Coolant leak

[spoiledred94]

My coolant level loses about a gallon every 6 weeks or so. No drips or steam anywhere. I dread thinking about it going into the engine. But I got no white smoke no codes or lost performance

[xdhd350]

That's a fairly significant amount. It has to be going somewhere. Can you smell coolant when you get out of the car after shutting it off? I was leaking also, but I couldn't find it when I shut the car off and opened the hood. Only when running and revving the engine did I see the small stream coming out the bend of the upper heater elbow. Didn't even visibly leak with engine running and at idle.

Another one I had a hard time finding was a slight crack in the plastic tank of the radiator on the driver's side. It was dribbling but the view of the source was obscured by the mount and the upper hose.

Good luck,

Greg

[spoiledred94]

wow those sound like really good ideas. How long did it take you to find them?

[RJolly87]

I would throw some UV dye in the system and start looking for it with a black light at night, it should show right up.

It may also be a heater core, but that would be leaking in the cabin.

[spoiledred94]

woaakay you guys. The possibilities are very straight forward. The black light is pretty tempting. How much are those? At any rate there is no time or money right now. Iam getting married Sunday and then we're on a road trip. I'm carrying distiled water all the time now jic.

No odor outside ever. I did, though, get a strong smell of a hair salon inside after standing on her pretty regularly but that was awhile ago.

[nos4blood70]

Sounds like LIM gaskets maybe? With that much coolant loss.. I was losing about a gallon every week when my UIM failed.

[RJolly87]

Leaking from the LIM would be putting coolant in the oil which is usually detectable.

[spoiledred94]

There's two options then LIM/UIM or another leak in the coolant system that is showing up under load. How would I detect slight water/coolant in the motor?

[RJolly87]

There's two options then LIM/UIM or another leak in the coolant system that is showing up under load. How would I detect slight water/coolant in the motor?

Oil analyses

[myfirstbonnie]

133k on it.................................do the LIM gaskets, thermostat, elbows and block off the coolant ports in the LIM to the SC and not have any doubts about it. You can even do the water pump while in there.

You don't have to buy everything at once, buy a couple pieces at a time and then do it, just don't wait until she knocks.

[spoiledred94]

... I was leaking also, but I couldn't find it when I shut the car off and opened the hood. Only when running and revving the engine did I see the small stream coming out the bend of the upper heater elbow. Didn't even visibly leak with engine running and at idle....

Greg

Hey Greg that was just the ticket. Revved up the motor with the throttle at the TB and looked right where you mentioned and sure enough a little trickle came out of the upper heater elbow. Thank you.

Matt, I'll take your advice and start looking in to the LIM gasket and etc. change.

Thank You too.

[spoiledred94]

The $300 tag for the LIM etc repair is probably going to make it a few months. Water pump thermostat and block SC ports. I got time to figure this out/

I have a questio before I do the elbow repair
-Are the Dorman steel elbows good quality? Dorman 47065HP Elbow
Dorman 47065HP Elbow

[spoiledred94]

I finished the elbow replacement. No leaks yet. I used the aluminum/chrome Dorman elbows with the updated o rings and the permatex water pump/thermostat sealant. Took me 2 hrs with no real snags. Refilled with hose water. I will be trying to flush and fill with the universal coolant.