"Eating" Anti-Freeze/Coolant?

Tuse31 · 12-12-2010, 05:34 PM

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

cherrington17 · 12-12-2010, 05:35 PM

headgaskets or its leaking out of the LIMG under the TB. Take a look under there, see if there is a pool of coolant

Lucalare · 12-12-2010, 06:40 PM

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)

Tuse31 · 12-12-2010, 07:37 PM

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)

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?

Lucalare · 12-12-2010, 08:01 PM

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.

Stickybuddz420 · 12-12-2010, 09:50 PM

Odd my car started going thru coolant slowly when it started getting cold aswell.

Tuse31 · 12-12-2010, 10:22 PM

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.

Lucalare · 12-12-2010, 11:27 PM

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.

zzyzzx · 12-13-2010, 10:27 AM

I also think you have a leak that you have not found yet.

Redog · 12-13-2010, 12:32 PM

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

Tuse31 · 12-13-2010, 09:00 PM

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!

Redog · 12-14-2010, 02:28 AM

If he knows 60* V6's, he'll have it done fast

xXManwhoreXx · 12-14-2010, 11:25 AM

No joke if he has owned Aleros than he should have in done in a couple of hours.

Tuse31 · 12-27-2010, 01:15 AM

I hope so. I may bring it to his shop this week. Just to get a quote. Thanks again everyone for the help.

alerored04 · 12-28-2010, 10:05 PM

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.

Tuse31 · 12-31-2010, 10:33 PM

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.