1badzee

iTrader: (12)

I've had this problem for a while. My car loses coolant daily. I don't have any obvious leaks anywhere (no water on the floor or on anything visible). Radiator is brand new, etc. Every morning I have to put like 1/4 of a gallon sometimes a bit more, and the car runs fine all day. Temps never exceed 180. It may go to like 183 but then drop down to 178-180. I recently found water and a milkshake substance inside my oil breathers (on the valve covers)/ on the tip of the PCV line that goes to the valve cover. It's sort of inside the valve cover too (around the hole where you push in the breathers). Headgaskets? I thought so too, but my car shows no signs of it. Oil is clean as hell, water is clean as hell, doesn't smoke (only when its cold out until it warms up), doesn't overheat, nothing. Just loses water everyday. Can anyone help me find these little green men that keep drinking up my coolant?

96lt1m6

iTrader: (31)

does your exhaust have a sweet smell to it?
when you add coolant have you bled the system,sometimes if the system is not bled completely it will show to be low enough to add some coolant.
i suggest re-bleeding the system while the car is running of course then add to full level and be sure your overflow is at the correct level....hope this helps

Jditlfm

iTrader: (26)

They make a dye you can use with a thing that looks like a turkey baster to see if there is exhaust gases in your coolant. That will tell you if you have a head gasket problem. They also make a pressure tester where you can apply pressure to the system and check for leaks. Your heater core could be leaking also and you might never see a puddle anywhere. Just some ideas.

1badzee

iTrader: (12)

Heater core was bypassed, so that eliminated that problem (perhaps lol), and I bled the system twice and topped it off.. And no sweet smell in my exhaust fumes.. just smells rich as hell lol. Also I should add that I am using distilled water. And this dye that you mentioned, you add it into the coolant right?

AmericanMuscle33

As far as the milkshake/water on valve covers/pvc...that is most likely due to condensation. It's a pretty common occurrence. I wouldn't worry about it, I would simply clean it up, and replace your PCV.

Earlier this year, I was losing a similar amount of coolant as you. Ended up being a radiator cap that was not holding pressure. Coolant was simply bleeding off into the reservoir tank at operating temperature. Replaced the cap and all is well.

Have you replaced your thermostat lately? I only ask, because a friend of mine was loosing coolant, never noticed a leak. It ended up being Autozone sold him a GEN I SBC thermostat with an O-ring gasket (LT1 thermo's have a gasket that slips onto the edge of the thermo creating a complete seal). He didn't know any better, and his thermostat housing was slowly seeping out coolant.

Good luck!
-Andrew

1badzee

iTrader: (12)

thanks for your help.. the condensation comment makes sense.. Car runs too good to be headgasket.. I'll try a less pressure cap.. I have a 20lb moroso cap. t-stat is a hypertech 160 (for the LT1). I'll try getting a 16lb cap. thanks for the info guys!

SnakeOiler

iTrader: (6)

Try an 18lb cap, since that would be stock.

Have you check your overflow tank for the extra coolant?

Dragframe

iTrader: (14)

Damn. you got to it before me..

Condensation is exactly what happened with the PCV and "milkshake' described.

And I bet it is your radiator cap. Its not holding pressure and letting coolant into your overflow.

I would think you would notice a leak like that if it was physicaly coming out of the car somewhere. So CAP CAP CAP!!!

1badzee

iTrader: (12)

Thanks a lot for the info guys! I think I'm going to get like one of those purilator filters and replace that with the little pcv thing, and i'll get an 18lb cap.. if that doesnt work, i guess i still have a problem v_v lol.. im hoping it does. i'll keep you all updated. thanks a lot!