i have coolant water dripping from hose penetrating the fire wall on a subaru outback. Th ehose doesnt have an edn on it. The temperature gauge is fluctuating but engine is not overheating. Any clues

I'm guessing this is one of the hoses runing to the heater core? Those are the only hoses that run coolant through the firewall.

hi ive pulled out glove box and taken out air filter..identified moisture in filter area adjacent to cooling/heating coil in heater unit. it appears to come from hose[pipe] at rear of filter area from air con unit. With a bit of playing about with heater controls..it appears moisture only occurs when in air con mode and it then it collects in drip tray[then to open ended drip hose] which has obviously collected a fair bit..running the heater continuously it has blown most of the residual moisture out..still need to figure air con hose...

you probably aren't using it this time of year but is your A/C system working up to par? sounds like the A/C line's leaking oil which means it's also leaked out it's coolant gasses if this is the case. if it's not actually leaking from a coolant line that you can see it may also just be condensation, the line from the fire wall you mentioned is there specifically for that because you genearlly do get condensation on that coil when using the A/C and they dont want that driping inside the car, this is probably the more likely thing you're seeing and should not be capped off.

evaporator drain....these get clogged and the water has no where to go....push a coat hanger through that if you can at the bend as it goes through the firewall/floor~ it WILL NOT smell like coolant...but mould~

a "pin blaster" if you can find the exit hole will force the spiders, etc, back into the evaporator box....~

okay this guy's pokin; with a screwdriver~

thanks all for your helfoul answers..im in nz so its summer here...air con is useful at this time of year..however..just been into the city and back - 2okm...with air conoff and its definitely engine coolant water [ie radiator water as it has a greenish tinge which is the antifreeze coloring] this appears to be collecting somewhere inside the heater assembly then ooziing out via the air vents exasbareted when the fan is on high as it obviously pushes the moisture around the place...generally prevalent when the mode is set to foot well vents and under seat vent that go to rear seats...this would explain the drop in level in the radiator and somehow it is collecting in the heater sump i think...the out the drain hose

good detective work...at first suggested that you pump it up to 17psi to see where the geyser show is happening this advise is still valid...autozone will rent ya~

ok, so it does sound like either on of the hoses to the heater core or the heater core its self is leaking, couldn't say exactally why using the air on high or seting it for your feet would make a difference but find the scource of your leak and replace that part.

it is possible that the evaporator drain is clogged full 0 spiders...and there is a headgasket leak too~ could check/change the plugs at the same time a compression check to note the health of the motor...the sparkplugs will tell volumes if you pay attention to them~

yes...the delight of the breeze clamp is that it can be opened, put on and then tightened...I posted a pic of this earlier...back in Wisconsin, we'd just chop off the defective area (sometimes piercing right thru it) to make the end of the hose THERE instead of the relaxed position that it was in....we were poor so if we could avoid the cost of the hose...this did it...in your situation if the 1/2" hoses are bloated/splitting would recommend Silicone hose replacements or aircraft grade braided stainless (available from racing stores) so you never have to go in there again~

http://3rdstrikeperformance.com/index.php? main_page=index&manufacturers_id=2

yeah, think about it....cheap butyl rubber will degrade in time...especially when subject to hot-cool--hot-cool situations...it's flexible rubber, yeah-but has a smell...and because of it microns of the material are going airborne and into your nose...on a grand level over time this piece of rubber gets WASTED...replace with silicone...ten times more expensive but worth it....the air craft grade stainless is lined with Neoprene for jet-fuel

maybe your heater core is plugged up if you can get the lines off you can run some water thru it with a garden hose just go the opposite way that the water usually goes ( reverse flush ) just make sure you crimp the bypass hose ( if it has one )