Step 1 only requires a stop at an auto parts store, and replacing the cap after the engine has cooled down several hours later. Do what tester said…then if there’s still a problem take it back. So he replaced the radiator cap in case that was the problem. However, this is a rare problem, so it’s unlikely and should be diagnosed by a professional. ... Coolant levels dropping but no leaks? The reservoir is not usually pressurized, but check to see if it’s leaking, or if the tubes that connect the reservoir to the radiator may be leaking. There is no evidence of coolant anywhere under the hood. Reply ... coolant is blown out of the overflow when the car is hot and the system then settles at that level. I put a piece of cardboard under the car for 30 minutes and there was no leak. Putting on a new radiator cap solved the problem. If the leak is very small it could take a long time to see any leakage (check everywhere). …simple. Low Coolant May Not Always Indicate a Leak in Your Radiator. DISCLAIMER: fordownersclub.com is an independent Ford forum for owners of Ford vehicles. That can cause serious injuries. 2. burning the coolant and it turns to steam and dissappears, therefore no apparent leak. You can usually tell a head gasket problem if you’re seeing a lot of steam come out the exhaust pipe, or if you find engine oil floating in the coolant reservoir. He said it held pressure for 20 minutes. But in fact there are several places to look that are more likely than a leaky radiator. Coolant is forced past the piston rings and enters the oil crankcase. Is Coolant Leaking Into the Engine Oil? Follow the good advice given above. Mine likes to be at the lower level on the bottle when cold. Did you replace the water pump too? Surprisingly, the car never overheated and neither did the temp needle go up. The coolant tanks themselves have a tendency to develop hairline cracks underneath and around the point where the intake pipe fits. I think these cars have a "favorite" level of coolant in the overflow reservoir. I am currently driving a 98 Buick with the 3.8 V6 and 120,000 on the clock. Coolant tank is easily taken off and replaced if necessary. "Why Is My Coolant Low But No Leaks?Watch more videos for more knowledgeCoolant loss with no visible leak? I will continue to watch the coolant level to see if there is any additional drop. This will cause the coolant fluid levels to drop without any noticeable leaks under the coolant reservoir, hoses or radiator. Wet patch appears under car. I took the car to the mechanic (Honda shop) and they said that the radiator is leaking. This costs some money, but it’s really the better option if you want to keep your car running at its best. Just keep your hands away, because that coolant will be very hot! Brought it in for a pressure test and they say they said it held up. Checked for leaks and there is no leaks … Consult a good mechanic immediately if you find any of these conditions. I would test it and there would be no leak, but the coolant would somehow escape somewhere. Thank you!-BDP Just like a combustion leak into the cooling system, a blown … You wrote that the shop already checked that…but remember they made one mistake, they may have made another, maybe pinched the hose and created a leak. The coolant level should not drop unless you have a leak somewhere in your cooling system. Over time very slowly got worst until recently when smell suddenly was very strong and level began dropping. Results 1 to 7 of 7 Thread: Coolant levels dropping but no leaks? You do run the risk of getting stranded someday with this strategy. You may notice that coolant has collected on the ground under your car or that your reservoir tank is not as high as it should be. If you want to investigate this yourself, it’s not difficult or technical. I wonder if you have some problem with the hose leading from the radiator to the overflow reservoir. Couldn’t find the drips 'cause it dripped onto the exhaust and evaporated. The leak may small enough that it just evaporates when it hits a hot engine. . Wetness or pools of coolant anywhere in the engine compartment. And it just took a while for all the air to purge out. Earlier this year, I noticed the coolant overflow container was overfilled when the engine was hot, and the container was underfilled when it was cold. Great to see on-topic, respectful and knowledgeable posts. Both simple jobs. Last week we got a low coolant indicator in the car, called the dealership and had a good laugh after they told me it was "normal dissipation". Check it. We tend to suspect the radiator first because that’s where the coolant goes in, right? The other option is to take your car to a professional mechanic. I just had this issue a month or so ago, do the pressure test first, look for leaks. That would prove there is a head gasket leak. Coolant Could Be Leaking “Internally” Within The Engine And Being Turned To Steam Where It Will Exit The