Need help - coolant leak (behind distributor?)

[do2mind]

was driving tonight and when I stopped at a light I noticed steam/smoke coming out from under the hood. pulled into a bank parking lot where the light was semi-decent and it looked like there was a leak from somewhere right behind the distributor... too dark to see completely, though... is there a hose that runs in that vicinity? or a seal or gasket? from the directions it was spraying, it almost looked like it was coming from the base of the distributor itself... but i'm not sure if that makes sense... and again, it was kinda dark.

drove home, about a mile and a half... what else was I going to do?...

so now i'm probably way down in the coolant department. how do i check this thing in the morning??? add coolant to the reservoir and radiator, first, i suppose, and start it up... anything else?

any ideas that could help out??? would appreciate any comments... thanks!

[casterX]

yes, there is a hose down there that deffinately needs to be changed..

[YellowCord]

happen to me once, it a hose back there.

[do2mind]

Okay, it was the hose that connects the engine block to the heater valve... there was a hole close to the engine block side, and it was pointing toward the bottom of the distributor, which made it look like it was spraying from the base of the distributor itself in the dark.

So...

1) when I replace this hose, how do I fill up/top off the coolant system? And how much coolant will I need?

2) And there's a set of wires which comes out of the engine block underneath the distributor immediately in front of where the heater hose goes into the engine block - I broke that piece of plastic which comes out of the engine block that the wires stick out of... it's still attached at the bottom, but hinged like a pez dispenser... major deal? can I just use electrical tape to kinda keep it together, or is there some kind of pressure seal there? What is that, anyway? - so I know what to ask for at the Honda dealer if I have to.

[Gemini]

I just replaced that hose about a month ago also, its a peice of cake. All you do is fill up the radiator with car on and the cap off the radiator. You can use the bleeding nipple located on the thermostat housing to bleed air from yout cooiling system. Crack the nipple nut and watch as the coolant/liquid flows out. When it starts to flow in a continuous stream tigthen back the bleeded nipper nut and then add necessary additional coolant to the radiator until about it a inch below the neck, cover radiator, let car run and check if its overheating.