plastic coolant elbow

[fogman40]

I have a 2002 firebird 3800 engine that I am replacing the upper and lower manifold gaskets. I see in some of the posts that there is a plastic elbow that is prone to break. anybody got a part number for that elbow? (O'Reilly, AutoZone, Advance Auto, etc.) I called O'reilly but the counter help could not find it. Any help today would be greatly appreciated because I am getting started on it tomorrow.

[T-Mill]

Re: plastic coolant elbow

iirc, I got mine from gmpartsdirect... the plastic elbow goes from the lower intake manifold to the tensioner pulley/alternator bracket. On my car there are actually two plastic elbows, but on other cars the metal of the bracket turns 90* and goes into the hole, instead of having a second piece... I can't remember which years are which...

My reccomendation would be to get that piece off and take the plastic elbows (or the pieces of them) to a parts store and see if they have a replacement... if they don't have it then you can go to a dealer parts dept and they should have it. If you can wait for shipment, then you can order them online...
https://www.zzperformance.com/grand_...=370&catid=103

If you only need one, then check the description, it explains which is which.

GL

[pace2006]

Re: plastic coolant elbow

I don't recall the part number, but you can find it in the "HELP" section at Autozone and other parts stores. It's a common part used on different vehicles.

[T-Mill]

Re: plastic coolant elbow

upper elbow GM p/n: 24503423

lower elbow GM p/n: 12565082

^in case you need to go to a dealer, here are the part numbers for the two elbows

[fogman40]

Re: plastic coolant elbow

Thanks for the advice. I was able to find the 2 elbows which one was the leak (one above the water pump) instead of the intake gasket. It had became brittle and broke. the other one came apart when the belt tensioner came off. That was a relief to not replace the intake gaskets.

[T-Mill]

Re: plastic coolant elbow

Just make sure that you get all of the plastic out of the holes before you try and install the new ones... I've done this to two engines, one with two elbows and one with one, and on all three there was a ring of plastic that broke off and got wedged in there, in both the manifold and the tensioner bracket... they came out easily, though...

[enzia35]

Re: plastic coolant elbow

Hey fellas, sorry for the bump, but I wnt to a shop and they sai dof I were'nt careful, I'd be pulling the intake manifold. Sensationalist bs? Or genuine concern? I'm changing this out today...

[techsan23]

Re: plastic coolant elbow

Hey fellas, sorry for the bump, but I wnt to a shop and they sai dof I were'nt careful, I'd be pulling the intake manifold. Sensationalist bs? Or genuine concern? I'm changing this out today...

You'll be fine.

[pace2006]

Re: plastic coolant elbow

Just try not to push the little o-ring seal into the coolant passage if the elbow breaks. Mine fell in while trying to get it out and it took 30 minutes and scraped knuckles to get it back out.

[enzia35]

Re: plastic coolant elbow

So far so good.
Part that goes into the block broke. Dang...
Okay well putting it back together...the lower elbow fits very loose. Hope this isn't a fluke.
Done! Everything seems okay, even the loose fitting elbows. Running it through its paces.

[ssms5411]

Re: plastic coolant elbow

The elbow is pretty easy , there only one on my 96'.

[Pewter02Camaro]

Re: plastic coolant elbow

I know this is kinda off topic, but I always wonderd if you were to tap and plug both hole, the one in the LIM and the one in the Front cover, would it cause a problem? I always just kinda wonderd about that.

[enzia35]

Re: plastic coolant elbow

I'd say it would...that's what coolant runs through right?

[Pewter02Camaro]

Re: plastic coolant elbow

Thats not the only place it flows through. They simply provide supply to the heater core. i was just looking at plugging them as the same thing as putting a peice of hose between the in and out on the tensioner assembly.

[DAS BOOT]

Re: plastic coolant elbow

Couple questions...

I don't remember, but is the one on the lower intake manifold, connected to the belt tensionor?

Also is the lower intake manifold one, accesible without pulling the TB or anything else?


My tensioner is bad and I will be replacing it soon and considering replacing both while I have it unhooked.