what are the symptoms of blown coolant seals? i think i might have blown seals.... my motor only has about 3k miles on it..

 

White smoke in the exhaust, sweet smelling.

 

sorry, forgot to mention im only running water....

i think it might just be a leak somewhere... im using 2 greddy caps though, so it couldnt be there... and a brand new upper rad hose..


my car just constantly gets too hot.....

and when it gets really hot, i notice that there is a sizzling sound...

and today i looked under the intake manifold, and there is a puddle of something sizzling on the top of the housings.... either water, or some fuel that is leaking...

i would think that the water would evaporate too quickly for me to see... unless the seals are blown?

the puddles are right below the alternator, and below the intake mani on the top of the housings...


any suggestions?

 

Well, when I had a blown coolant seal, my car was drinking coolant like it was going out of style, than my overflow tank would be full of it. Ohh, and your buzzard should be going off like mad, I ended up ghetto rigging my car and taking the sensor and grounding it. Eventually I got it rebuilt.

 

If your car is a turbo than the boiling sound is probably oil boiling in the turbo.

 

Missing coolant with no leaks present is the biggest sign. If you have a turbo model one of the most comon leaks is the water jackets that feed the turbo via the lower intake manifold. There are rubber o-rings that seal the deal from the housings to the LIM that go bad after time. The coolant will leak down onto the turbo manifold and cause smoking/steaming, etc. With the engine running at normal operating temperature you will see the leak.

 

It should NOT be leaking anywhere!

Sizzling sound means there's a LEAK somewhere!

You should NOT be using just water!
Your engine will rust from the inside out and your water pump will seize!
Coolant is used as a lubricant and rust inhibitor!
Get some coolant in there ASAP!


-Ted

 

i put antifreeze in there... about 3 cupfulls..... the temps are usually ok driving around town (1/2 way on the temp gauge, sometimes 1/3)

but when i go up to my house on the mountainside the temps go up above half EVERY time... and get close to the top of the gauge...( not to the H, but to the top of the inch or w/e section)

im hoping its just a leak somewhere. im taking it to a shop tomorrow, and they're fixing it for free....


so until then, i'll just make sure i keep putting water and antifreeze in there...


thanks,Dan

 

3 cup fulls? I though it was supposed to be around a 50/50 mix.