Coolant Loss

Forest Green 2k · Post by **Forest Green 2k** » Tue Jun 01, 2010 5:55 pm

My coolant seems to burning or leaking at an alarming rate but I never see anything bigger than a few drips of liquid under my car.

I'm stumped on this one. Any idea's?

Thanks!

darthroush · Post by **darthroush** » Tue Jun 01, 2010 6:41 pm

In the engine oil?

hybrid-Srt2001 · Post by **hybrid-Srt2001** » Tue Jun 01, 2010 6:48 pm

check all the hose connections, thermostat and radiator cap. might want to do a coolant system pressure test. also drain the oil and check for signs of milkyness.

Forest Green 2k · Post by **Forest Green 2k** » Tue Jun 01, 2010 10:41 pm

Just had a head swap with the Mopar MLS HG last year, haven't noticed any milky oil. But the few drips are def coming off the rad.

Can it be spraying out when I'm driving?

srtgtr34 · Post by **srtgtr34** » Tue Jun 01, 2010 11:22 pm

Is just the coolant tank draining?

Or does your whole system drain?

I'm having the same problem but it seems that the coolant doesn't return back to the resevoir after being sucked into the system. I still have the required amount of coolant sitting in my radiator lines.

heydockyle · Post by **heydockyle** » Tue Jun 01, 2010 11:31 pm

Drain petcock tight?

Forest Green 2k · Post by **Forest Green 2k** » Wed Jun 02, 2010 12:26 am

srtgtr34 wrote:Is just the coolant tank draining?

Or does your whole system drain?

I'm having the same problem but it seems that the coolant doesn't return back to the resevoir after being sucked into the system. I still have the required amount of coolant sitting in my radiator lines.

It's not in the resevoir. I know when it's getting low because the temps will start to get hot. Then when I refill the resevoir it goes back to normal.

Haganracing · Post by **Haganracing** » Wed Jun 02, 2010 9:53 am

Check all the connections on the rad hoses.

I had a headgasket problem without getting the milky oil color..

Post by **occasional demons** » Wed Jun 02, 2010 11:23 am

Your best bet is to rent a radiator pressure tester from AutoZone. (If they rent them) Test it cold, and test it hot. If the needle is showing pressure loss, you just have to start looking at every conceivable place for coolant seeping out. It might take some time, but you will find it once the puddle gets large enough.

Just don't go over 16 to 18 psi, or you might create a leak where there wasn't one. Not sure what PSI the radiator fails at. Don't really need to find out either.

lilnicko11 · Post by **lilnicko11** » Wed Jun 02, 2010 3:24 pm

^ this.

also for the meantime keep a big jug of water with you in the car.

OB · Post by OB » Wed Jun 02, 2010 5:25 pm

Pressure testing it is a good idea if you can't see traces of a leak. Just because there isn't coolant in the oil does not mean it can't be the head or gasket. Even a cracked cylinder wall can cause it to burn and exit with the exhaust. You would normally see white smoke coming from the exhaust though. Does the coolant in the reservoir bubble noticeably when the car is running at idle?

Before we go any further, have you actually jacked it up and thoroughly looked for leaks? External coolant leaks are VERY easy to find most of the time, just grab a flash light and spend 10-15 mins looking around at the cooling system.

Pablodragon · Post by **Pablodragon** » Wed Jun 02, 2010 6:14 pm

hope it's not the heater core...

my coolant kept disapppearing and found it was leaking from the heater core, into the vent system behind the dash, then would drip out the A/C condensation overflow pipe... didn't notice till too late

heater core = hella PITA to replace

Forest Green 2k · Post by **Forest Green 2k** » Wed Jun 02, 2010 8:42 pm

Pablodragon wrote: heater core = hella PITA to replace

lol, I would just part it out if it was the heater core.

Post by **occasional demons** » Wed Jun 02, 2010 10:47 pm

Meh, if you would go through the hassle of parting it out, you may as well remove the dash, and change the heater core. :shrugs:

Forest Green 2k · Post by **Forest Green 2k** » Thu Jun 03, 2010 2:32 pm

occasional demons wrote:Meh, if you would go through the hassle of parting it out, you may as well remove the dash, and change the heater core. :shrugs:

Touché, lol

Forest Green 2k · Post by **Forest Green 2k** » Thu Jun 03, 2010 11:49 pm

Tonight, as I turned my car off I heard a bubbling (air pockets) followed by a small puff of white smoke from hood that def smelled like coolant. I really hope it's not the HG leaking coolant onto my header.

P.S. - Is this a health hazard?

Forest Green 2k · Post by **Forest Green 2k** » Fri Jun 04, 2010 4:38 pm

I noticed a lot of coolant collecting on everything under my header

Not only that but one of the lines to the rad or the rad itself is leaking up front.

