Where does the coolant go?

[AZmike]

My car has a very slow coolant leak. I've gone through a gallon of coolant mixture over the last 7000 miles or so. During that time I have replaced the radiator (different reason), upper and lower radiator hoses and the thermostat. I have no puddles. There is no oil-coolant mixing. Where do you think it's going? My dad thought it might be the head gasket, but I'd like some other opinions before I tear my engine apart on a hunch. The exhaust doesn't smell sweet, but the leak is so slow I don't think that counts the gasket out. I haven't replaced my water pump, but wouldn't that make a small puddle if it was lealking, right?

I think it been doing this since I got it, but it whas been getting a little worse in the last year or so.

Thanks in advance.

[A20A1]

Check the cap on the resivoir and the small hose that goes to it... they may be loose.

[BoredRec]

Things to check:
Radiator Cap (might not be holding pressure and coolant is steaming out)
Bypass Hoses ( small enuf leak where they'll never reach the floor, just dry up into crusty's on the car)
Water Pump (check the side next to the alternator for a crusty trail)

[Dutchboy]

check were the hoses go into the heater control...

its by the firewall ....follow the hoses that run to the back and theres a heater control thing....theres a cable that runs into it that opens up the valve to allow more fluid throught the heater core...

mine was leaking at the hose fitting a while back and i was loosing fluid slowly too like you have.....got a new clamp and its good now..

BEn

[AZmike]

Ok, I know the radiator cap is good. I can open it halfway when it's hot and the pressure it was holding in sends some hot coolant into the reserve tank. The resevior cap is tight, but I haven't tanken a good look at all the hoses yet.

Any other ideas?

[shepherd79]

are you sure your headgasket is not leaking and you are not burning coolant slowly.

[AZmike]

Originally posted by shepherd79
are you sure your headgasket is not leaking and you are not burning coolant slowly.

No, I'm not sure. That's what I'm trying to verify by checking everyone else's suggestions first. If I do another thorough inspection and everything listed looks ok then I'll have to pull the head off.

[dosh8er]

i don't blame you. I've been patiently waiting on my car... i have a similar problem. I'm not sure if it's the water pump or not... i don't see any crusties..

I do occasionally see a drop of coolant on the asphalt.. damn that sucks.. it's been hard as hell to find.

I need to get a hold of a black light.
I would suggest you get one, go out at night and turn it on. The coolant will glow, where ever it might be...

[AZmike]

I tried the black light trick and it didn't work. It was daytime so I didn't want to have the car running in an enclosed space while I tried to find the glowing. I'll try again sometime when it's darker and I have really take a god look. My project that weekend was a new master cylinder, so I let the cooling system slide.

[anchovies]

Run the engine and press on the hoses. See if you find anything.

[ACCORD EX]

does the resivoir have a cap on it ! ??

wow i don't have it !

MIKE

[rocky2]

Try some "Bars leak" stuff works excellent. Alloy heads and steel blocks sometimes never seal by themselves using new gaskets anyway.

[AZmike]

Originally posted by ACCORD EX
does the resivoir have a cap on it ! ??

wow i don't have it !

MIKE

...not until about 4 months ago when I saw one at the junk. I never knew it was even supposed to be capped. Hasn't had any affect on the coolant loss though.

Do those additives have any side effects? Couldn't the junk that stops the leaks also clog the radiator passages?

[BoredRec]

Originally posted by 89LXi4dr
Do those additives have any side effects? Couldn't the junk that stops the leaks also clog the radiator passages?

I personally don't like them, they can clog up the radiator and heater core.
I had one customer come into the shop complaining of no heat. Everything checked fine, blend door, water valve, blower motor. So I pulled off the hose to the water valve and found a huge chunk of stop leak that had rested there all summer cuz she always kept it in the closed position. Now that it was getting cold she wanted heat, but all the stop leak had turned into stop flow.

[shepherd79]

i tried one like few years ago, and my when winter came up, my heater didn't work, so i figured it was cloged, man i was right. i flushed that thing so many times. i saw junks of that shit i putt in flying off. From that moment on, i will never putt anyting in my coolant or oil system.

[AZmike]

Yeah, that's what I thought. I always liked the expression: "if it's easy you're doing it wrong." Once again, it sounds like it's right.

Any more suggestions on doing it the hard way?