disappearing coolant

[THX 138]

My coolant keeps disapearing. I don't see it boil over or spill out. Where could it be going? Pinhole leak in a hose or maybe a badly sealing radiator cap?

 

[D.Hearne]

Check the carpet on your passenger side floor board.

 

[88GeeTee]

i read this because i have the same problem...and i HAVE checked my passenger side carpet...i think mine is a clogged heater core and maybe a VERY MILD leak...you might wanna check that too. i have a really weak heater (not much heat) and every now and then i smell a faint scent of coolant...pretty soon i'm gonna tear it all apart and fix it...

Josh

 

[red65]

Leaking heater core, ala D. Hearne, is the first place to check. If that's not it and it's positively not leaking anywhere, you've probably got a head gasket that's allowing some seepage into the combustion chambers. Does it make any noticeable white smoke (steam) out the tailpipe - by that, I mean more than normal? I had a mid-80's Capri with the 5.0 that leaked this way for a year or more before I finally tore it down and replaced the offending head gasket...

 

[latamud]

I have a pinhole in my radiator. Its so small it doesn't leak until pressure builds. Its high enough up the radiator that eventuallu it stops at a certain level and its fine for my little 260.

 

[mdjay]

You can have a shop check for hydrocarbons in your radiator fumes. This should exploit if it's a head leak.

 

[jdowen2]

Get a coolant system pressure check.

 

[THX 138]

I finally saw a coolant leak. Its dripping off the K member so i think its from a freeze plug or head bolt hole or something. I'm going to try to look better tomorrow.

 

[chepsk8]

Besides water pump & freeze-out plugs, try this:

My motor would drink coolant, then overheat, never a drop anywhere. Finally found the culprit - bad intake manifold gasket.

 

[88GeeTee]

turned out mine was a TINY hole in the coolant overflow bottle...so when it would put coolant in it, on the ground it went...

Josh

 

[69Rcode_Mach1]

Like everyone has said check the obvious things first, and then move on. You can have your whole cooling system tested for pressure, and what not to help you find a diagnosis or the leak.

 

[cptam1]

also check your oil. If you have a bad gasket or warped heads the oil will be, at first, frothy. If the problem gets really bad, you will have discoloration in the oil. It will look like marbling. My old 351 had that problem whaen i first bought it. Shaved the heads, new gasket and BAM she was on the streets.

 

[wild70stang]

A vacuum gauge can tell if u have a blown head gasket
jdowen also said, u might consider a pressure test.

 

[D.Hearne]

If you've got an 80's up block, you may also want to pull an external head bolt to see if it's got thread sealer on it. The outboard head bolt holes on these, are open to the coolant galleries in the block and thus need sealer on the threads.

 

[THX 138]

If you've got an 80's up block, you may also want to pull an external head bolt to see if it's got thread sealer on it. The outboard head bolt holes on these, are open to the coolant galleries in the block and thus need sealer on the threads.

its a '69 302 block.