So I guess the HG is bad then, eh? Just had the MLS put in last year.

Post by **occasional demons** » Fri Jun 04, 2010 9:22 pm

The stuff in the rear could just be from the expansion tank overflowing. If it is leaking at the radiator/hose, fix that first. If it overheats enough, you will need a new HG, or worse, head.

esteinmaier · Post by **esteinmaier** » Fri Jun 04, 2010 9:23 pm

It's boiling off while you drive. Seeing as you've overheated the crap out of it, that may have also blown the HG. Dissimilar metals expand and contract at different rates, so the cast iron block and the aluminum head are growing and shrinking unevenly. When you overheat it, the problem becomes exponential, and surpasses the HG's ability to flex with the difference. That's my theory. Do a leak-down test and that will verify my hypothesis.

Forest Green 2k · Post by **Forest Green 2k** » Fri Jun 04, 2010 11:19 pm

I got a good look at it. The stuff that's wet with coolant is under the coolant resivor (that's not leaking though), I didn't notice any near the engine at all actually, my o2 wires were dry too and they are closer to the HG area than they parts that are covered in coolant. There is no mixing of oil or coolant either.

Hmmm, maybe the heater core??

esteinmaier · Post by **esteinmaier** » Fri Jun 04, 2010 11:37 pm

Yes, that's exactly what I expected. That's what happens when you boil it.

Your fan and/or thermostat may not be working either if it's getting that hot.

Forest Green 2k · Post by **Forest Green 2k** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 12:08 am

esteinmaier wrote:Yes, that's exactly what I expected. That's what happens when you boil it.

I wonder why some rubber lines and exposed wires that are close to the HG area don't have traces of coolant on them (or even melted/damaged) but stuff farther away does, like under the resivour?

esteinmaier wrote:Your fan and/or thermostat may not be working either if it's getting that hot.

The fans def aren't working correctly, I checked today by turning on the a/c and they didn't kick on. They only do when it gets real hot.

What should I do next now? Start off with a new tstat at least? lol. This is my DD and has been doing this for awhile.

TY

Haganracing · Post by **Haganracing** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 12:17 am

Try changing your t-stat.. I always start with the cheap, easy fixes first.

Forest Green 2k · Post by **Forest Green 2k** » Mon Jun 07, 2010 4:41 pm

Haganracing wrote:Try changing your t-stat.. I always start with the cheap, easy fixes first.

Will do, just filled the resivour up with more coolant and radiator/seal/head stop leak crap for now. Shes running fine and temps are normal because I've been keeping on eye on the coolant level but I'm afraid to take her long distances.

Since the fans don't turn on when I turn the a/c on when the car is reading a normal temp, could that be something else besides a t-stat? I'm gonna replace it anyways, I'm just wondering.

heydockyle · Post by **heydockyle** » Mon Jun 07, 2010 5:42 pm

My fans would stop running at times and I had to get out and mess with the plug.

Cleaned the plugs/contacts, filled with dielectric grease and it hasn't happened since.

BlackRoseRacing · Post by **BlackRoseRacing** » Tue Jun 08, 2010 9:46 am

did you do the pressure test yet?
When you put the head on, did you make sure the block and head were perfectly straight and clean? Remember the surfaces have to be almost perfect for the HG to seal properly.

Forest Green 2k · Post by **Forest Green 2k** » Tue Jun 08, 2010 10:08 am

BlackRoseRacing wrote:did you do the pressure test yet?
When you put the head on, did you make sure the block and head were perfectly straight and clean? Remember the surfaces have to be almost perfect for the HG to seal properly.

No pressure test yet. I didn't do the work, I had some guys who have changed HG's on 1st gens before.

Like I said earlier, if it was spraying out from the HG area when hot, I wonder why nothing close to the HG has the slightest hint of actually being wet or damaged? Like exposed o2 wires for example.

I guess I'll just have to get a compression test/pressure to see for sure.

heydockyle wrote:My fans would stop running at times and I had to get out and mess with the plug.

Cleaned the plugs/contacts, filled with dielectric grease and it hasn't happened since.

Where are they if you don't mind me asking?

BlackRoseRacing · Post by **BlackRoseRacing** » Tue Jun 08, 2010 11:02 am

Where are they if you don't mind me asking?

Looking down from the top of the radiator, the connector is on the drivers side mounted horizontally. Remember to release the red lock before trying to remove the connector...

Forest Green 2k · Post by **Forest Green 2k** » Tue Jun 08, 2010 11:39 am

I found a couple of them with red locks in the spot you mentioned but couldn't figure out how to release them.

Post by **occasional demons** » Tue Jun 08, 2010 12:13 pm

Just slide the red lock. Then the tab can be pushed.