Where did all the coolant go?
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2007
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Where did all the coolant go?
So I have reciently been noticing that my coolant resivor has been low. About every week I find myself putting about a 1/3 of a gallon into the resivor. Also I have been noticing I can smell coolant when the foot gets heavy on the pedal. I have been told rumors that 360's are notorious for cracking heads??? but I cannont find any coolant leaking and there isn't any laying ontop or around the motor. Last night I changed the oil and it seemed fine no funky color or smell...
Somebody help where is the coolant going to it seems as if it is a mystery???
Somebody help where is the coolant going to it seems as if it is a mystery???
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 22
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RE: Where did all the coolant go?
The easy way to test for a head gasket/cracked head is to go by a smog shop & ask them to "sniff" inside your radiator. If there are hydrocarbons or exhaust gasses in the coolant you have a problem.
Professional
Joined: May 2006
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RE: Where did all the coolant go?
I've had the same problem with myRam for years. I finally stopped looking for the leak and keep refilling the reservoir. I took a sample of the oil and had itcheckedfor AF, nonedetected. Every once and a while I get a whiff of AF but I have no idea where it is coming from or going to.
Professional
Joined: Mar 2007
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RE: Where did all the coolant go?
in the few months i've had my truck i've noticed this coolant loss also, at first i thought it was the overflow tank leaking or the rad. cap. but poking around the other day under the hood i see the area around the water pump is pretty wet with coolant. i've never seen a puddle on the ground anywhere i park, and it's not getting blown around under the hood either, everything stays clean as can be. for the time being it's losing around 1 qt. in 1,500'ish miles. so when i have everything taken apart to fix my plenum leak i think i'll go a little farther and do the water pump, 180* thermostat, timing chain and new head gaskets at the same time. (i'm addingboost soon, that's the reason for upgrading the head gaskets)
Captain
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 601
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From: Clearwater, FL
RE: Where did all the coolant go?
2 possibilities: Both tiny leaks:
1 inside the timing chain cover. and engine heat is evaporating before you would ever see it.
2 leak in the heater core. The heater core would leak into the hvac box and drip out on the road through the condensate drain never to be seen again. (most likely) Easy test of this. Disconnect the heater hoses and connect them together thereby bypassing the core. Then sit back and watch.
WC
1 inside the timing chain cover. and engine heat is evaporating before you would ever see it.
2 leak in the heater core. The heater core would leak into the hvac box and drip out on the road through the condensate drain never to be seen again. (most likely) Easy test of this. Disconnect the heater hoses and connect them together thereby bypassing the core. Then sit back and watch.
WC