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Does FD eat coolant??

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Old Feb 1, 2003 | 05:32 PM
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Does FD eat coolant??

If yes, how much for weeks???
Is it a big problem if eating coolant for 1 mark from the coolant check tip in a week??
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Old Feb 1, 2003 | 05:43 PM
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Re: Does FD eat coolant??

Originally posted by sheepdin
If yes, how much for weeks???
Is it a big problem if eating coolant for 1 mark from the coolant check tip in a week??
What the hell are you talking about?

If you are a French speaking Canadian you are excused, but if you speak English this Uzi is for you:

Here's the short answer to your question (I think):

Your coolant seals are blown, it's gonna cost $5K to have it fixed.

End of story. End of thread. (we can only hope)
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Old Feb 1, 2003 | 06:24 PM
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dont be a dick stupid

no a healthy FD doesnt eat any coolant at all. but it will go through some oil. if your noticing that your coolant levels are dropping then your water seals might be letting go and the only way to solve it is to have a rebuild done. good luck
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Old Feb 1, 2003 | 06:37 PM
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sorry for my poor english~~

do i have excuse if i am an chinese speaking canadian??
lol

anyway

i found that my coolant level drops a little in a week~
the amount it drops is about 1 marking on the "check-coolant stick"
so is it normal?????


also, does the coolant rise when car is started?
i noticed that the coolant level will rise for 1 marking (1 cm) after my car been started.


thx
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Old Feb 1, 2003 | 06:45 PM
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Re: Does FD eat coolant??

Originally posted by sheepdin
If yes, how much for weeks???
Is it a big problem if eating coolant for 1 mark from the coolant check tip in a week??
NO NO AND NO SOMEMORE, our engines should not be eating any coolant at all. Are you sure that the enigne is eatign it? it could be just over flowing or something. What's your radiator fluid:water ratio and what kinda radiator fluid are you using. What pressure are your caps at? Also, what engine coolant check tip are you talking about? If your talking about the plastic resorvoir in the front passenger side of the car under the headlight cover, then I would not really worry too much about it, just keep checking the fluid in your radiator fill cap on the engine and make sure that is not low.

P.S. how do you shut down your car? if you just shut it down after running, it might overflow. (BTW: I consider this abuse )
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Old Feb 1, 2003 | 07:06 PM
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I have this happen too. Then I was told a good way to check too see if your seals are going is to open the filler neck for the coolant, then get in the car and start the car. Make sure its completely cold. Then get out of the car and look in the filler neck for bubbles. If their are bubbles then you have a seal problem and thats the gases escaping. I did this trick and had no bubbles.

Now I am gonna start looking for other problems I am pretty sure its my overflow tank. I have had coolant come out of thier numerous times before and I am certain its cracked up by its noeck...
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Old Feb 1, 2003 | 07:25 PM
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A couple of months ago... my car was loosing coolant too. just disappeared. No leaks, nothing wrong with the engine. Take it to the shop... and it was the trusty old AST. It was coming apart as i drove to the shop... if i would have driven for 10 more minutes it would have blown the way it looked. So if you have the stock AST.. you know the black plastic one that was glued together by a 3rd grader, that might be your problem.

Last edited by waysho; Feb 1, 2003 at 07:28 PM.
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Old Feb 1, 2003 | 08:45 PM
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Originally posted by sheepdin
sorry for my poor english~~

do i have excuse if i am an chinese speaking canadian??
lol

anyway

i found that my coolant level drops a little in a week~
the amount it drops is about 1 marking on the "check-coolant stick"
so is it normal?????


also, does the coolant rise when car is started?
i noticed that the coolant level will rise for 1 marking (1 cm) after my car been started.


thx
OK, you're excused. My Chinese is really bad.

It "sounds" like you have a slow coolant leak, and there are many possible sources for this:

Bad pressure cap
Bad filler cap
Hardened turbo coolant hoses (this one fools everyone since they are out of sight)
Bad AST
Bad coolant hoses anywhere else, but especially on the turbo side of the car
And let's hope the O rings are not the problem. If they are you are very lucky since small leaks can generally be fixed by Copper Block Weld.

And since you actually pay close attention to coolant levels you may have just saved your engine - good for you. Time to do some detective work. A coolant system pressure test is the first thing, but you need to leave it pressurized for 24 hours miniumum to track down the small leaks. A fast check won't tell you a thing.
A mechanic's stethescope is invaluable for listening for minute hisses while it is pressurized.
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Old Feb 1, 2003 | 10:40 PM
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Originally posted by Dragonz818

Now I am gonna start looking for other problems I am pretty sure its my overflow tank. I have had coolant come out of thier numerous times before and I am certain its cracked up by its noeck...
Anyone want to break the bad news???
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Old Feb 1, 2003 | 11:44 PM
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actually i didn't see there is the coolant leaking.
but i have check the coolant level and find out that the coolant level has dropped.
the coolant tank i was talking about is the one behind the passager side's head light.

so is the coolant level changed when the engine is hot and cold??

also are the coolant tank and the radiator connected together???
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Old Feb 2, 2003 | 12:13 AM
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Originally posted by sheepdin
actually i didn't see there is the coolant leaking.
but i have check the coolant level and find out that the coolant level has dropped.
the coolant tank i was talking about is the one behind the passager side's head light.

so is the coolant level changed when the engine is hot and cold??

also are the coolant tank and the radiator connected together???
They kinda are. some how the over flow goes to the coolant resorvior but then then stays there till the engien cools off, then it seeps back in to the engine. IDK how it does this but this is what theortically happeds. can someone explaine this more?
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Old Feb 2, 2003 | 12:24 AM
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From: Edmonton, Alberta
scare me off~

lol
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Old Feb 2, 2003 | 12:40 AM
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As you heat the car up, the coolant in the engine expands (thermal expansion), and needs a place to go. Once the pressure in the system overcomes the radiator cap pressure, it will flow through a hose attached to the AST neck into the overflow bottle. When you shut down the engine and coolant cools down, it contracts and creates a vacuum in the system, pulling the coolant from the overflow bottle back into the engine.

So, yes, the coolant level will change depending on your engine temperature. No, it should not use any coolant.

Your problem could be as simple as a leaking radiator cap or a leaking filler neck cap. But it could also be a leaking hose, or a bad coolant seal. To me, it sounds like a leaking hose or a leaking cap.
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Old Feb 2, 2003 | 12:50 AM
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Originally posted by paw140
No, it should not use any coolant.

what do u mean, paw?
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Old Feb 2, 2003 | 01:04 AM
  #15  
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I mean the engine should not 'eat' any coolant. You should never have to add any, ever, unless there is a leak somewhere.
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Old Feb 2, 2003 | 01:16 AM
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icic

thx a lot~
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Old Feb 2, 2003 | 02:37 AM
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Some good advise here. A lot of times, the coolant will leak a green stain or at least a water stain if it's leaking out. When my filler cap started to leak, I could see a water mark. Look around the filler neck and radiator hoses for signs of leaks. Check the water pump too. Good luck.
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