Can't Find Small Coolant Leak
 

I am losing a small amount of coolant, and cannot figure out where... I did a coolant flush about 1200 miles ago, and checked the fluid several times afterwards.

Anyway, hopefully I can accurately describe where I saw some of the coolant. I saw a little on the oil pan bolts right below the driver side motor mount, and where it ran down a little and back, then blew back a little onto the bottom of the pan around the oil filter. That is really the only place I could locate any, couldn't find any in the lip of the kmember or surrounding areas. I checked all hoses and clamps I could find (LOL), followed everyone I could find to its end point, checked the thermostat, and I can't find any where the little bit of coolant I found was coming from.

Frequently after getting home, shutting off car, and getting out, I can smell that coolant was burning slightly some where.

Any ideas on where else I can check? I'm poor due to putting my fiance through her last bit of school, and paying for our wedding coming up in October, so been fixing everything myself to save money. So hopefully this great community can help me again! ;)

Thanks in advance,

JZ

Headgasket possibly?

I hope not, car only has 46k miles on it, and I drive it like a 90yr old man most of the time. LOL

I recently changed my plugs and wires and didn't notice anything wrong with them. I still have them, I can take pics and post them to see if anyone see's something I don't...

Plus I hope it isn't one, because I doubt I can tackle that myself. :(

Bump b4 bed time. ;)

Check the water pump bolts. And the steam tubes near the throttle body arm. I had a leak there 2 weeks ago lol it just sprung up.

I just fixed a coolant leak a few days ago that i couldn't find either, replaced the coolant reservoir, radiator cap, water pump, thermostat, and upper and lower radiator hoses. turned out it was a bypass hose from the back of the intake manifold or so to the back of the engine near the transmission.. i suggest testing it to hold pressure and listen to where its leaking from.

I'd recommend checking all the hoses and clamps, hope that helps, and good luck

I've got a water leak I can't find too :( I'm putting about 3/4 of a gallon in every 500 miles. oil is fine and no smoke or water from the exhaust. good luck finding yours

i had a leak too.......took forever to find it.......it was the water pump......leaked a few drops at a time

I have nothing I can locate as of last night on the front that could be leaking. Will check the few other things mentioned. Not sure where this line is on the back of the intake, but will attempt to locate it tonight if I get home at a reasonable hour from work.

Because I didn't find anything around water pump, thermo, or any hoses... SIGH

This is for everybody looken for a coolent leak. Just go to autozone and rent a pressure tester. Pump it to the right psi don't go over and look for leaks. This works very well. If you do not see any leaks. Well you know. Could be bad and could be good.

This will probably be a last resort for me, since it appears to be in a spot I cannot easily sight. Could be more of a headache then its worth to get a machine and still trying to find it. Suspect the device would work much better on something with a bigger leak than mine.

My first suggestion would be the water pump, but looking at your post and reading it again I would suggest that you look at the coolant passage under your intake. There are small gaskets that go in between. Hopefully you find it and it's a cheap fix.

Do yourself a favor and get a pressure tester. Put the car up on ramps or stands, pump it up then try to find the leak.

I'm just not confident in pressurizing the system at this time. The leak is small, and I can only find part of the path it takes on its way down to the kmember and oil pan. So just don't think the leak is heavy enough to spot it.

I went from Full Cold to barely registering cold on the overflow reservoir in about 1200 miles I think. So its pretty small.

I've never pulled an intake off, have plenty of tools that I can probably do it, just seems kind of daunting for my skill level.

Under pressure a leak is easier to find. You could have a squirt under pressure instead of a small leak. This would make it easier to find. Also the only psi you are putting to it is the psi rating that is on your Rad. cap.

Call autozone in a few mins and check for pricing. My rad cap has no writing on it what so ever. So any ideas on what psi I should run?

they can tell you. and when you return the tool you get your money back.

15-18psi is what you are going for

did u check the coolant tank? that one busted me up...sometimes it leaks and over 3-7 days it lowers ur coolant and u can smell it too...hope that helps.

Thx Scoggin, so far, the few autozones I have called don't 'carry them.'
Yea, the overflow tank is fine, when I didn't my flush I pulled that out and cleaned it really good, and didn't notice and small cracks and/or leaks.