Help - Low Coolant Light
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 88
Likes: 0
Help - Low Coolant Light
I occassionally smell coolant after I shut down. (Not the heater coil, its coming from the lower part of the engine bay)I don't see a leak anywhere but last week the low coolant light went on, but when I looked the resovoir is about 25% full. Car's running temp seems ok. 170 on the freeway, 210ish in stop and go.
Any thoughts on whats up? :seeya
Any thoughts on whats up? :seeya
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 90,675
Likes: 304
From: SE NY
Cruise-In II Veteran
Re: Help - Low Coolant Light (Alphatoto)
Check all hoses, under the water pump around the oil cooler if so equipped and around the intake base. Don't foreget to check that small steam hose going from the rear of the base to the heater hose.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 1,289
Likes: 11
From: long island NY
Re: Help - Low Coolant Light (Alphatoto)
i had this happen to my car and the head gasket was shot the car never run hot but i would smell coolant. it crack 1 piston on me but it did not damage the block. my coolant light was going crazy also.
hope this helps
mitch
hope this helps
mitch
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 5,786
Likes: 2
From: Chicago IL
Re: Help - Low Coolant Light (MITCH)
Happened to me - it was the water pump. Check coolant when colt - it should be up to the neck of the radiator. It could be a faulty sensor - have you seen leaking coolant on the ground?
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 131
Likes: 0
From: Camarillo CA
Re: Help - Low Coolant Light (Alphatoto)
Coolant resovoir 25% full is about where it should be. Assuming your low coolant sensor is OK (radiator was realy low), you might check your radiator cap 1st. It's cheap and easy. Make sure there are no leaks in your coolant recovery hose. Next step might be intake maifold. Issue is that the leak might be evaporating as quickly as it leaks, making it hard to find. A coolant pressure tester (NAPA $70) makes it easier. You can pressurize your coolant system cold and know that it does or does not hold pressure. If it does not you will see a low coolant light as there will not be vacuum to pull coolant from you resovoir back into the radiator as it cools. That's why is important to look at the coolant recovery and radiator cap. Other possibilities are hoses, water pump, and oil cooler. Water pump leaks are like intake - can be hard to find because of evaporation. Good luck :smash:
Pro
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 655
Likes: 0
From: San Diego California
Re: Help - Low Coolant Light (MITCH)
i had this happen to my car and the head gasket was shot the car never run hot but i would smell coolant. it crack 1 piston on me but it did not damage the block. my coolant light was going crazy also.
hope this helps
mitch
hope this helps
mitch
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Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 88
Likes: 0
Re: Help - Low Coolant Light (ToniH)
Thanks for yor suggestions, I'll follow up. Hoping its not the gasket since it should only have about 25k miles on it and I make sure the engine never gets too hot.
