Coolant leak
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 22,374
Likes: 89
From: Corvette owner since 1999 - Chicago Illinois
Coolant leak
Hey guys. I have a 05 cts-v. It's got the LS6.
Last night was driving around and car started leaking coolant.
Seems like its coming out of the bottom of the radiator but not quite sure.
Any problematic spots with these setups that I should check before taking it to the shop? Loose hoses?
Thanks.
Last night was driving around and car started leaking coolant.
Seems like its coming out of the bottom of the radiator but not quite sure.
Any problematic spots with these setups that I should check before taking it to the shop? Loose hoses?
Thanks.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,146
Likes: 203
From: Edmonton Alberta, Canada
Sorry cant help you, this is a Corvette forum. No issues with coolant leaks around radiators or anywhere else on Corvettes. Best take it in to your dealer. It probably is just a hose failure or as you mentioned a clamp.. Good luck.
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
Coolant leak
I have just went through this troubleshooting process with or 2001. The car would smell like antifreeze when it was pulled into the garage when hot. Left overnight, there might be a very small puddle of antifreeze below the coolant recovery tank and the radiator drain valve.
I could not see any liquid dripping or leaking when the car was running in the garage.
While away from home, the wife approached the car and saw a large amount of antifreeze underneath. We had it towed home and saw what had been causing the problem.
The "T" connection at the bottom of the coolant recovery tank had fractured and had been leaking just enough to create a smell of antifreeze for quite some time. It finally broke loose an spilled the reservior's fluid.
The plastic on our cars will become brittle with time and is subject to cracking and breaking. (just take your dash trim apart on a 10-year old car and watch the plastic break).
A new recovery tank, hoses, clamps, flush and fill resolved all of our problems with the slight leak and smell.
Good luck!
I could not see any liquid dripping or leaking when the car was running in the garage.
While away from home, the wife approached the car and saw a large amount of antifreeze underneath. We had it towed home and saw what had been causing the problem.
The "T" connection at the bottom of the coolant recovery tank had fractured and had been leaking just enough to create a smell of antifreeze for quite some time. It finally broke loose an spilled the reservior's fluid.
The plastic on our cars will become brittle with time and is subject to cracking and breaking. (just take your dash trim apart on a 10-year old car and watch the plastic break).
A new recovery tank, hoses, clamps, flush and fill resolved all of our problems with the slight leak and smell.
Good luck!
Administrator
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 368,536
Likes: 24,826
From: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
C7 of the Year - Modified Finalist 2021
MO Events Coordinator
St. Jude Co-Organizer
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
NCM Sinkhole Donor
CI 5, 8 & 11 Veteran
Best to just get under the car and take a look and see if you can tell exactly where the coolant is coming from. You may have to do a pressure test and see if the leak becomes visible.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,163
Likes: 4
From: Concord California
Also check your over flow coolent tank, the input nipple cracks and it leaks from there. Mine did and was spraying on the exhaust manifolds, I really got the smell of coolent steam, but found it fast after a nice hot ride.
The sell a dye that you can put in your coolent and use a BLACK LIGHT to look for the leak. Good luck.
The sell a dye that you can put in your coolent and use a BLACK LIGHT to look for the leak. Good luck.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 13,610
Likes: 1,356
From: Home of the VOLS ! Knoxville, TN. Tennessee
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13, '15, '16-'17-'18-'19
If it's coming from the side, it's more than likely a coolant tank issue. If it's coming from the middle of the radiator, you can almost bet it's a water pump that's gone south.
If it's not that obvious, I would do as recommended before, a pressure test.
If it's not that obvious, I would do as recommended before, a pressure test.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 21,473
Likes: 356
From: Palmdale, Ca----- 2009 Cyber Gray 4LT A6 F55 452 RWHP 422 RWTQ- RIP 1998 C5 734 RWHP & 585 RWTQ-----
Once it is HOT drive up on some ramps or jack it up in the front, shut it off so the system is under pressure -
Grab a good bright flashlight and starting at the top search out the coolant leak! if it is a tank then it is best to replace it, fins can be soldered, could have a rock chip in it, if it is a clamp try to tighten it and go from there -
They are a pretty easy and straight forward replacement/swap out!
Thanks,Matt
Grab a good bright flashlight and starting at the top search out the coolant leak! if it is a tank then it is best to replace it, fins can be soldered, could have a rock chip in it, if it is a clamp try to tighten it and go from there -
They are a pretty easy and straight forward replacement/swap out!
Thanks,Matt
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski