coolant leak?
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coolant leak?
Hey guys,I have been posting and getting advice about temp never climbing very high off of cold,one thing i forgot to mention was that I hadnt checked my coolant level for a pretty long while when I did it was about half a gallon low.There is absolutly no trace of water in the oil or on the dipstick and hasnt been. nothing leaking on the ground, I always check the ground for leaks of any kind. The truck is not blowing any smoke.So where the hell did the coolant go? I have no idea how long it was low. shame on me! but i see no leaks any advice? thanks guys.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2001
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From: Winchendon MA
Fill it up run the truck untill warm shut it off and go have a coffee. when it cools start it up again for 5 minutes or so then shut down. Now pop the hood and look down in front of the distributor cap where the water pump meets the timming chain cover there a little valleythere bet you have a small puddle in that valley. If you watch as the motor cools and the system presure drops you see a tinny trickle out the intake manifoild end seal it normaly leaks only during warm up and cool down once they get warm they seal up.
44dwarf
44dwarf
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 6,473
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From: Lafayette, IN
It should be a third- to half-full. Coolant leaks can be tricky, but the coolant system is closed, so if it's low, it's going somewhere. I've had hoses that only leaked mid-temp. Like someone else said, sometimes things will seal up when hot or cold, but leak when only warm.
Jason
Jason
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From: Lakewood, Ohio
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: Michigan
I once had a leak that I couldn't trace for a while. It would only leak while running. As soon as I started the truck, I would take off, only letting it warm up for 30 seconds or so. While I was driving around it would leak, but as soon as I would park and shut egine off, it would stop leaking. Not until winter, when I would let the truck warm up for 10 min or so did I finally track the leak down. It was on the rear of the intake manifold(Chevy 350). Put Bars Leak in and hasn't leaked since, about 18 months now. Probably just jynxed myself!
Al
Al
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Brett Foote
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My truck was leaking as well. I had a puddle next to the distributor next to the water pump and timing chain cover. I could never figure out what was causing it. Maybe it was the intake as was mentioned. I but bars leak in and it went away. That stuff works pretty good. I figured it would leave traces of itself in the radiator cap but I can't even tell that it was added to the coolant. I would recommend using that if its a small leak or you cant find it.
New User
Joined: Nov 2006
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Rusty1533
Originally Posted by 44dwarf
Fill it up run the truck untill warm shut it off and go have a coffee. when it cools start it up again for 5 minutes or so then shut down. Now pop the hood and look down in front of the distributor cap where the water pump meets the timming chain cover there a little valleythere bet you have a small puddle in that valley. If you watch as the motor cools and the system presure drops you see a tinny trickle out the intake manifoild end seal it normaly leaks only during warm up and cool down once they get warm they seal up.
44dwarf
44dwarf
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