Radiator fluid..disapearing?
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Senior User
Joined: Sep 2002
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From: Hays, Ks
Radiator fluid..disapearing?
hey..i just recently got my radiator flushed..about a month ago, and checked my fluids the toehr day, and realized that the radiator fluid was pretty empty, put about a L in of antifreeze..what caused this?
I have never seen any on the ground in my driveway..and in the parking lot at school..ive never seen a spot when ive been there (i park in teh same spot everyday) so..i dont see where its going? thanks in advance..
Joseph
I have never seen any on the ground in my driveway..and in the parking lot at school..ive never seen a spot when ive been there (i park in teh same spot everyday) so..i dont see where its going? thanks in advance..
Joseph
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 19,402
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From: Bonita Springs FL
Well, it's not good.
If you're using coolant, and it's not leaking, it's making its way into the combustion chamber.
It's most like a blown head gasket, but it could also be a cracked head or cracked block.
If you're using coolant, and it's not leaking, it's making its way into the combustion chamber.
It's most like a blown head gasket, but it could also be a cracked head or cracked block.
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 630
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From: Stanly County N.C.
First thing to do would be pressure test the cooling system. Its common to have a small leak but not see it in your driveway cause the system is not under pressure till the truck reaches operating temp. It can be just a little weep at a hose end and over time it will add up.
Pump some pressure into it and start looking around look for wetness at the hose ends and fittings and listen for a hiss, if the leak is above the antifreeze line it wont leak a/f but will leak air. after the truck reaches operating temp and the coolant is flowing it will go from ait to a/f.
Good luck and keep us posted
Pump some pressure into it and start looking around look for wetness at the hose ends and fittings and listen for a hiss, if the leak is above the antifreeze line it wont leak a/f but will leak air. after the truck reaches operating temp and the coolant is flowing it will go from ait to a/f.
Good luck and keep us posted
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: NJ
bigwilly three cheers for starting simple first and not jumping to conclusions.
joebob i would also refill and check in a coulpe of days. it is easy to not fill the system propely and you are talking just one liter of antifreeze. that is about all the heatercore holds and it is posible that it just wasnt filled properly.
one more thing to remember is that it is always the simple things that trick us into thinking it is more seriuos than it usually is.
usually when you have an internal coolant leak some white smoke is present in the exhaust. you would also have a very clean spark plug in the cylender with the leak.
joebob i would also refill and check in a coulpe of days. it is easy to not fill the system propely and you are talking just one liter of antifreeze. that is about all the heatercore holds and it is posible that it just wasnt filled properly.
one more thing to remember is that it is always the simple things that trick us into thinking it is more seriuos than it usually is.
usually when you have an internal coolant leak some white smoke is present in the exhaust. you would also have a very clean spark plug in the cylender with the leak.
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2003
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Im having the same problem in my 89EB 351W. However, Im noticing the fulid dissapearing from my resevoir. I also smell the antifreeze from inside the engine after driving. There is no excessive white smoke from the exhaust and there are no signs of a faulty headgasket.
WOuldnt there be very noticible signs if there was a bad head gasket, like poor engine performance and hard idling?
There is no fulid leaking onto the floor. I cant find this damn leak anywhere?
Could it be that the resevoir has a small leak or the cap is bad?
WOuldnt there be very noticible signs if there was a bad head gasket, like poor engine performance and hard idling?
There is no fulid leaking onto the floor. I cant find this damn leak anywhere?
Could it be that the resevoir has a small leak or the cap is bad?
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Senior User
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From: Hays, Ks
i guess it must have been just an air pocket..and i can check the leak thing, i checked my fluids today..and the fluid was right below the top "fillup tube" thing, so all good, thanks for the advice, Joseph
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Freshman User
Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Lubbock, TX
Originally posted by 89Bronco_EddieBauer
Im having the same problem in my 89EB 351W. However, Im noticing the fulid dissapearing from my resevoir. I also smell the antifreeze from inside the engine after driving. There is no excessive white smoke from the exhaust and there are no signs of a faulty headgasket.
WOuldnt there be very noticible signs if there was a bad head gasket, like poor engine performance and hard idling?
There is no fulid leaking onto the floor. I cant find this damn leak anywhere?
Could it be that the resevoir has a small leak or the cap is bad?
Im having the same problem in my 89EB 351W. However, Im noticing the fulid dissapearing from my resevoir. I also smell the antifreeze from inside the engine after driving. There is no excessive white smoke from the exhaust and there are no signs of a faulty headgasket.
WOuldnt there be very noticible signs if there was a bad head gasket, like poor engine performance and hard idling?
There is no fulid leaking onto the floor. I cant find this damn leak anywhere?
Could it be that the resevoir has a small leak or the cap is bad?
Freshman User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 35
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Hey Hartmann - you have it backwards. When the engine gets hot, the coolant expands, pushes past the radiator cap and goes into the overflow tank. When the engine is shutdown and the coolant cools off, it gets sucked back into the radiator and the level drops in the overflow tank. There are usually two marks on the overflow tank. One for when the engine is cold and another one above that for when the engine is hot.
Freshman User
Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Lubbock, TX
Originally posted by 460Brnc
Hey Hartmann - you have it backwards. When the engine gets hot, the coolant expands, pushes past the radiator cap and goes into the overflow tank. When the engine is shutdown and the coolant cools off, it gets sucked back into the radiator and the level drops in the overflow tank. There are usually two marks on the overflow tank. One for when the engine is cold and another one above that for when the engine is hot.
Hey Hartmann - you have it backwards. When the engine gets hot, the coolant expands, pushes past the radiator cap and goes into the overflow tank. When the engine is shutdown and the coolant cools off, it gets sucked back into the radiator and the level drops in the overflow tank. There are usually two marks on the overflow tank. One for when the engine is cold and another one above that for when the engine is hot.
yeah, I was just rereading my post... didn't think it made sense... It's early though, give me some credit 
Senior User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 337
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From: Ohia
mine is always low, i refilled it a few times, but it always settles back to where it was, so i stoped worrying about it nothing more has ever "leaked" out and it hasnt ever overheated i just figured it was goin out the overflow tube,
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,568
Likes: 33
From: Swansea SC
leaks
My 92 has a leak ---lower manifold -leave it sitting week or so it leaks, drive it dailey no leaks . Theres was a thread to this and i feel as the gaskets cool its dribbles down the bell housing gaskets shrink when cold, expand when hot . Also stated in there was if rear manifold was leakingits possible it can also be hitting the muffler and evaporating to where u see no leaks at all.TR
Junior User
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 89
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From: Northern WV
Comment-Radiator Fluid Dissapearing
The same thing happened to my wifes 95 dodge Caravan, had the head pressured tested and it was blowing antifreezze into cylinders 1 and 2, cost me about $250.00 to replace it.
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2003
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From: Southern California
My 86 302 was doing this and it was the lower intake manifold gaskets. Not a real fun job but it's not too bad if you take your time. I replaced the intake set and the valve cover gaskets along with various hoses. No more coolant loss and no more oil lkeaks either.
