The other day, Saturday to be exact, I get in my car and I'm driving for a few minutes, 5 at the most and my water level light comes on.

Since I was late for an appointment, I just drove to where I needed to get to which was only 10 minutes away. I figured I let the car cool down and see if the light came back on when I go back out to the car, which was 1 1/2 hours later. Start the car up and light came back on. I figured, I need coolant. So off to the parts store and get some Dex-Cool.

Not more then 5 minutes of driving, and the light goes off. I continue on my way to the parts store to get the Dex-Cool, figuring it will pop back on. it took me about thirty minutes to get to the store and the light still did not come on. I get the fluid and get back in the car. Still no light, so I decide to drive home, which was about 2 hrs away, plus I did not want to wait in the parking lot till the car cooled off a bit.

So I am driving home, staying on the highway, just so I don't have lights, or any slow moving trucks, and to keep air flowing thru the radiator. My temp was just below the 195 mark the whole way home.

I get home pop the hood, and let the car cool off for a while before I open the res. cap. When I do, I noticed that the coolant, was almost non-existant. So, I go the the garage, and get my other (old Bottle) of coolant and fill it.

My question is, since I am not leaking any fluid anywhere, what can cause coolant loss? I figured, if it was a head gasket, I might be loosing it to the point where I can see it dripping on the ground, but I am not leaking anything. Has anyone every had this problem?

The only other thing I can think of, I was in Stop and Go traffic Friday night, and the temp gauge was moving around a bit, even though, I have the Cooling Fan Mod, and it was working, the gauge was bouncing around.

Depends on where the leak in the head gasket is. If it is pouring coolant into your cylinders, then you won't see it.

But I will give you my experience...

My light would come on every once in a while. I'd add coolant whenever it needed it, but the car NEVER made a puddle anywhere it was parked for any amount of time (from a couple hours to a couple weeks). No sign of leaking at all...

One day, I stopped to pick up the girl I was taking back down to college with me, got out, walked around the car, and coolant was draining out and running down the street. What had happened was a bracket behind the radiator broke off and was slowly wearing its way through. For a while the hole was so small that the only time it leaked was when there was pressure in the system driving down the road. When it did leak out it would dry off before I could see it.

$300 for a new freaking radiator later, and it was fixed





4cyltuner.com - Information Source For 4 Cylinder Tuners
Buy stuff from CarCustoms Ebay! Won't be disappointed!

Shifted, thanks for the input. I will take a look at my brackets this weekend and see how that are holding up.

Quote:

Depends on where the leak in the head gasket is. If it is pouring coolant into your cylinders, then you won't see it.

How can I check and see if this is happening on my car.


FYI - its a 2.4 5 speed.


Thanks.

Chris wrote:

Quote:

Depends on where the leak in the head gasket is. If it is pouring coolant into your cylinders, then you won't see it.

How can I check and see if this is happening on my car.
FYI - its a 2.4 5 speed.
Thanks.

What your exhaust look like? Any white smoke? Also check your oil if its getting in your oil you'll have a white substance in the oil.

josh

Fast05 wrote:

Chris wrote:

Quote:

Depends on where the leak in the head gasket is. If it is pouring coolant into your cylinders, then you won't see it.

How can I check and see if this is happening on my car.
FYI - its a 2.4 5 speed.
Thanks.

What your exhaust look like? Any white smoke? Also check your oil if its getting in your oil you'll have a white substance in the oil.

josh

I think I saw white smoke over the winter. I will have to check that. I will have to check the oil as well.

If white smoke or a white substance is present. What could be the problem? Fix?

i ehard that sometimes wghen the engines get hot it evaporates? cause mine leaks a bit i can see it when jacked up. my pump leaks i just add a bit every few months

Also if you are burning coolant your exhaust will have a sweet smell to it on top of whiteish colored smoke.

Thanks for the help. When I get a chance, I will look and post back.