Where did all the coolant go story
#1
Where did all the coolant go story
Hi Neon fans long time since I've been here. My son has the Neon 2001 now.
-Well this is the story of the missing coolant. Last week, my son calls me just 10 minutes after he had left for work. "Dad I have no heat!"..... I asked what the temp. gauge stated and he replied. "Right in the middle between hot and cold." So I thought it might be electrical, but asked him to check the coolant level when he got to work.
10 minutes later. "Dad it looks like the car is on fire, all I can see is smoke out the back thru the rear view mirror." I asked can you smell a sweet sickly odor. He said no. He hauled off at a car pool parking lot.
20 minutes later I got there, popped the hood and saw coolant around the heater hoses and water pump area, but couldn't see anything leaking. Cautiously open the rad cap and nothing there. checked the dip stick, just oil no coolant. Started the car and it purred like a kitten. I thought better than to drive it any further. So I had it towed to National Rad.
They called me a few hours later and said the car was down a gallon of coolant(4.5 liters or about a 1.25 U.S. gallons). He said we have it full now and have done a head gasket and pressure test. NO LEAKS???
They let it idle for a long time and nothing dripped out anywhere. They installed die in the coolant and no trace of it could be found.
Where did it go??????
About 3 months ago the dealership installed a new starter and had to remove the power distribution box because of corroded electrical contacts.
My thought is they removed the the lower rad hose to remove the starter and never put the coolant back in. How the car ran for 3+ months with low coolant I'll never know.
That's the only thing I can think happen to the coolant. If it was, "THOSE BASTARDS AT THE DEALERSHIP"
So for the long thread.
Cheers
Kayakman
-Well this is the story of the missing coolant. Last week, my son calls me just 10 minutes after he had left for work. "Dad I have no heat!"..... I asked what the temp. gauge stated and he replied. "Right in the middle between hot and cold." So I thought it might be electrical, but asked him to check the coolant level when he got to work.
10 minutes later. "Dad it looks like the car is on fire, all I can see is smoke out the back thru the rear view mirror." I asked can you smell a sweet sickly odor. He said no. He hauled off at a car pool parking lot.
20 minutes later I got there, popped the hood and saw coolant around the heater hoses and water pump area, but couldn't see anything leaking. Cautiously open the rad cap and nothing there. checked the dip stick, just oil no coolant. Started the car and it purred like a kitten. I thought better than to drive it any further. So I had it towed to National Rad.
They called me a few hours later and said the car was down a gallon of coolant(4.5 liters or about a 1.25 U.S. gallons). He said we have it full now and have done a head gasket and pressure test. NO LEAKS???
They let it idle for a long time and nothing dripped out anywhere. They installed die in the coolant and no trace of it could be found.
Where did it go??????
About 3 months ago the dealership installed a new starter and had to remove the power distribution box because of corroded electrical contacts.
My thought is they removed the the lower rad hose to remove the starter and never put the coolant back in. How the car ran for 3+ months with low coolant I'll never know.
That's the only thing I can think happen to the coolant. If it was, "THOSE BASTARDS AT THE DEALERSHIP"
So for the long thread.
Cheers
Kayakman
#3
Depends on the vehicle I suppose. I have unknowingly had low coolant levels before (one time recently- my truck had a tiny enough leak that I never noticed it. Basically just dripped every minute or so, but it was over months and months), and did not have a problem. Only noticed it because I checked the coolant when I changed the oil.
#5
#7
Trending Topics
#8
What are you going to get out of this?
The most you can do is file a complaint against the guy who did the work and have the manager go over the work that was actually done on it. And if the mechanic did actually remove a rad hose, pin it on him and ask them to flush your system and install new coolant and to replace any lines that could be weakened from the excessive heat that could cause more leaks or premature failures in the future.
Trust me they won't say no. hehehe
The most you can do is file a complaint against the guy who did the work and have the manager go over the work that was actually done on it. And if the mechanic did actually remove a rad hose, pin it on him and ask them to flush your system and install new coolant and to replace any lines that could be weakened from the excessive heat that could cause more leaks or premature failures in the future.
Trust me they won't say no. hehehe
#9