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OK, need help here with vexing and stressful problem. 1994 900 SE V6 132,600 mi. Losing coolant fairly fast; seems to vary depending on city/hwy driving. At worst, top off 2 cups in 75mi; best, 2 cups in a few hundred miles. Problem has gotten worse over last few months. Head gasket was replaced at 125k. Replaced coolant tank cap on Monday.
Heater core: I do smell coolant from the vents. Not overpowering, but noticeable whiff after startup (cold or warm) for first few mins. Seems to be getting a bit worse and occurring more often now. Searched archives and noticed heater core diagnosis is tricky--some folks don’t seem to have visible coolant. But there is none dripping inside the car either.
Head gasket: no coolant found outside or inside car. No leakage on any visible hoses. Have tightened all accessible hose clamps (a few buried in the engine I have not). 3 of the 6 coolant hoses (upper radiator, dual hose to throttle body?, and a heater hose) have been replaced within last 20k. Water pump gasket, thermostat & o-rings & outlet pipe were replaced at 125k w/head gasket work. No coolant in oil; no oil in coolant; AT fluid looks OK. Engine oil cooler was resealed at 110k. White smoke? Not sure... about 1-2 mins after startup, I do get some white vapor from the tailpipe that persists for a few minutes. True even in warm weather. Ordinarily, I would think nothing of it.
Any thoughts? Leaking heater core, head gasket (or some other mystery engine block or head leak), both of these, or something else? Should I take it to the dealer for diagnosis?
Final note: even with my new coolant cap, the system retains some pressure after the car has sat overnight. Is this normal? Removing the cap on totally cold engine relieves some pressure and causes coolant level to rise about 0.5-0.75”. Seems to be just a little less pressure released with the new cap.
Thanks,
Derek / 1994 900 SE V6 132,600mi
posted by 152.3.1...
, Thu, 3 Jul 2003 14:37:21
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