Coolant loss help.

[alerogls001]

Ok, Im losing coolant. Now this particular situation is diff than the limg... it appears to be dripping farther from the passenger side where the overflow is... so I parked at work looked underneath and then popped the hood. Looking underneath is when I noticed it wasnt coming from my regular leak behind the oil filter. See where the cig is on the ground- it was a little to the left. By the time I popped the hood the leak had stopped. There was nothing coming from the overflow itself kinda, it looks like it was coming out of the rubber tube that runs from the top of the bottle near the cap. Ive had probs before with the cap on this new reservoir (couple yrs old) and when I had the limg replaced even the mech had put the cap on crooked and had antifreeze everywhere on the way home. So with the history of the cap my best guess is something pressure related to the reservoir. The lighting in the pics suck but that is the best I could get in the parking garage. The one with the reservoir is supposed to show evidence of coolant on the frame under the rubber tube thing but I think its too dark.

[zzyzzx]

I really can't tell anything from those pics, except that it's on the passenger side of the car.

[zzyzzx]

I might help if you stated what year car and mileage.

[alerogls001]

2000 with over 200k miles. There was no coolant directly under or around the reservoir... just underneath where the hose goes down to the frame. Under the sensor in the picture (w the orange strip at the base).

[alerogls001]

Here it is with the hose outlined. It goes down to the frame. Thats where it looked like where the coolant is coming from. I guess the main question would be what is causing it to overflow there?

[Raziel]

I have had the same problem, along with another of the members here, take the cap off and put some olive oil on the threads of the cap and the purge tank, and snug it down.

The cap has somewhat of a pressure regulator in it, if the cap isn't sealed properly, the regulator doesn't work and lets the coolant escape from the purge tank through the overflow hose.

Raz

[alerogls001]

I had a feeling it would be something like that. Oh well. Thanks though and I think I will just buy a new one... isnt as expensive as I remember the last one costing me!

[AXLE]

Make sure the cap is good but, a failed head gasket can pump compressed air into the cooling system and force it out that drain tube too. Once it cools, check that by starting the motor with that cap off to see if there is bubbles being pumped into the reservoir, if not, it was probably just the cap.

[Cliff8928]

Am I the only one that sees that it appears the surge tank is cracked?

[Alerojester]

i see it too right below the hose in the picture

[AXLE]

Originally Posted by Cliff8928

Am I the only one that sees that it appears the surge tank is cracked?

Up until now.

[dbailey]

Yeap the tank is cracked. Bet that's where the leak was coming from.

[zzyzzx]

Originally Posted by dbailey

Yeap the tank is cracked. Bet that's where the leak was coming from.

That's a common problem! There is even an after-market Dorman model, although IMO Dorman parts are cheap Chinese junk that should be avoided. Get a real AC Delco one at Rock Auto.

[alerogls001]

Hmm well I don't have the old one to verify but I saw coolant coming from the hose when it was still on. I suppose it could have been going down the side but at the rate I was losing coolant it seems I would have noticed a crack. It was dirty so could just be marks.

[Redog]

Good call Cliff. I didn't see that.

That's your problem. However I'm glad others said the stuff about the cap because when you replace that bottle you very well could have that problem

[zzyzzx]

Originally Posted by Redog

Good call Cliff. I didn't see that.

That's your problem. However I'm glad others said the stuff about the cap because when you replace that bottle you very well could have that problem

I think even one of the replacement overflow tanks comes with the cap. It's recommended to replace the cap at the same time.

[alerogls001]

^ Yep, this is the second one I've bought and both came with new caps.

[zzyzzx]

Originally Posted by alerogls001

^ Yep, this is the second one I've bought and both came with new caps.

I think it's the Dorman model that comes with the cap. I think it's really just AC Delco and Dorman are your only choices.

And the reason you bought a second one is? Did the first Dorman one break, so you ran out and bought another Dorman one?

The last two Dorman products I bought only lasted a month.

[alerogls001]

Dude, I didn't think anything of the brand. After I replaced the original, the Dorman lasted roughly 4 years. Hopefully this one will last that long as well....