Exhaust Tailpipe. Thread Tools. Nevalite. I will check the oil to see if I notice any change in color or texture. However, that’s not always the case, and as any car grows older, it needs a little more regular attention. A new cap is in order anyway (they don’t come with the new radiator!). Show Printable Version; 11-06-2012 03:08 PM #1. This was where mine was leaking but as it didn't leak until the system was pressurised the leak was invisible as it evaporated instantly. Coolant Getting Low, No Signs Of Leaks. Messages 988 Location Cleveland. There are always minimum and maximum marks on the side of the reservoir to indicate the correct coolant level. You can check your coolant level AT THE RADIATOR cap in the morning when the engine is cold, and if that level goes down, you definitely have a … A water pump can leak through the shaft seal only when the engine is running, and to varying amounts (leak rates). I would suspect a head gasket leak causing the trouble also. I’d have the cooling system pressurized and tested for holding pressure. Checked fault code and it was P0128 (meaning from computer - coolant temp is always low). There are always minimum and maximum marks on the side of the reservoir to indicate the correct coolant level. My car is leaking coolant onto the garage floor under the radiator, but my mechanic couldn't find the leak even with a pressure test. The most common sign of a problem is an expansion tank and the level of coolant in it. Modern cars have an overflow reservoir that holds some extra coolant. Good luck! Autozone is one which does. The Five Overlooked Car Maintenance Items, How Preventative Maintenance Can Help You Avoid Catastrophic Repair Costs. Is there something else I should check? The system is designed so that if any coolant pushes past the radiator cap, it goes into the reservoir. Very easy to do it yourself, and the cap is pocket change cheap. When was the last time you got your timing belt replaced? After I looked for weeks, I pressure tested the system and found a small split on the heater core hose (head to core) and now it’s fine. But I think it's more likely that you are slowly leaking some coolant somewhere. Sometimes you can spot a leak when the cooling system is under pressure. The problem is I have no leaks. The car runs 100%, and its paid for My problem is I seem to be losing At this point, signs of exterior water leakage will show. A suddenly overheated engine is also another key tip-off that you may be facing a coolant leak. Check your owner’s manual to be sure. Pro tip: Make sure you use the right kind of coolant for your car. There's no sign of any leaks … MikeInNH -Thank you. The oil on the dipstick looks as always. Step 3: Autozone also lends out the tester for this…it’s a bit more complicated, but not much. The coolant mixes with the oil into a brown or cream-colored frothy consistency. I also checked the oil level, and it has not changed and looks normal. Head gasket is well down the list of possible causes. You may never see a small leak when the engine and coolant is hot because it evaporates immediately after it leaks. Mop this up immediately because engine coolant is poisonous to pets. Hey Guys, its been a long time. I have noticed that the coolant level has again dropped significantly. Check those heater hoses, especially the one under the distributor. Evaporation? So the coolant level in my reservoir has been slowly going down over the past 2 months but from what I can tell there are no leaks... What is happening? There’s a lot of other possibilities then a head gasket. So, if the coolant level is decreasing then a person should inspect the condition of the coolant tank along with other components of the cooling system. The coolant level is dropping slightly. The situation got progressively worse until I the level in the expansion tank was dropping from the MAX mark to the MIN mark in just 120 miles of careful driving. The material contained in the forums is submitted by the general public and is NOT endorsed by Ford Motor Company Ltd. Common sense answer - Thank you. If you don’t find anything when the engine is cold, you can drive your car for a bit and let it come up to temperature. I am not sure if there is something else going on now. Keep an eye on the coolant level and if it doesn’t drop that’s all it was. There was probably air trapped in the cooling system after the repair. Here’s how it works: As the coolant circulates through the engine, some of it goes up into the cylinder head to cool that part of the engine. If the level is dropping over time then we recommend contact us at 888-863-0426 so that we may discuss our products and assist you in getting the best one for stopping the leak. Sometimes, leakage in coolant hose [ 1] … The club is not part of Ford nor affiliated with or endorsed by Ford in any way. The car runs 100%, and its paid for My problem is I seem to be losing coolant, at the rate of about the