Coolant from my coolant bottle DISAPPEARED!

[Big Jim M]

So five days have been wasted while you didn't crawl your skinny ass under the engine? You should be lectured too, or at least kept from the beer cooler this weekend!
We are thrilled that you could identify dripping coolant when you saw it.
Big Jim

 

[SolidSnake84]

When i was younger, i would have tackled the job right away, but the last few days have been bad because I have a wedding to prepare for and things have been really hectic. I know thats no excuse for procrastination, but i didn't want people to think that it was just me being lazy.

 

[AllanD]

Think horses not zebras.

Replace the length of hose between the reservoir bottle and the radiator
before you waste time worrying about it.

that "little" hose is NOT part of the pressureized system

And will NOt cause an engine to crack
if you could be bothered to check your coolant once a month.

AD

 

[trader007]

my coolant has been vanishing at a very slow rate. about every 3 months i have to put say half a gallon in. i also notice steam coming out my exhaust when i start the truck... which on many days that is normal but it happens everyday- even days when nobody else's car does it.

i fear a head gasket leak, but there is no evidence of watery oil yet, and no rough idle or anything so for now i will continue to just keep adding water. i also occasionally try to smell the exhaust, but i cannot tell if it smells sweet or not... smells pretty normal from what i can tell.

 

[Big Jim M]

Stop thinking about an internal leak! Look to the outside of the engine. That is where 99% of leaks are. Small leaks drip out the coolant, which leads to overheating inside the heads. Then in turn the headgaskets burn. Then compression gets into the coolant and pukes out the rest of the coolant.. At this time the owner thinks the headgasket went away all by itself!! That is rare indeed!
Steam or drips from the tail pipe are ALWAYS condensation.. STOP looking there.
Spend a few hours looking for that one small drip outside the engine.
Big JIm

 

[trader007]

ive been inside and under my engine a lot lately, there isnt an external leak... if it is, its so small i wont find it. i really thought it was probably the water pump at first, since i have so many miles, but its one dry cracker still....

 

[snoman6115]

well im glad to say that for now i solved my leaking problem. added that liquid aluminum thats $5 and for 2 weeks now coolant has stayed teh same. didnt think a $5 bottle of shiny crap would work, but im really glad and surprised

 

[Big Jim M]

Trader there has never been a leak too small to find. Next time you drive it wait 30 minutes and then climb your butt under there with a flashlight and closely look for that ONE DROP of coolant that will give the leak location away. If it leaks the leak will form a droplet somewhere.
Big Jim

 

[trader007]

bars leak and others do work, thats never been questioned... its just the side effects of plugging up heater cores and overall sludging up your cooling system is why many people dont like it.

i would certainly do a flush of your system within a 1000 miles after adding that stuff. dont use radiator flush or anything, just drain and fill back up with clean 50/50 so that way you get most of that crap out of there while not dissolving the stuff that is plugging your leak... thats how ive always used the stuff anyway.