Coolant Gush from 2000 Dodge Caravan
Thread Starter
|
Registered User
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Coolant Gush from 2000 Dodge Caravan
Hi there,
I am hoping to get some input into a coolant leak (gush) I am experiencing with my van. The van has lasted quite some time and owes me nothing...we are hoping to 'retire' it in the next year or so and buy another...but I am hoping to get at least a few more months out of it...
This gush (for lack of a better word) started suddenly about 2 weeks ago. I drove up quite a large hill and at the top sat idling (on a flat surface) for a couple of minutes waiting for a friend. When she came out she noticed a huge puddle of coolant under the front of the van. My temps were normal, and it seemed the 'leak' had stopped after watching for a while, so I drove home with no further incidents. 2 weeks of normal driving passed without another gush of coolant and I thought perhaps I had just stopped in someone else's leaky puddle.
Last week I again drove up quite a steep incline on someone's street and because of a timid driver attempting to back up our of her driveway into the street...had to slow right down and brake halfway uphill waiting for her to get out which took a minute or two...I then continued uphill to where I was going. I turned the van around and parked facing downhill, turned off the engine and got out to speak to someone. As we were standing there talking a sudden gush of coolant came out the front of the car again. This was within 2 mins of shutting off the car. I opened the hood and above the radiator cap was a splash of fluid...and there was a small amount of steam...the gush seemed to be coming from the radiator cap itself, so I grabbed a rag and attempted to turn the cap (to tighten NOT to open/loosen) and sure enough the radiator cap was loose and I was able to tighten it up one turn. I didn't check the cap the first time, so not sure if it was loose then? During both of these times going uphill I can hear that the van is "rough"...it's no spring chicken..but not struggling intensely. The temps never go above the halfway mark either and are running exactly where they usually do.
I have now driven the car several more times including a 2 hr drive - although none of it particularly hill-y, with no further gushes. Any ideas? Thanks!
Michelle
I am hoping to get some input into a coolant leak (gush) I am experiencing with my van. The van has lasted quite some time and owes me nothing...we are hoping to 'retire' it in the next year or so and buy another...but I am hoping to get at least a few more months out of it...
This gush (for lack of a better word) started suddenly about 2 weeks ago. I drove up quite a large hill and at the top sat idling (on a flat surface) for a couple of minutes waiting for a friend. When she came out she noticed a huge puddle of coolant under the front of the van. My temps were normal, and it seemed the 'leak' had stopped after watching for a while, so I drove home with no further incidents. 2 weeks of normal driving passed without another gush of coolant and I thought perhaps I had just stopped in someone else's leaky puddle.
Last week I again drove up quite a steep incline on someone's street and because of a timid driver attempting to back up our of her driveway into the street...had to slow right down and brake halfway uphill waiting for her to get out which took a minute or two...I then continued uphill to where I was going. I turned the van around and parked facing downhill, turned off the engine and got out to speak to someone. As we were standing there talking a sudden gush of coolant came out the front of the car again. This was within 2 mins of shutting off the car. I opened the hood and above the radiator cap was a splash of fluid...and there was a small amount of steam...the gush seemed to be coming from the radiator cap itself, so I grabbed a rag and attempted to turn the cap (to tighten NOT to open/loosen) and sure enough the radiator cap was loose and I was able to tighten it up one turn. I didn't check the cap the first time, so not sure if it was loose then? During both of these times going uphill I can hear that the van is "rough"...it's no spring chicken..but not struggling intensely. The temps never go above the halfway mark either and are running exactly where they usually do.
I have now driven the car several more times including a 2 hr drive - although none of it particularly hill-y, with no further gushes. Any ideas? Thanks!
Michelle
Professional
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 238
Likes: 2
From: Near Seattle
Radiator cap 101: The radiator cap doesn't just keep the coolant in the radiator, it also prevents the cooling system from exceeding a certain pressure (usually around 15 psi). Pressurizing the cooling system increases the boiling point of the coolant. If the cooling system pressure exceeds the radiator cap pressure, a valve in the cap opens up, allowing the coolant to escape to the coolant reservoir tank.
When going uphill you put the engine under extra load, so the engine heats up more than it does when driving on level ground. If your radiator cap isn't properly seated, it can't properly increase the pressure inside the cooling system, so the coolant boils at a lower temperature than it should. With the coolant boiling and the cap not being properly seated, the coolant gushed past the seals and out the radiator neck.
As a precaution I'd recommend replacing the radiator cap, especially if you don't know when it was last replaced.
When going uphill you put the engine under extra load, so the engine heats up more than it does when driving on level ground. If your radiator cap isn't properly seated, it can't properly increase the pressure inside the cooling system, so the coolant boils at a lower temperature than it should. With the coolant boiling and the cap not being properly seated, the coolant gushed past the seals and out the radiator neck.
As a precaution I'd recommend replacing the radiator cap, especially if you don't know when it was last replaced.