Trying to track down coolant leak?
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TECH Fanatic
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,064
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From: CA
Trying to track down coolant leak? Car sometimes gets hot and uses coolant, no white smoke and no visible coolant on oil cap or engine bay. Other than pulling the heads 
to see if its a head gasket, what else will help to diagnose?
(if oil floats on top of water, then if I pull the oil plug slowly and just get water/coolant then this would certainly prove where this coolant is going - right???)
to see if its a head gasket, what else will help to diagnose?(if oil floats on top of water, then if I pull the oil plug slowly and just get water/coolant then this would certainly prove where this coolant is going - right???)
Have you tried pressure testing the cooling system? Its usually pretty easy to spot an external leak that way. If you dont have access to a pressure tester Im sure that you can rent one from an autopart store.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 638
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From: San Diego
Don't forget to test the cap also, looked over lots when the cap itself is the problem. If cap doesn't hold pressure it pushes coolant out as system pressurizes, can be very difficult to diagnose. Cap should hold 15 psi..
