disappearing coolant

T

THX 138

Member

Oct 7, 2004

375

0

16

Los Angeles

Jan 28, 2006

#1

• Jan 28, 2006

• #1

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

D.Hearne

New Member

Sep 29, 2000

11,730

6

0

south louisiana

Jan 28, 2006

#2

• Jan 28, 2006

• #2

Check the carpet on your passenger side floor board.

 

88GeeTee

New Member

Oct 11, 2005

49

0

0

Ft. Lewis, WA

Jan 28, 2006

#3

• Jan 28, 2006

• #3

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

Member

Apr 12, 2003

411

0

17

Ann Arbor, MI

Jan 29, 2006

#4

• Jan 29, 2006

• #4

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

Founding Member

Oct 22, 2002

791

2

19

Tampa, FL

Jan 29, 2006

#5

• Jan 29, 2006

• #5

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

Premium Sponsor

Dec 9, 2003

896

0

16

Las Vegas, NV

Jan 29, 2006

#6

• Jan 29, 2006

• #6

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

 

jdowen2

New Member

Dec 18, 2005

48

0

0

Mesa, Az

Jan 29, 2006

#7

• Jan 29, 2006

• #7

Get a coolant system pressure check.

 

T

THX 138

Member

Oct 7, 2004

375

0

16

Los Angeles

Jan 29, 2006

#8

• Jan 29, 2006

• #8

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

Founding Member

Jan 15, 2001

2,203

3

49

Easton, PA

Jan 30, 2006

#9

• Jan 30, 2006

• #9

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

New Member

Oct 11, 2005

49

0

0

Ft. Lewis, WA

Jan 30, 2006

#10

• Jan 30, 2006

• #10

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

Active Member

Apr 20, 2004

1,473

1

37

Salt Lake City, Utah

Jan 30, 2006

#11

• Jan 30, 2006

• #11

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.

 

C

cptam1

New Member

Dec 27, 2005

32

0

0

Ft Riley Ks

Jan 30, 2006

#12

• Jan 30, 2006

• #12

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

New Member

Nov 11, 2005

317

0

0

Jan 30, 2006

#13

• Jan 30, 2006

• #13

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

 

D

D.Hearne

New Member

Sep 29, 2000

11,730

6

0

south louisiana

Jan 30, 2006

#14

• Jan 30, 2006

• #14

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.

 

T

THX 138

Member

Oct 7, 2004

375

0

16

Los Angeles

Jan 31, 2006

#15

• Jan 31, 2006

• #15

D.Hearne said:

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.

Click to expand...

its a '69 302 block.