Losing Coolant
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 3,066
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From: Sunny San Diego
Losing Coolant Well finally started on my head swap. And hoped to find an blown head gasket, but they seemed to be fine.
Any other reason I am losing coolant? The car runs fine.
Any other reason I am losing coolant? The car runs fine.
(shaggy)Zoiks !(/shaggy) 
It's normal for some air to work its way out and require topping off at the radiator, the block/heads has to work a lot of air pockets out when the heads come off. How much coolant is missing ?
Any white smoke out the exhaust once warmed up ? No coolant in the oil, right ?
There are pretty much only a few places it can be going - burned in the chamber/out the exhaust, into the oil, or out onto the ground/into the air. No leaky hoses, right ?
I hate to even mention it as a possibility but I sure hope your new heads aren't the culprit... I sure hope not !!
Rob (Bad30th)
It's normal for some air to work its way out and require topping off at the radiator, the block/heads has to work a lot of air pockets out when the heads come off. How much coolant is missing ?
Any white smoke out the exhaust once warmed up ? No coolant in the oil, right ?
There are pretty much only a few places it can be going - burned in the chamber/out the exhaust, into the oil, or out onto the ground/into the air. No leaky hoses, right ?
I hate to even mention it as a possibility but I sure hope your new heads aren't the culprit... I sure hope not !!
Rob (Bad30th)
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 3,066
Likes: 0
From: Sunny San Diego
The losing of coolant has been happening for a while now. I hoped when I was doing the head swap I would see a blown head gasket. Nope. Or at least I couldn't tell.
No coolant in the oil. And could never find a leak. I assume a cracked block or head would make the car run real bad. But it didn't.
No coolant in the oil. And could never find a leak. I assume a cracked block or head would make the car run real bad. But it didn't.
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 3,066
Likes: 0
From: Sunny San Diego
Originally Posted by bickelfirebird
Do you see coolant splattered around the engine compartment after a run?
The gaskets were I think felpro, this time I am using stock GM
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may be lifting the heads, im having the same issues except i am spewing some coolant. look at my thread in the FI section it may answer some of your questions
https://ls1tech.com/forums/forced-induction/314651-lifting-heads.html
https://ls1tech.com/forums/forced-induction/314651-lifting-heads.html
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 3,066
Likes: 0
From: Sunny San Diego
Thanks! That was my other thought, lifting the heads and one guy said it could be Which is what I found on the driver-side head. The last bolt was loose. Maybe with the studs, I will be fine. 
heads have loosened at the back of the engine closest to the firewall.
we looked at the block and couldnt see any leaks after we took the heads off and replaced them with a new set. You sure you werent just low to begin with Ed? We didnt put anymore in there after we got the air out of the system did we?
not good. well i guess other than a crack in the block, what else could it be??? I mean, the waterpump gaskets are new and torqued down to the right lb ft. Unless some how some way we didnt clean the bolt holes good enough and the heads are lifting, but i really doubt thats what happened. If it was the head gasket, wouldnt it be mixing with the oil? The coolant lines are tight and not leaking either. Are the back plugs on good and proper? 
Are there any indications of coolant in the the oil? Is it possible that a small hose leak is evaporating the coolant before it drips onto the ground? Is the engine overheating or at least running warmer than normal?
Richard
Richard
Can you access a cooling system pressure tester? If so, remove all the spark plugs and pressurize the system. Wait 15 to 20 minutes and then spin the engine to see if any coolant is pumped out of any spark plug holes. Disconnect and plug the fuel system so raw fuel doesn't get pumped into the cylinders. I realize it's a bit of a pain to do this, but it will help isolate which cylinder is the cause of the problem.
Richard
Richard