coolant loss issue
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 338
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From: kansas city,mo
coolant loss issue Ok guys, to start off I've replaced the whole cooling system including cap. When i did this i refilled the radiator with coolant until full and called it good. went for a drive and re topped it off. well, after that there has been continuous topping off. the car only has maybe 50 miles total if that since I've done this. it can idle for 10 minutes and need coolant. there doesn't appear to be any in the oil or visa versa. the system is building up extreme pressure and either blowing out the cap or overflow(bear in mind the cap is new). Today i went and got a block testing kit with the fluid to test for exhaust gas in the radiator to see if the issue is a cracked block/head or bad head gasket and the fluid didn't change colors. So as of now I'm kinda confused as to whats going on and where this **** is going. Any ideas? Is there still air or something that i need to get worked out and it isn't full of fluid yet? Any help is appreciated, the cars been sitting for over a yr and a half while i've done a bunch of stuff to it and its just been one thing after another with it, i'm ready to enjoy it for once before i set it on fire!
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 587
Likes: 12
From: Connecticut SE shore
I'm assuming you installed a new coolant reservoir/battery tray assembly and it's full of coolant? Shouldn't be hard to find a quart or more of coolant if it's ending up in your engine oil or power steering fluid. You can try idling the car with the radiator cap off and seeing if fluid goes anywhere.
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 338
Likes: 0
From: kansas city,mo
the overflow is not new. it is full to the line on dipstick. when i say its blowing out the cap or overflow Im assuming because there is fluid all over the engine bay after a drive in that area. theres no leaks though that i see. I've idled the car with the cap off today and it cycles as the thermostat opens and closes fluid rising and lowering, each cycle lower. theirs a ton of steam coming out of the radiator and a air bubble here and there.
I'm a bit confused. In your first post, you state that you are losing coolant but have no idea where it's going, but in your second you say there's coolant all over the bay near the radiator cap/overflow area after a good drive.
Here are some things to check. You have the throttle body coolant bypass hose set. If original, there will be 2 of them. A tiny one at the throttle body and a much longer one going from the throttle body area to the radiator near the radiator cap. Now if those have been completely bypassed as most are you'll still want to check the hose from the throttle body area to the radiator. I've had that leak before right at the radiator. It sprayed coolant around. Just want to make sure that you didn't forget to reconnect that hose too.
The overflow hose can get very soft and seems to be original from what you say, so that could have a leak. As long as you have the correct cap which you should verify as you don't want one that fits but is rated at a lower pressure or something, it would take a seriously bad cap or a major problem in the coolant system itself to blow the cap.
Here are some things to check. You have the throttle body coolant bypass hose set. If original, there will be 2 of them. A tiny one at the throttle body and a much longer one going from the throttle body area to the radiator near the radiator cap. Now if those have been completely bypassed as most are you'll still want to check the hose from the throttle body area to the radiator. I've had that leak before right at the radiator. It sprayed coolant around. Just want to make sure that you didn't forget to reconnect that hose too.
The overflow hose can get very soft and seems to be original from what you say, so that could have a leak. As long as you have the correct cap which you should verify as you don't want one that fits but is rated at a lower pressure or something, it would take a seriously bad cap or a major problem in the coolant system itself to blow the cap.
sounds to me like you need to bleed the cooling system. You said you just filled it up, went for a drive, and topped it off. Getting the air out isn't that easy. Here's what worked for me:
Lifted front wheels as high as possible
Took off the cap
Filled reservoir
Ran engine until I quit getting bubbles altogether, adding fluid as needed.
occasionally squeeze or pull on that large hose between the thermostat and radiator - tend to get lots of air bubbles there as well.
Once you stop getting bubbles, cap it off, fill the reservoir, and lower the car, take if for a drive, etc.
Lifted front wheels as high as possible
Took off the cap
Filled reservoir
Ran engine until I quit getting bubbles altogether, adding fluid as needed.
occasionally squeeze or pull on that large hose between the thermostat and radiator - tend to get lots of air bubbles there as well.
Once you stop getting bubbles, cap it off, fill the reservoir, and lower the car, take if for a drive, etc.
So... did you do a pressure test of the system? (With the device that hooks up in place of the radiator cap?)
If you pass the pressure test, it could be your water pump. Some of us have had our pumps fail in a way where the unit injected air in to the system. (That air then displaces the coolant.)
If you pass the pressure test, it could be your water pump. Some of us have had our pumps fail in a way where the unit injected air in to the system. (That air then displaces the coolant.)
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 338
Likes: 0
From: kansas city,mo
OK, I finally got around to messing with this. I lifted it up and tried getting the air out, and didn't work. So I started taking everything apart to inspect it. Took the radiator out to look for leaks,took overflow tank out, and inspected all the hoses. What I found was that the overflow hose was sliced so possibly could of been sucking air maybe? And I also filled up the radiator with water and found the front had water seeping out a small area of the fins. So I'm headed to O'Reilly to get the radiator replaced, its only a yr old. Hopefully this works.
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Thread Starter
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 338
Likes: 0
From: kansas city,mo
i ******* give up Well before i took the old radiator out i noticed a leak I've never seen before coming from below the radiator where it sets on the lower radiator support area on driver side. Its a steady drip once it runs a minute. Cant tell where exactly it's coming from, so i removed the radiator to find the fins in a small area leaking.Well, the new radiator did not fix the issue. I checked the radiator hoses very well and they are in good shape,no cracks or anything. I guess I'll buy new ones just to rule that out. Any idea's on where the hell it could be running from?
Last edited by jt_2002_ta; Jun 13, 2015 at 01:52 PM.
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