just wondering how often you notice your coolant level drop..

I'm not talking about alot, just about 1-2 inches..


my dealer told me that becuase of engine temp, some will evaporate (steam) and I mix 50/50

I have had to give my radiator 1-2 cups over the past few months

 

My 4.2l hasn't lost a drop in 2 years. <<knock on wood>>. Of course, I probably don't create as much heat either.

later,

 

PatrickJP,

My coolant level has remained the same for the last 7000 miles (since new). How often have you had to add and when did you first notice the level had dropped?
If you need to consistently add, check all of your hoses. Any overheating (overflowing out)? Any damp spots on the carpet below the heater box? Water pump housing?
I don't want to alarm you, but there's a possibility that if you can't find the external source of the coolant loss, it may be a leaking head gasket, which you would want to get checked out immediately to prevent possible further damage.

 

My coolant has stayed at the same level also, make sure you are using distilled water when you mix 50/50.

 

hmm, this is strange....


no leaks, no wet spot, no smell of coolant, oil is clear (dark brown after a change)...

no idea why my level dropped a couple times on me..


I have also had the timing cover recall done about 5 months ago..

 

My '97 was 2 years old when I turned it in and it never needed any additional fluids other than the windshield washer reservoir. My '99 is 2 1/2 years old and all I've added is washer fluid.

 

I can't remember the last time I had to add coolant to a vehicle, any of them. I usually do a flush and change every 5 years and that was it. That would equate to 60k to 70k miles and 5 years without any loss. You definately have some small problem someplace.

 

AREA 52,
I only added coolant becuase the "cold fill" mark was'nt even with the coolant level.

I added about 1 cup of water and 1 cup of coolant..

i have done this 2 times since december.. sounds fishy huh?


i'm bringing her in I think

 

PatrickJP,

Timing cover repair? Close to the water pump??? Some older vehicles had a 'weep hole' in the bottom part of the pump. You could be loosing coolant due to a worn pump shaft. Grab the fan blade and try to move it up and down. If the shaft moves, get a mirror and flashlight and look for that weep hole. If there's a stain/rust below the hole, I would yank the pump and put a new one on.

Another old time trick for a head gasket leak/cracked head:

My vehicle at the time was a '55 Chevy with a straight 6, 235 CI. My symptom was a slow coolant leak and slight miss in the engine at idle. The coolant leak was just a tad more than what you have.
With the engine cold (overnight), I loosened the radiator cap to verify no latent pressure build up, then tightened it up again. I then removed the distributor cap and cranked the engine about 6 times (without it starting of course). Immediately after stopping the cranking, I put my ear up to the radiator cap and slowly loosened it. A slight pressure build up occurred after the engine cranking. I removed the head and found the gasket was ok, but there was an extremely fine hairline crack between the water jacket area over to the valve area on one cylinder.

Cylinder pressure leaked through to the water jacket, and therefore, built up air pressure in the cooling system.

If you're under warranty, take it in. If not, there's a remote chance that torqueing the head bolts down may help seal a possible leak. But my initial focus would be on that water pump. Good luck....let us know what ya find!

 

When was the last time you had your system flushed? I had mine done and lost some coolant as the weeks went on....this was because of air pockets that had to fill in by working loose.

 

area 52,
thanks for the tips, I will try them out tonight and see if I can spot this little sucker!

Trinton46,
I just had everything flushed when I had the timing cover done (I would assume they have to flush it out when they do the recall)
maybe that's where the leakage is..

one thing I have noticed here guys.. the level always drops to the SAME level.. for example:

I notice my coolant level is about 1 1/2 inches below the "cool fill" mark, so I fill it back up to even with the level.


next time I check it (month or 2 later) it is at the same exact spot.... 1 1/2 inches below the "cold fill mark"..

not sure if that's any signifigance ..

 

Hey Pat,
Don't add anymore and see if the level drops
even more...Then you know it's leaking..
do you have a Garage you can park it in
to see if it's leaking...Good Luck.

 

Just to add to what Area 52 mentioned about checking for the head gasket or cracked head, is to just remove the rad cap when cold and go ahead and start it up. If you see bubbles coming into the resovoir, that's not good. You probably have one of the above problems. If it just sits there nice and calm, that's probably not the problem. Now this was with an old traditional type rad with the actual cap on the rad. Not like these new ones where the cap is on the resovoir, but I'd think the same thing would happen.

Probably not even related, but my 86 5.0 GT would lose coolant too. It had the standard rad and a separate resovoir, but the resovoir had a screw that held it to the front end, and the screw had cracked the resovoir. So when the engine reached full temp and the water would rise, it would leak out the crack. When it cooled, the level would be lower then before. I wouldn't notice any leaking because it had leaked out while driving and when I did look, the level would be just below the crack.

Good luck. At least your oil isn't getting "wet"!