Question... Loosing coolant.
02-19-08, 10:02 PM
#1
Lima!!!
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Question... Loosing coolant.
Hey guys, I recently noticed that I am loosing coolant on my 7. (N/A S4 1988 Vert) About 4 months ago my car had Cooling issues and began running hot, I never let the car get over 2/3 on the Temp Gauge because I know i cannot afford to rebuild now. Once it reached about 2/3 on the gauge i pulled over to the side let it idle for a minute and shut it off, I don't drive for very long distances so it wasn't a big deal. It turned out to that the Water pump was failing and leaking. After replacing it, the car began to run perfectly and now i recently noticed that i am loosing coolant.
I had replaced the water pump about a week after I began having cooling problems, I am not loosing much coolant. I check it every time i check my oil level which is about every 700 - 1000 miles, and by then i usually add about 1/2 - 1 quart of oil, but about every month or so i have to add coolant to my reservoir. The radiator was full but the reservoir was empty. I did a radiator flush today topped off the radiator and filled the reservoir to the proper level, and checked the engine bay for any coolant leak. There weren't any leaks that i could find. Also the car doesn't smoke, it only smokes in a cold start, basically with the cold start process, when it revs itself to 3k for warm up. So I don't think it is the coolant seals...
OK... sorry for the long explanation, but my question is:
Do I have anything to worry about?
Can anyone tell me of any places where coolant may leak, that I may have missed?
I had replaced the water pump about a week after I began having cooling problems, I am not loosing much coolant. I check it every time i check my oil level which is about every 700 - 1000 miles, and by then i usually add about 1/2 - 1 quart of oil, but about every month or so i have to add coolant to my reservoir. The radiator was full but the reservoir was empty. I did a radiator flush today topped off the radiator and filled the reservoir to the proper level, and checked the engine bay for any coolant leak. There weren't any leaks that i could find. Also the car doesn't smoke, it only smokes in a cold start, basically with the cold start process, when it revs itself to 3k for warm up. So I don't think it is the coolant seals...
OK... sorry for the long explanation, but my question is:
Do I have anything to worry about?
Can anyone tell me of any places where coolant may leak, that I may have missed?
02-19-08, 11:39 PM
#2
A little coolant every 1,000 miles? I wouldn't worry, as long as you keep refilling. A leak that slow is gonna be hard to find without thoroughly cleaning your engine bay first. I'd check hose connections, thermostat gasket and pressure cap.
It shouldn't be getting over 1/3 too often, or you may have some minor cooling issues. The most common causes are the thermostat, fan clutch, gaps around the radiator (letting air get around), no plastic undertray (same reason), or air bubbles. Search forums for more info.
It shouldn't be getting over 1/3 too often, or you may have some minor cooling issues. The most common causes are the thermostat, fan clutch, gaps around the radiator (letting air get around), no plastic undertray (same reason), or air bubbles. Search forums for more info.
02-20-08, 12:22 AM
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Lima!!!
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Well, I don't think its for every 1000 miles. Last month i drove to West Palm Beach From my house in Pembroke Pines... Well, it's about 300 mile drive(round trip), I filled up then and now then today. It's only been driven about 1400 miles since then (including the trip). I actually got it driving in the middle of December cuz i needed a trans and diff... it never gets over 1/4 and gets to about 1/3 during hard driving or when i'm on the highway at a constant 90-100 mph... i let the car run for about 5-10 minutes with the cap off to get any air out.
The car is also due for a tune up, next time i get paid im going to buy a thermostat, new plugs, wires, oil change, new belts, and any hoses if needed, ill check the radiator caps to see of they need replacing, and all the filters.
The car is also due for a tune up, next time i get paid im going to buy a thermostat, new plugs, wires, oil change, new belts, and any hoses if needed, ill check the radiator caps to see of they need replacing, and all the filters.
Last edited by al0389; 02-20-08 at 12:45 AM.
02-20-08, 04:21 AM
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One way to check is start it up with radiator cap off and look for bubbles if any.
If none...then you probably have a leak somewhere. Since it happened AFTER you changed the water pump, you may have a leak at the housing. Did you use gasket and silicone? You should be able to see a white residue if it is leaking in that area.
If none...then you probably have a leak somewhere. Since it happened AFTER you changed the water pump, you may have a leak at the housing. Did you use gasket and silicone? You should be able to see a white residue if it is leaking in that area.
02-21-08, 01:04 AM
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Lima!!!
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One way to check is start it up with radiator cap off and look for bubbles if any.
If none...then you probably have a leak somewhere. Since it happened AFTER you changed the water pump, you may have a leak at the housing. Did you use gasket and silicone? You should be able to see a white residue if it is leaking in that area.
If none...then you probably have a leak somewhere. Since it happened AFTER you changed the water pump, you may have a leak at the housing. Did you use gasket and silicone? You should be able to see a white residue if it is leaking in that area.
I can't really remember if i did replace the washers, i most likely did, but am not sure.
02-21-08, 01:21 AM
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no he means like a soda kind of bubbling...little ****.....if you see that like all the time, then that measn you have a coolant seal leak andyour engine is speanking to you.....you should check your exhaust to see if your smoking longer and whiter than your suposed to.....and smell it....its supposed to smell like oil, if it smells sweet then, it is what it is
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02-21-08, 10:24 PM
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Lima!!!
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no he means like a soda kind of bubbling...little ****.....if you see that like all the time, then that measn you have a coolant seal leak andyour engine is speanking to you.....you should check your exhaust to see if your smoking longer and whiter than your suposed to.....and smell it....its supposed to smell like oil, if it smells sweet then, it is what it is
02-21-08, 10:46 PM
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no oil? thats odd......well....you should check the heater lines you could have a slow leak that may actually be in the car.....thats always a possibility especialy since they could go unnoticed
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