Radiator hose exploded today!

[1974StepSide]

Ok well maybe it didn't "explode", but you would have thought it did from all the steam.

I was driving home today when I noticed steam coming from under the hood. I was less than a mile away from home so I decided just to drive home instead of pulling over.

I get home and lift up the hood. And there was anti freeze everywhere! Somehow the upper radiator hose ripped and it just soaked everything. My KN air filter was all green, the padding on the hood was dripping coolant down. It was not good.

I was worried my alternator would get screwed up if coolant got into it, so i took it off.

I took off the air cleaner and put a towel over the carb to make sure coolant wouldn't drip down into it.

My neighbor noticed and came over to take a look. He told me the hose might have ripped if the thermostat had been stuck and the pressure caused it to tear.

So I went to the parts store to buy a new hose and thermostat and when I came back the engine was still too hot to hose off. So I just waited until it was cool enough. So then I just had to carefully hose everything down.

Got the new thermostat in, radiator hose on, filled up the radiator, cleaned up the alternator and put it back on.

Fired it up, everything seems to be okay, I think the alternator was not damaged Thank goodness...