entire overflow in 2 weeks (I only drive on avg 15-20 miles a day). I don't see any evidence of a coolant leak inside the engine. If this water pump is the original, it’s way overdue for a replacement. Replaced the coolant. If you look all over the outside of your engine and can’t find anything, it could be a head gasket problem. Then a new radiator cap. A puddle of coolant under the car. Barely a drop of coolant in the reservoir. I spent about 30 minutes tearing the plastic cladding off the bottom of the car (there's a billion clips and screws holding those on) hoping to find some trace of a leak or blowout. My coolant keeps dropping, and every so often it flashes up on the dash to stop and check coolant. The first is to carry some coolant around in the trunk and check your car’s coolant level frequently. There are really only three common causes for coolant leaks, although each type of leak has several possibilities, varying in severity. Whenever I park up at work for the day, there is a very small residue of water under the car, so its obviously leaking from somewhere. If you don’t find a leak, check the coolant for presence of combustion gases (which would indicate possible head gasket or other engine issues). I echo what Whitey said . . This could be evidence of a slow leak in your system. 245,000Km. I don't think there is a problem with the radiator cap. There is no visible leak. Top it up with water and its fine, till it drops again. Powered by Discourse, best viewed with JavaScript enabled, Coolant level drops in reservoir with no visible sign of leak. Could be as simple as a loose radiator hose. Could it be: Leak in water pump or pipe Leak in connector or value underneath rad Could there be air locks or similar Thought all was well until I checked my levels again and realized all of the coolant was nearly gone again. I can only think of two reasons for this: 1) they did it wrong or 2) coolant is leaking into the engine. The radiator coolant level will drop perceptibly, while the oil level in the crankcase will rise. Any suggestions? If it has oil on it and is swelled up, it needs to be replaced, as well as the O-ring for the distributor. Just want to say I enjoy these discussions immensely. If you look all the way around your engine and you can’t find any leaks, or any sign of a leaky heating system or head gasket, you have two options. These rarely show a leak unless you do an overnite cold pressure test. To check for a … But I don't think the coolant would contract enough for you to lose an inch of it all at once in the overflow tank. I am currently driving a 98 Buick with the 3.8 V6 and 120,000 on the clock. If no resolution, pressure test your system. Pressure tested but no sign of leak yet coolant still drops after being topped up. It's possible that you were right on the edge, and a drop in temperature put the level just below the sensor. I like the water pump shaft seal. I drive a 1998 Civic DX with 227,000 miles on the odometer, and I’ve gone through almost exactly the same thing, only I didn’t have coolant all over my engine. Leaking or Blown Head Gasket A leaking or blown head gasket will cause water to leak into the areas of the block where it was not designed to go. '96 Honda Civic? You can also check the oil. It drops when engine cold. Dropped pan and … No external leaks found. These locations include: These places are less likely to be leaking, but if you haven’t found the leak, they’re worth checking. I replaced the radiator and after driving for couple of weeks, the same issue re-occurred. After maybe a month and a half, the coolant level has gone from "full" to just a 1/4 inch above "add". I noticed the smell of coolant coming from under the hood a couple years ago, so I got the cooling system pressure tested and had the radiator replaced when it was found to be the problem. An exception can be considered if, during the operation of the car, the level in the tank decreases slightly in a natural way. © 1986-2021. Please advise. Most people don’t check the fluid levels in their cars as often as they should. I have been driving for a week now and check the coolant routinely. There's a faint hint of pancake syrup but no … Tester - Thank you. They’ll pressure-test the cooling system and should be able to track down the reason for low coolant levels. Thought this could be linked to dropping coolant level. If there is a constant drop in the level, it indicates a malfunction. A crusty white or rusty residue around the radiator, coolant hoses, fan belt area, or thermostat housing. Then when the engine cools, some coolant in the reservoir goes back into the engine. They fixed it and said there is no sign of leak. I checked the coolant level when engine was cold and it is almost empty. Especially if a car is a newer model, most people just assume everything’s OK, or that a light will show up on the dashboard if anything is wrong. This is not a malfunction. © 2021 