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How much? Posted by Ari [Email]  (#2847) [Profile/Gallery]
(more from Ari) on Mon, 27 Jun 2005 11:44:21
In Reply to: 9K aero is eating coolant, Price, Mon, 27 Jun 2005 09:36:58 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
How fast is the coolant vanishing? Is it a cup a week or a quart a week?
Three things come to mind.
The first is a bad reservoir cap. The cap vents if the pressure goes too high. If the cap goes bad, it will vent at a lower pressure. Since the system is supposed to be pressurized, and lower pressure means a lower boiling point, a bad cap can cause the coolant to evaporate/boil, yet the temp gauge is OK. I would expect to see some slime around the cap. If so, clean it off well and see if the slime comes back.
The second is a small leak. It could be a slightly loose coolant hose, or a water pump drip. This is more the 1 cup/week than 1 qt/week. With a slightly loose hose clamp, it only leaks when the engine is warming up. When the engine is cold, there is no pressure. You drive off. As the coolant warms up, the pressure increases, and the coolant leaks out, but drips onto the highway, not your driveway. As the radiator warms up, it expands and seals the leak. So give all your hose clamps a tighten. I do it twice a year, late spring and late fall. If your water pump is dripping, it can be very hard to see and can evaporate without much of a smell.
The last is a head gasket leak. The engine can be drinking fluid and still run fine. In fact it can run pretty well, as the coolant drops combustion chamber temps. You tend to see a whitish exhaust. But before a leak gets real bad, it can be pretty minor. I would assume this is the problem if you've ruled out every other one.
posted by 192.249....
, Mon, 27 Jun 2005 11:44:21 <-- Viewing This Message
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