12-12-2010, 05:34 PM
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#1
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GX Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 69
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"Eating" Anti-Freeze/Coolant?
Hey everybody, I think I've got a weird probelm. I've searched for this but I couldn't find anything so here it goes... the problem is my car seems to be "eating up" coolant. I have to fill my coolant tank about two or three times a month. I thought it was the LIMG, but my oil doesn't seem very coffee colored and my car isn't over heating the least bit. It stays at the midline on the temperature gauge. The coolant just seems to disappear. There aren't any noticable leaks that I could see either.
I just filled it back up this morning from being completely empty. I'm using Dexacool approved coolant also. Just recently my "low oil" light started coming on when i start my car, but goes off as soon as I drive for a little bit. I also checked my oil this morning and it seems to be at the normal level. My last oil change was a couple months ago, I think.. My coolant light also comes on every two weeks when it's time to re-fill it. I don't know what's going on. I live in Minnesota and it's been pretty cold and snowy the last few days. Can someone please give me a link or advice on what to do? I'm not a mechanic by any means and from what i've searched there isn't anything like my problem.
Thanks,
Tom
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12-12-2010, 05:35 PM
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#2
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Gone
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Lockport Ny
Posts: 19,244
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headgaskets or its leaking out of the LIMG under the TB. Take a look under there, see if there is a pool of coolant
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12-12-2010, 06:40 PM
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#3
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GLS member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Valley City, ND
Posts: 999
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Sounds like a head gasket or LIMG to me too. Pull out your dipstick and put some oil on a hot exhaust manifold. If it bubbles(boils), you have coolant in it. Also the oil could be rings, try lighting your oil on fire(on the dipstick) and if it goes within about 3 seconds, you have gas in your oil, which signifies a bad ring(s)
__________________
2003 Alero GL2 LA1: pacesetter cat back, Energy Speed WAI, Magnaflow downpipe/cat, tinted tail lights, and polished letters on intake manifold.
1987 Honda Rebel 450
1967 Buick Riviera 430 Wildcat: roadworthy but needs restoration.
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12-12-2010, 07:37 PM
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#4
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GX Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 69
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lucalare
Sounds like a head gasket or LIMG to me too. Pull out your dipstick and put some oil on a hot exhaust manifold. If it bubbles(boils), you have coolant in it. Also the oil could be rings, try lighting your oil on fire(on the dipstick) and if it goes within about 3 seconds, you have gas in your oil, which signifies a bad ring(s)
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Alright, thanks for the help. I'll try those two methods. About how much would it cost to fix bad rings or a head gasket? I read that the LIMG was about $700... is this correct?
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12-12-2010, 08:01 PM
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#5
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GLS member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Valley City, ND
Posts: 999
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Well bad rings you're talking about pulling apart the whole block, and I'm not really sure. Head gasket is just one step farther than LIMG. how many miles are on your car, if it's less than 150k I doubt your rings are bad.
__________________
2003 Alero GL2 LA1: pacesetter cat back, Energy Speed WAI, Magnaflow downpipe/cat, tinted tail lights, and polished letters on intake manifold.
1987 Honda Rebel 450
1967 Buick Riviera 430 Wildcat: roadworthy but needs restoration.
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12-12-2010, 09:50 PM
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#6
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GX Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Michigan
Posts: 123
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Odd my car started going thru coolant slowly when it started getting cold aswell.
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12-12-2010, 10:22 PM
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#7
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GX Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 69
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I have about 96K Miles on my car. Would the cold weather have any effect on it? When I poured more coolant in today it seemed a little thicker and more dense than usual.
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12-12-2010, 11:27 PM
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#8
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GLS member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Valley City, ND
Posts: 999
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Lower temperatures shouldn't make the car use coolant. For it to be thicker is understandable in the cold, but that still shouldn't make the car use coolant.
__________________
2003 Alero GL2 LA1: pacesetter cat back, Energy Speed WAI, Magnaflow downpipe/cat, tinted tail lights, and polished letters on intake manifold.
1987 Honda Rebel 450
1967 Buick Riviera 430 Wildcat: roadworthy but needs restoration.
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12-13-2010, 10:27 AM
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#9
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GLS member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Baltimore, MD USA
Posts: 5,529
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I also think you have a leak that you have not found yet.
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12-13-2010, 12:32 PM
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#10
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Aleromod part owner
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Far Northeast Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 18,199
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I agree that you have a leak you have yet to find. If your oil isn't yucky you may be leaking coolant out of the side of the LIMG.
Look around where the lower intake meets the head. I've had this problem 3 times (twice was crappy gaskets, the 3rd time was a crappy job ) and only once was the coolant going into the oil.
I paid $600 every time except for the place that effed up the job. I wouldn't pay more than $800 for this
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33% ALEROMOD OWNER!!
2000 Olds Alero 3400 SFI 14.53 @ 94.93
1985 Olds Delta 88 307 SBO 17.96 @ 76.99
2007 Volvo V50 T5 6M 15.782 @ 89.12
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12-13-2010, 09:00 PM
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#11
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GX Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 69
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I think I'll call my mechanic since most of you guys said I have a leak. He specializes in Aleros. He's owned two himself and I'll let him know to look at the LIMG and ask on a price. He is doesn't charge much for his work so hopefully I'll get a cheap-ish price on a repair. Thanks everyone for the help and advice!
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12-14-2010, 02:28 AM
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#12
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Aleromod part owner
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Far Northeast Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 18,199
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If he knows 60* V6's, he'll have it done fast
__________________
33% ALEROMOD OWNER!!
2000 Olds Alero 3400 SFI 14.53 @ 94.93
1985 Olds Delta 88 307 SBO 17.96 @ 76.99
2007 Volvo V50 T5 6M 15.782 @ 89.12
www.facebook.com/kb0177
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12-14-2010, 11:25 AM
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#13
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GLS member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Indiana
Posts: 3,201
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No joke if he has owned Aleros than he should have in done in a couple of hours.
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12-27-2010, 01:15 AM
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#14
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GX Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 69
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I hope so. I may bring it to his shop this week. Just to get a quote. Thanks again everyone for the help.
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12-28-2010, 10:05 PM
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#15
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GLS member
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: New Prague, MN
Posts: 2,481
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Where in MN are you at? I am in New Prague, which is 30 min south of the twin cities. If your mechanic cannot figure it out or is too expensive shoot me a pm on here, I have done 6-7 limg jobs in the past. I might be able to help.
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12-31-2010, 10:33 PM
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#16
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GX Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 69
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I'm in the northern Suburbs. He was too busy to take a look at it this week with the holidays.
alerored04 - I will definitely contact you if it is really expensive or he doesn't know what's going on. Thank you. I really appreciate the offer. And I'm likin' your Alero, it looks great.
Last edited by Tuse31 : 12-31-2010 at 10:38 PM.
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