the mysterious disappearing coolant
08-14-2007, 01:06 PM
#1
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the mysterious disappearing coolant
so this morning on my way to work my truck (22re + 5 speed) started overheating. it got all the way to the top of the "normal" range and i turned it off. i was able to coast to a gas station. the heat was blowing cold, so i knew i was out of coolant. no problem, bought some coolant and was back on the road in no time. here's my question: where did my coolant go?
i can think of 3 places for it to go.
1. it can leak onto the ground
2. it can leak into the block
3. it can get into the combustion chamber
here's the problem:
1. no visible leaks at home, work, or gas station
2. this would turn the oil milky white. my oil is normal, pitch black.
3. this would cause a lot of smoke to come out of the tail pipe, white smoke, if i remember right. i have no smoke whatsoever. it would also change the smell of the exhaust, right? and i have no noticable difference in smell.
soooooo what happened to my coolant? any other thoughts that i didn't think about?
i can think of 3 places for it to go.
1. it can leak onto the ground
2. it can leak into the block
3. it can get into the combustion chamber
here's the problem:
1. no visible leaks at home, work, or gas station
2. this would turn the oil milky white. my oil is normal, pitch black.
3. this would cause a lot of smoke to come out of the tail pipe, white smoke, if i remember right. i have no smoke whatsoever. it would also change the smell of the exhaust, right? and i have no noticable difference in smell.
soooooo what happened to my coolant? any other thoughts that i didn't think about?
08-14-2007, 01:24 PM
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check all your small hoses. i had a small, i mean small, pin hole in a hose under my intake. took me forever to find it. i could smell coolant, ever once in a while, but could never see any. thought i had a bad injector, had the truck running and noticed a little mist floating around. shut the truck off got a mirror and a light and found the leaking hose. that is my two cents of advice
Last edited by TORTIS; 08-14-2007 at 01:31 PM.
08-14-2007, 01:38 PM
#4
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Last time I blew a HG and had coolant loss into the combustion chamber, I didn't see much smoke other than at start up after sitting for a long time.
What I did notice was that I'd overheat pretty easily (pressure on the radiator cap) before I was really out of coolant.
Hopefully that's not your problem.
You've got the bases covered. Fill her up with water, let her run in the driveway for a while watching the temp. The coolant has to go somewhere.
What I did notice was that I'd overheat pretty easily (pressure on the radiator cap) before I was really out of coolant.
Hopefully that's not your problem.
You've got the bases covered. Fill her up with water, let her run in the driveway for a while watching the temp. The coolant has to go somewhere.
08-14-2007, 01:50 PM
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it drove all the way home with no problem, coolant level still appears to be maxed out. i'll have to check it again in a few days.
i doubt i blew a head gasket, it still runs perfectly like it always has. no problems starting, idling, accelerating, etc.
i doubt i blew a head gasket, it still runs perfectly like it always has. no problems starting, idling, accelerating, etc.
08-14-2007, 02:51 PM
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Same here, runs like a champ. When it starts to run hot, I'll pop the radiator cap and fill it up. Usually about 1/2 to 3/4's of a gallon. This is not an everyday thing, maybe a couple weeks. I drive atleast 50 miles a day m-f. I'll try looking for pin hole leaks. Every once in a while I can smell fluid, but I don't see "mist." I'm thinking it's hitting the header and evaporating. Wild guess.
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08-14-2007, 04:03 PM
#11
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An external leak can be quite small, and leak only under pressure. With many green and yellow-green coolants, you won't see a trail at all, the stuff can evaporate before it hits the ground, if it's only seeeping.
Ditto a head gasket leak, it can be small, and take many days for coolant to run low. A failed rad cap or thermostat can also lead to loss of coolant.
Top it up like you have already, then drive it for a few days, and re-check your levels (cold engine).
Squeeze the rad hoses and make sure you can't hear gurgling in the reservoir (failed cap!).
Let us know what you find out.
HTH.
08-14-2007, 04:15 PM
#12
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I had the same problem recently and found it to be a small crack in the plastic tank on the front of the radiator. I was smelling coolant for months but couldn't find the leak until it cracked further.
08-14-2007, 04:17 PM
#13
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Caps are cheap. Anytime I have any concerns about my cooling system at all the cap is the first thing I replace. They most definitely go bad and pretty regularly too.
08-15-2007, 03:42 AM
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[QUOTE=ovrrdrive;50593776]Caps don't work on temperature, they work on pressure. The cap on a yota is a 13lb cap and it should take 13 pounds of pressure to move the stopper in the cap far enough to allow an overflow.QUOTE]
Oh yeah, duh.
Oh yeah, duh.
08-15-2007, 06:05 AM
#16
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Do an oil test
I had a similar problem with coolant loss. I too assumed that the oil would be emusified from the coolant, but it was not. A problem with coolant in the oil is that the water cooks off, leaving the glycol in the oil. I never did find the leak, but the engine was ruined, and I just replaced it. I suspect that it was the head gasket. An oil test, try Herguth Labs, will tell you if there is coolant in the oil.
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