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disappearing coolant

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Old 05-10-2010, 05:39 PM
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Default disappearing coolant

I have a weird problem. My car never shows any sign of leaking coolant, but sometime when I open the radiator cap it's a little low. When I check the coolant dip stick it read completely dry even after I fill the radiator. Why?
Old 05-10-2010, 08:00 PM
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might be going out of your tailpipes.
Old 05-10-2010, 08:04 PM
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Maybe the coolant overflow tank is cracked............
Old 05-10-2010, 08:30 PM
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Originally Posted by ULTIMATEORANGESS
might be going out of your tailpipes.
^^^^^^^^^what he said
Old 05-10-2010, 09:08 PM
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your overflow tank is an "active" tank. Do not fill the radiator through the cap. Always fill the resevoir tank. When it gets hot it puts the excessive coolant into the overflow tank, when it cools, it sucks it back into the radiator. When cold, your radiator may "look" low, but will soon fill up once it gets hot. The other option is so pressurize the cooling system, and look for a leak, if no leak is present, you are burning it through the heads. our intakes are dry and do not have coolant running though it. most likely if you are burning it, you should not have to add coolant very often. if you are adding often, then you have a leak, check your waterpump and hoses.
Old 05-10-2010, 09:46 PM
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Originally Posted by 98pontiac
your overflow tank is an "active" tank. Do not fill the radiator through the cap. Always fill the resevoir tank. When it gets hot it puts the excessive coolant into the overflow tank, when it cools, it sucks it back into the radiator. When cold, your radiator may "look" low, but will soon fill up once it gets hot. The other option is so pressurize the cooling system, and look for a leak, if no leak is present, you are burning it through the heads. our intakes are dry and do not have coolant running though it. most likely if you are burning it, you should not have to add coolant very often. if you are adding often, then you have a leak, check your waterpump and hoses.
ummm... no.. read the owners manual. OP you want to open the radiator cap when the car is cold and fill it to full. Then close it and move to the overflow tank for the rest. Fill the overflow to the COLD line on the dipstick for it.

I had a leak on mine about a year ago. Turned out to be the lines that run coolant through the TB. I did the TB coolant bypass and I didn't notice a small crack in the rubber tubing, which led to coolant dripping out little by little until it was eventually empty. Check all your lines that coolant runs through first for cracks, that should be your first step.
Old 05-10-2010, 11:36 PM
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Get a new radiator cap and see if that fixes the issue. Usually will.

But if you do decide to do a radiator pressure check......make sure you remove all 8 spark plugs first. If it is your gasket thats leaking, you may fill a cylinder with coolant during the test, then when you start the engine you could hydralock it and then you might have to buy a new engine.

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