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why does my car use so much coolant?

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Old Jun 18, 2003 | 12:01 AM
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why does my car use so much coolant?

my car drinks massive coolant. i don't get any white/bluish smoke in my exhaust. I never seen any coolant leaking while im driving it or after i drive it. could my caps be switched? (13 lbs on the driver's side and 16 lbs. on the passenger's side) my car can just sit overnight right after i filled it w/ coolant and i'll come back to start my car and the warning buzzer goes off and im out of coolant. there's no coolant on the floor and as i said i can't find a leak anywhere. any ideas?
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Old Jun 18, 2003 | 12:28 AM
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Try this- when the car is completely cooled off (overnight) turn it on, and let it warm up to operating tempature, with the cap off- if you see small bubbles coming up- your seals are bad.
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Old Jun 18, 2003 | 05:55 AM
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Mine was eating coolant with no visible leaks. I'm in rebuild mode now.

It is possible that you have a leak in your coolant line to your overflow.

So coolant is draining to your overflow but not drawing vaccuum to get sucked back in.
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Old Jun 18, 2003 | 07:35 AM
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Ownd-ring failed!

Sorry kid, this is going to be expensive...
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Old Jun 18, 2003 | 08:17 AM
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how hard did u search for leaks? it is VERY hard to find a leak just by looking a bit aroung- it can also be that one of the hoses doenst leak,but doesnt hold vacuum, so when your engine cools down, the water stays in the overflow instead of being sucked back.
try to make a pressure test or use tracer dyes

for example: http://www.fluoro-dye.com/
google is your friend
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Old Jun 18, 2003 | 08:39 AM
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It sure sounds to me like the coolant is not being drawn back from the overflow tank during cool off.. I would pressure test the system and very carfully check the tubing from the overflow to the AST and both caps.. I had the same problem and it was the cap on the thermastat housing sealing under pressure but leaking under vacuum.. good luck...
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Old Jun 18, 2003 | 12:48 PM
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Re: why does my car use so much coolant?

Originally posted by ska*utomatic
my car drinks massive coolant. i don't get any white/bluish smoke in my exhaust. I never seen any coolant leaking while im driving it or after i drive it. could my caps be switched? (13 lbs on the driver's side and 16 lbs. on the passenger's side) my car can just sit overnight right after i filled it w/ coolant and i'll come back to start my car and the warning buzzer goes off and im out of coolant. there's no coolant on the floor and as i said i can't find a leak anywhere. any ideas?
Nothing wrong with your car, you've just acquired the PoMan Water Injection system.

I have the same problem; blockwelded 3 times since last year to no good, it was using 8 oz every 50 miles so I stuck on a Volvo S70 AST. Worked for 6 mos., but now it's using 32 oz. I'm getting to pull the motor and replace it with a Malloy Reman.
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Old Jun 18, 2003 | 01:12 PM
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coolant is not getting drawn back into the system, due to the fact that the o-rings have failed and they are letting so much exhaust gas into the system that it is (added pressure in the system) pushing coolant into the overflow until it pisses out the top.

Don't shoot the messanger...I hope this is not your case.
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Old Jun 18, 2003 | 02:00 PM
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Lightbulb

My original motor went at 63k miles due to bad coolant seals. I was blowing massive white smoke at the tailpipe at startup and the car would hard start due to coolant on the spark plugs. If an O-ring is degraded, then coolant is leaking into the combustion chamber. If you don't have any smoke at all out the tailpipe, I wouldn't throw in the towel just yet......
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Old Jun 19, 2003 | 12:46 PM
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From: slc, ut
thanks for you replys i'll have to check all this stuff out tonight. i think you guys are probably right about the coolant not getting sucked back in
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