Slight water consumption or leak
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,586
Likes: 2
From: Bardstown Kentucky
Slight water consumption or leak
I have a very slow loss of coolant. Yesterday my low coolant light popped on, today I started it up and no low coolant. If I top it off, 6 months from now it might need a little top off again. If you look in the reservoir it doesnt even look low. I have no smoke or anything like that. I havent noticed anything weird as far as plugs go. Any ideas?
Tech Contributor
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 2,843
Likes: 16
From: Howell Michigan
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11
Options include having a pressure test done to see if this gives a clue, or you could always do the Bar's leak aditive. It works, but it makes the coolant tank look nasty. If it were my problem I'd do the pressure test. Could be anything from water pump seal or gaskets, head gaskets, hoses, etc... You could also add the UV dye and find it later with a black light.
Hope you figure it out...
Hope you figure it out...
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,526
Likes: 20
From: Santa Fe TX
Also check the radiator overflow nipple (small line runs from top pass side of radiator back to coolant surge tank). It is plastic and will fail with time. Only leaks (slightly) under pressure. Unfortunately it will require a new radiator to fix it. You may have to remove the plastic radiator shroud to see it.
If it's not that, then it could be the coolant cap.
If not then a pressure test would be the next best bet -- anywhere there is a leak, coolant can escape as steam and you will never see it.
If it's the water pump weeping, you'll probably see a very small drip in the center of the engine area where you park at night.
BTW after 2000, I don't think there is a coolant level sensor, so those folks won't notice this problem until much later. Your sensor trips way before the coolant is actually low. Overflow tank is still over 1/2 full when Low Coolant Light pops.
If it's not that, then it could be the coolant cap.
If not then a pressure test would be the next best bet -- anywhere there is a leak, coolant can escape as steam and you will never see it.
If it's the water pump weeping, you'll probably see a very small drip in the center of the engine area where you park at night.
BTW after 2000, I don't think there is a coolant level sensor, so those folks won't notice this problem until much later. Your sensor trips way before the coolant is actually low. Overflow tank is still over 1/2 full when Low Coolant Light pops.
