mysterious vanishing coolant

MMAFIGHTER121

MMAFIGHTER121

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So now that I've tackled the vcg issue its time to attack the only other remaining issue on my car...
every few weeks my coolant is gone. At least in the resevoir, because once my car begins to climb past midway ill blast the heat and fan and in a few minutes I'm running at normal twmp and I can turn the heat back off and it runs hunky dory for the rest of the day. Then if I fill the resevoir I have between a few days and weeks of overheat free driving. Now the car otherwise runs like a dream and there's never any coolant leaks to be found! No puddles or leaks anywhere! Ever! I've bled the system 2 or 3 times now and it just seems to delay the inevitable empty resevoir for a bit longer. Any ideas who's got all my coolant?!
 
There wouldn't be any coolant leaks from that though? Is it just evaporating out?
 
It could be leaking as you drive and you don't see it. Do you smell coolant at all? Either while driving or when the car is standing still? I'd get the system pressure checked to see if you can find the culprit.
 
Sometimes I can smell coolant.. but I have trouble believing that if it leaked even only while driving that I wouldn't see even a drop once I stopped driving.. I've sat and searched and waited but its always dry..
 
the crack or leak could be at a level that only leaks when the motor is running....or gravity pushing the coolant into where the crack is....just a thought....
 
MMAFIGHTER121 said:
Sometimes I can smell coolant.. but I have trouble believing that if it leaked even only while driving that I wouldn't see even a drop once I stopped driving.. I've sat and searched and waited but its always dry..
Click to expand...

Do a pressure test on the system.
 
Yeah, if you can smell it the coolant is burning. It could only be leaking while hot. Then it drips onto a hot part of the engine or exhaust. But it stops leaking before the engine cools enough to stop burning it. Hopefully that made sense. It could be something fun like a head gasket. I'd run it until it is nice and hot, then open the hood while it is still going to see if I could detect any hint of smoke to hopefully narrow down the location.
 
well im thinking its more in the resevoir problem area because like i said i only need to run the heat for a minute or so before the engine temp suddenly plummets for h to right in the middle where it should be.. if i dont notice it rising... but once its att operating temp theres no need for the heat to be on any longer like its a matter of getting the coolant in the system moving, like theres coolant alreadt in the system and that ability never seems to diminish
 
Go to an auto parts store and pick up a UV Dye kit. Make sure its for Antifreeze and not oil (two different types of dye). Pour it in and let it go a few days, then poke around under the hood with the UV light. You should find it pretty quick.
 
Mine had a cracked coolant reservoir. Only leaks when your driving...since it expands once it's hot. Do a pressure test.
 
check under to drivers side, just behind the wheel well towards the outside of the car. My coolant always leaks out from there, Im not sure if its an overflow valve or what. I had a misfire for a while and I think that my car is overheating because of a clogged cat.
 
could also be bad headgaskets, check for water in the oil. If your headgaskets are bad then the coolant will mix with the oil and thats why its mystiriously disappearing. Had this same problem with my old 95 3.8 V6 Mercury Cougar.
 
no water/coolant in oil during changes, and the problem has been around for a bit, since the car goes into failsafe on overheats its tough to blow the headgasket... i'm thinking its leaking/evaporating somewhere out of the degas bottle. wait til friday to get a pressure check (payday) seems to be the overwhelming response.
 
I went to Midas (not sure if you have one) But they charged me $29.99.
Call around. Some places will charge close to $100.
 
If its only happened a couple of times it could be an air pocket in the coolant system, bad news is sometimes when you have an air pocket it can overheat and warp the heads, causing a leak in the head gaskets, it could be just a small leak and you wouldnt see that much coolant in the oil, you need to smell your exhaust and see if it smells sweet (like coolant).
I had a similiar problem on a camry I had...dealer installed a new rad, a couple of months later I needed a new head gaskets and a head job. Never ran bad just used to over heat. I added coolant and it was fine....but I started having to add more and more coolant and was pulling my hair out trying to find the leak.

I hope its just a resevoir leak.....good luck
 
there is a very specific process for bleeding the air out of the coolant, that may be the cause of your problem.I'll get the procedure from my shop and send it to ya if ya want.
 
02LS8Lincoln said:
could also be bad headgaskets, check for water in the oil. If your headgaskets are bad then the coolant will mix with the oil and thats why its mystiriously disappearing. Had this same problem with my old 95 3.8 V6 Mercury Cougar.
Click to expand...

BTW, just to clarify for those that don't know, that should be "If your head gaskets are bad then the coolant MAY mix with the oil"

You can have a bad head gasket without the oil and coolant mixing.
But, if you DO have water in your oil, then you have a bad head gasket (99.9%).
 
MMAFIGHTER121 Did you find a solution to this? Mine is having the exact same problems, except it only happens when my in-laws are in the car. Tried to duplicate the problem in the garage and I could not. Any insight would be helpful. BTW, in-laws are banned from the car as of last night.
 
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