[4th Gen : 01-07]: I am losing antifreeze
#1
#2
Good bet it's either dripping on the exhaust or you have a bad head gasket. A few options:
Sign out a cooling system pressure tester from an AutoZone or the like. Connect it and pressurize the system to 15 psi. If the pressure drops there's a leak. If you don't see any leaks there's a good bet the head gasket is toast. Smaller leaks won't always show itself as vapor out the tail pipe. Examples: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...ressure+tester
Sign out (?) a combustion tester from AutoZone or the like and test for contaminated coolant. Examples: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...bustion+tester
> Check your engine oil for any milky swirls.
> Check your coolant for any signs of oil droplets.
> Passenger side carpet nice and dry?
Sign out a cooling system pressure tester from an AutoZone or the like. Connect it and pressurize the system to 15 psi. If the pressure drops there's a leak. If you don't see any leaks there's a good bet the head gasket is toast. Smaller leaks won't always show itself as vapor out the tail pipe. Examples: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...ressure+tester
Sign out (?) a combustion tester from AutoZone or the like and test for contaminated coolant. Examples: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...bustion+tester
> Check your engine oil for any milky swirls.
> Check your coolant for any signs of oil droplets.
> Passenger side carpet nice and dry?
Last edited by Cougar41; 02-27-2015 at 07:38 PM.
#3
Thanks for the reply, i will check these things out..The van only has 70,000 miles on it, i would be surprised if its a head gasket but i guess anything can happen.I don't smell any antifreeze, so i dont think my heating coil has a leak.. it would be burning off or like mention leaking on the carpet..
good info, will go through the steps..to see if i can find out were its going..
good info, will go through the steps..to see if i can find out were its going..
#4
It can only leak at the head gasket, thermostat, radiator, water pump, and hose connections on these engines.
Usually if it's head gasket you can see it on the side and/or under the valve cover. But a less common scenario is a small leak that leaks slower than the coolant evaporates so you only lose water/coolant.
The best solution outside the gasket replace with surface check is Steel Seal, but it's worthless but for very tiny leaks.. It's basically a liquid with suspended copper flakes that hit the right temperature to self-weld at the leak point where it's exposed to extreme surface-heat..
Just look at it this way: you could have a rod knocking.. It'll take you 2-3 days to fix the head proper on your own, if it's not warped. You can buy a low mile 4th gen for what shops will charge you.. You can also set up a shop to fix anything for what they charge for head work..
Usually if it's head gasket you can see it on the side and/or under the valve cover. But a less common scenario is a small leak that leaks slower than the coolant evaporates so you only lose water/coolant.
The best solution outside the gasket replace with surface check is Steel Seal, but it's worthless but for very tiny leaks.. It's basically a liquid with suspended copper flakes that hit the right temperature to self-weld at the leak point where it's exposed to extreme surface-heat..
Just look at it this way: you could have a rod knocking.. It'll take you 2-3 days to fix the head proper on your own, if it's not warped. You can buy a low mile 4th gen for what shops will charge you.. You can also set up a shop to fix anything for what they charge for head work..
#5
#6
I'm no expert, just a owner who can't afford the cost of another vehicle paying a shop so he has to fix everything himself.. I've only seen anti-freeze in oil with blown head gaskets. The engine coolant veins are next to oil veins in the block and head, separated by the gasket at the head surface..
#7