AutoWeb, Inc., all rights reserved. Nothing. The reservoir is not usually pressurized, but check to see if it’s leaking, or if the tubes that connect the reservoir to the radiator may be leaking. No leaks on the ground. Start looking for leaks when the engine is cold. My Civic is a '95 with about 230,000 miles. I’d have the cooling system pressurized and tested for holding pressure. We found a tiny leak, visible only by applying 10 pounds of pressure to the reservoir, and searching around the engine for a leak. I have a 98 Civic Si coupe. If the gasket between the engine block and the head starts to leak, some coolant can end up in the cylinders, or in the engine’s oil system. Will continue to monitor the coolant level for the next few days. Coolant level dropping in fiat 500. Borrow a pressure tester, and follow the simple instructions precisely. But, after the last fix, I do not see any visible sign of leak. Then when the engine cools, some coolant in the reservoir goes back into the engine. A bad head gasket is a suspect, for example, but investigation will need to occur. I am willing to bet you need a new radiator cap. Discovered my coolant level was low. There was no sign of a leak in the engine bay or on the ground beneath the vehicle. I opened the hood and saw coolant splashed over the engine. The system is pressurized, and boiling hot water will shoot out of the opening. Coolant dropping. Use this sequence: replace radiator cap (when engine is COLD). This should cease after the air is bled out ... if it continues and there are no external leaks, there is an issue [it has to be going somewhere] If it looks like a milkshake, you’ve got coolant in your oil. The coolant ran low in the reservoir and there was coolant splash over the engine. I took the car back to the shop and they said that the hose was not properly installed. If you find that your car’s coolant level is down, there are a number of things that could be happening. You can have the coolant checked to see if there are exhaust gases in it. I refill maybe 1/10 or 2/10 of a litre twice a week. I opened the coolant reservoir and it was empty. What causes coolant level to drop - just a leak? Thread starter xBa380; Start date Jun 29, 2011; X. xBa380. Hey Guys, its been a long time. And previously I took off the engine plastic cover underneath. Rocketman. I’m going to second rocketman and Whitey on this. I noticed that the heat was not working while idling. The main reason behind the reduction of coolant level is leakage. You don’t want to stick your hands into a hot engine bay! If the gauge drops, you have a leak…use a strong flashlight to search hoses, water pump area, etc for leaks. We just went thru this same situation here on our 1989 DL 240 wth a B230F engine. You may even be able to smell the coolant leaking. Thread starter Jun 29, 2011 #1 ... "Why Is My Coolant Low But No Leaks?Watch more … Coolant level dropping, but no leak? Sometimes a slow leak isn’t enough to make a puddle, but you’ll lose coolant over time. Let us give an important warning: Never open a radiator or any part of the cooling system when the engine is hot. Hi guys, my 05 LR3 (78k) displayed check engine light. My engine is burning coolant. Some brands require special coolant, and using the wrong product can damage your car. Some clues to look for include: Be sure to run your hand along the underside of the radiator and the underside of all the radiator hoses. Should pressure drop and not hold and no external coolant leaks are found then the leak is internal. Many people with older cars do this. There are several locations in your car’s cooling system where leaks tend to occur. Brought it to a mechanic to check for leaks. If the level should continue dropping, keep the pump in mind as a candidate. I went to a local AutoZone and rented a pressure tester for coolant system. I have a '98 Honda Civic with 230K miles on it. When I do, the coolant is below the minimum level. The 5.3L Vortec has a dry intake manifold therefore the leak cannot be there. A bad head gasket is a suspect, for example, but investigation will need to occur. Pressurize the system and hold it for many hours. For step 2, find an auto parts store which has a tool lending program. Coolant Could Be Leaking “Internally” Within The Engine And Being Turned To Steam Where It Will Exit The Exhaust Tailpipe. If replacing the radiator cap doesn’t solve the problem, you might consider getting the cooling system pressure tested again (assuming your mechanic did that before he installed a new radiator), but I’d be willing to wager money all you need is a new radiator cap. I had a coolant leak, apparently from new because always a slight smell when hot only, with no coolant visible anywhere. Last month, I suddenly saw few drops of coolant on my garage floor. Some content provided by and under copyright by Autodata, Inc. dba Chrome Data.

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