Low Coolant
#1
11-03-2018, 03:24 PM
Join Date: Oct 2018
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#2
11-03-2018, 09:43 PM
#4
11-04-2018, 09:33 AM
If your not in the habit of regularly checking under hood fluids, begin doing that every time you gas up. If you don't see signs of an External coolant leek, I'd without delay go pull the engine oil dipstick & check the color of the oil & level. If it looks like a chocolate milk shake, suspect an internal coolant leak & history says the head gasket has probably earned a place close to the top of the suspect list.
On the bucking, did it happen after a cold wet, or dewy start, or when the vehicle was loaded & the engine was being asked to go smartly at throttle up, or was it climbing a grade? If so, put spark plugs, wires, & the coil pack on the suspect list.
Check the condition of the plugs, their spark gap, internal & external ceramic insulators for chips, cracks & clean. If there is oil standing in the plug well suspect the well rubber seals are leaking. Check that the plug wires are properly & fully fastened on Both ends, & undamaged. Make sure the plugs are the correct heat range, are properly gapped & torqued in to spec.
If the plug wires or coil pack look to be suspect, with the engine at warm idle, try misting them one at a time, at night, with a spray bottle of water, while looking for a arcs & sparks light show from weak/faulty insulation.
If you don't have a code reader, or scan tool to query the computer for trouble code clues, most auto parts stores will scan at no cost if the CEL is lit, or we're having problems, or you can cycle the ignition key from off to on like here
& the computer will display the codes as shown. Anyway, again have the computer scanned for trouble code clues & post All code Numbers, as they can help focus a trouble shoot.
On the fuel delivery side, had you just filled up at a different, or out of the way low volume station station, or when the station was in the process of getting a tanker delivery?
EDIT: More thoughts. We don't know the mileage, but if its at or over 100K miles, the timing belt is due for replacement & my 1.7L Alliance did the bucking thing twice before its timing belt broke, 20K early/before recommended replacement. So tell us where you are on the timing belt, it may be sending signals its time for replacement.
Change its tensioner & idler pully too.
While in there also change the water pump, had all this done on the Wife's 2000 two years ago, but we caught hers in time, so no problem.
Some beginning thoughts for consideration, let us know what you find.
On the bucking, did it happen after a cold wet, or dewy start, or when the vehicle was loaded & the engine was being asked to go smartly at throttle up, or was it climbing a grade? If so, put spark plugs, wires, & the coil pack on the suspect list.
Check the condition of the plugs, their spark gap, internal & external ceramic insulators for chips, cracks & clean. If there is oil standing in the plug well suspect the well rubber seals are leaking. Check that the plug wires are properly & fully fastened on Both ends, & undamaged. Make sure the plugs are the correct heat range, are properly gapped & torqued in to spec.
If the plug wires or coil pack look to be suspect, with the engine at warm idle, try misting them one at a time, at night, with a spray bottle of water, while looking for a arcs & sparks light show from weak/faulty insulation.
If you don't have a code reader, or scan tool to query the computer for trouble code clues, most auto parts stores will scan at no cost if the CEL is lit, or we're having problems, or you can cycle the ignition key from off to on like here
On the fuel delivery side, had you just filled up at a different, or out of the way low volume station station, or when the station was in the process of getting a tanker delivery?
EDIT: More thoughts. We don't know the mileage, but if its at or over 100K miles, the timing belt is due for replacement & my 1.7L Alliance did the bucking thing twice before its timing belt broke, 20K early/before recommended replacement. So tell us where you are on the timing belt, it may be sending signals its time for replacement.
Change its tensioner & idler pully too.
While in there also change the water pump, had all this done on the Wife's 2000 two years ago, but we caught hers in time, so no problem.
Some beginning thoughts for consideration, let us know what you find.
Last edited by paw paw; 11-04-2018 at 09:42 AM.