The fitting in the attached picture is threaded into the intake below the thermostat housing. It is leaking. How do I get the thing my screwdriver is pointing to off so I can thread the other thing out? It seems those tabs need to be pressed to release it but I'm afraid they may break.

 

doh give me a second to find it. I can't think of the name right now but I know it generally breaks if it has never been replaced.

edit:
heres an old thread about it. https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/v6/6...leak-look.html

 

Thanks for the reply. Do you think the part is still available from the dealer? Is the plastic part with the tabs the part I will need to buy?

 

I'm really not sure. Mine broke when it was at a shop and he was fixing something else so he replaced it.

 

The steel part that threads into the intake comes with the plastic peice to replace the one that will break when the old one is removed. Still available at the dealer- picked one up today for 12 bucks. The tech article you referenced really helped!

 

just wondering, why do you wanna take it out? i wouldnt mess w/ it, unless its broken and then you obviously need to remove it.

 

Coolant is leaking out of the threads, that is why I want to remove it. Update-it is leaking because the nipple rotted off in the threads of the intake. Now I know why it is leaking and loose.

 

It's a quick disconnect that GM used on all kinds of junk from the mid-late 80's on up... It's really common for the fitting to break on full size TBI pickups. You can find the fitting in the Dorman/Help section of any parts store, along with the correct tap needed to repair the threads in the intake. The plastic clip is also available seperately.

The alternative is to simply remove the fitting, and replace it with a typical nipple and use a section of heater hose and a couple clamps instead.

 

Beware of this fitting, mine starting leaking on two days before Christmas last year....when I went to remove the fitting from the intake it broke off....I had to extract the pieces and then redo the threads, to make matters worse someone had already tried welding mine at some point. If this happens the threads should be standard NPT 1/2" course thread I think. A steel replacement is still available from the dealer but Drew is right the best thing is to replace it with a nipple and attach your heater hose to it.

 

I see from your further down posts that you have already replaced the factory part, but it is not a reliable part as well as the elimination of the TB coolant lines is a positive thing for cleaning up the engine bay and making future repair work quicker without hassling coolant line messes with uncouplings. That link is my motor and it has the Earls fitting listed there for a better more reliable repair so nothing like this will ever happen again.

 

I have all the parts to repair the problem but I have not got around to doing it yet because it is still off the road for winter. I did see from your pictures the Earl's fitting in the intake, but what did you do about the cooling line hookups on the bottom of the throttle body?