear heater out and I didn’t want to cause any more damage. Any tips to get it out? I wasn’t sure if I was gonna buy this product or not and I’m not sure if it’s actually “water tight”. That company is difficult to get a hold of. I could buy that hose you recommended and use some HVAC tape to cover the hole. I don’t wanna make it too complicated. I’m already having problems with my sunroof and that’s a whole other issues smh.

On a sidenote ie. what is the best way to bypass those hoses so coolant isn’t coming out once I remove the rear heater? Was it that hose you had recommended previously?

 

[ppc]

There is no need to remove the heater unit under the passenger seat, just disconnect hoses at the firewall and use the bypass hose or similar mentioned above.

 

[Kernal]

To remove the rear heater (if you want that space under the seat opened up) remove the right front seat (four bolts and an electrical connector and lift the seat out), then it's just ?4 more bolts to the floor for the rear heater assembly and a wire connection (assuming the hoses have already been cut).

Yes, that hose listed above, follow the directions, basically you are abandoning the rear heater pipes/hoses in place (see diagram above)

 

[AtrueCroft]

There is no need to remove the heater unit under the passenger seat, just disconnect hoses at the firewall and use the bypass hose or similar mentioned above.

I also noticed that after the coolant had leaked my LC won’t start. Is that normal? I assume it is.

 

[ppc]

I also noticed that after the coolant had leaked my LC won’t start. Is that normal? I assume it is.

No, that is not normal. The vehicle should be able to start with zero coolant. The cooling system is completely independent from the starting system.

 

[Kernal]

What does happen when you turn the ignition key, absolutely nothing, no noise, no clicking, or does the engine crank (turn over) but then it doesn't fire (start)?
Battery good?

Need more details.

 

[AtrueCroft]

What does happen when you turn the ignition key, absolutely nothing, no noise, no clicking, or does the engine crank (turn over) but then it doesn't fire (start)?
Battery good?

Need more details.

I looked a little bit more through and my battery was not juiced up