Humor my ramblings here...

There are no external leaks. block and head are clean and dry. Oil does not look like chocolate milk nor does it have air bubbles. Coolant in reservoir is also clean, coolant was dumped and replaced a few years ago when I changed my T-stat. The car runs cool as a cucumber, cruising around 172*. Fans only kick on if I'm idling for several minutes (tuned to turn on fans at 196*) and the temp rapidly drops back into the 170s even while sitting.
Car seems to run ok but doesn't like as much timing as it used to with the same mods.

However, every 3 or 4 weeks I get the "LOW COOLANT" msg on the dash and the reservoir only has about 2 inches of coolant in it. I fill it up to the full mark with 50/50 pre-mixed dex cool.

My first thought is small head gasket leak, burning off the coolant in the cylinders, although it doesn't smell like anyone's having pancakes for breakfast.

The car has 72K miles. I have had many different mods on there from stage 2, to small pullied m62 with methanol, to TVS blower.

I haven't been able to work on the car since I moved and don't have a garage or many tools at my immediate disposal, but I'm thinking I should find a compression tester and start there?

 

my car has done this since ive owned it. 30k miles back in sept of 07 to now with 156 k, i have filled it up with coolant every other oil change or so. leak down tester would be a good idea as a compression tester wont tell you much unless there is a major issue. i tested my compression about a month ago with all cylinders between 190-195 psi.

i think im gonna pick up a leakdown tester soon though to really check. there is no indication that coolant is making it into the combustion chamber, so i really think its my heater core, but i hear its a serious pain to get to.

 

I had that problem once after a few head gaskets that did not fix it a different engine did

 

yeah mine has been doing this ever since i got it with 26K on it, i have 64K on it now.

I popped the valve cover and it was pretty dark, so im assuming the HG is leaking a small amount ... same exact description in the OP.

I got a new LSJ-Ion head to put on soo hopefully a new HG will fix the problemo.

 

Magic?

 

Just for fun I did a compression and leakdown test about 2.5 years ago before I got rid of the TVS (17k miles ago) and everything was perfect, but it didn't seem to be using coolant then. I think I may have topped coolant off like twice in its life before last year. This stuff just started happening more frequently over the winter. I'm not even getting to each oil change, it's about every month, or every 1000 miles (Car doesn't get driven far)

If it was the heater core I think it would smell inside the car and blow out of the vents possibly. I've had heater cores go on trucks before and it smelled like maple syrup and my windshield was covered with coolant residue when I used the defroster.

Anyone have an idea of what parts and labor run for a head gasket change? I don't have the space or tools to do it myself anymore so I will have to go to a garage
I know I'll at least need a gasket kit, head bolts or studs, and exhaust manifold studs and re-tap threads since they're almost stripped out from several header swaps.

 

I also have this problem. It only seems to happen when my fan kicks in or I have my AC on for an extended period of time. I'm pretty sure I have a small leak in my rad and when the fan is on it pulls the coolant out of the rad through the small hole if that makes any sense haha.

 

I have the exact same problem as you described.

Nothing to suggest a leak, or bad head gasket. Tuned for the same 196* then the fans come on.

I'm having a hard time figuring it out. I'm assuming it's a very small leak in the gasket or I never got the air pockets out properly when I installed my front mount h/e.

CED sells the head gasket kit for $200, new studs, bolts and gaskets.

 

Don't just throw parts at it. Find out what the actual cause is. If it goes two weeks in between needing coolant then just top it off as necessary until you can find out what it is.

 

Going to buy a leak tester from Autozone tonight.

 

The h/e does not share the same coolant system as the engine, so that won't be the cause.

The problem I ran into last time I did a leakdown test was keeping the cylinder at TDC while pressurizing the cylinder. the pressure from the compressor forces the piston to the bottom, and theoretically the valves will never be closed at that point. I ended up partially removing the cams to close the valves regardless of the piston position. Major PITA, huge waste of time, and not the correct way to do it.

 

Welp i took it to my friend's shop and he pressurized the coolant system @15 psi. After waiting a short while it lost about 4 psi. put it back up to 15 and it lost another couple psi after a brief wait. So off with its head! lol im a little drunk right now.

 

Are you sure it isn't a small leak from the radiator or intercooler? It could have a small drip. Well never mind.

 

If the radiator or hoses were leaking I'd see it on the ground or atleast on the bottom of the radiator/core support.

It is getting the combustion leak test in 2 weeks at a local performance shop.

 

Combustion leak test results = negative, and now the pressure isn't dropping in the coolant system like it did when we tested it 3 weeks ago

Having an oil sample sent out for analysis. It's only $20 so I figured why not.
Also having my mechanic check the LCA bushings, strut mounts, and clutch. Might as well get everything looked at while he has it.

 

Just like I thought. the clunking and vibrations are from the LCA bushings being toast on the passenger side. Also the sway bar end link bushings are done and the brake rotors started pulsing the other day (warped). F me

 

parts wear out

 

Hi everyone!

Thanks for the input. I have been topping mine off every 6 or 7 days for about a year now. A/C smells funny when its blowing hot on start up. Does not smell like maple syrup. Sort of moist smell with hot rubber blended in that goes away when it starts blowing cold air. Or maybe I just get used to the smell and can't detect any more. No leaks or residue to indicate there is one. Carpet is dry too. ???? Just chiming in as one of the stumped people.

 

Yup, parts wear out. seems like everything is taking a **** all at once though. Having a hard time with the thought of dumping a bunch of $ in a 9 year old car.

Adding coolant every week is way excessive. Check around your engine for leaks. see if there is fluid on any hoses or on any part of the engine. check your T-stat housing. My first guess would be heater core but if you had that much fluid leaking out of it, it would definitely be on your floor board and smell like maple syrup.

 

did you not do a head gasket

 

ya'll are missing a simple test lol

let the car sit for 48 hours or until you see a coolant missing. You can speed the process up by pressurizing the cooling system with coolant in it.

Take out your spark plugs and then Q-tip(a q-tip taped securely to a long dowel rod and move it around in the cylinder. When you get a wet one then there you go! If not then your leak is somewhere else.

Also note that todays head bolts are not reusable. They stretch. And with that you may need to check to ensure they are sill tight to spec. If you find a loose one then tighten it and replace it soon.

Note: Heads warp and if you don't have them died and shaved they wont go back on right.

NEVER pull a head because you suspect something but have solid evidence to back it up! Swab those cylinders and then go from there.

 

Nope. Not gonna pull the head until I find out what is wrong for sure, like reddragon72 said.

First we did the coolant system pressure test. set it to 15psi and it lost 5. set it to 15 again and it held quite steady. Then did the combustion / dye test, nothing showing up in the coolant. Pulled the plugs and checked for moisture in the cylinders. Nothing. Sent a pint of oil out for chemical analysis and should hear back by this Friday.

Pulling the head will be an expensive venture. Gotta have the head checked for leaks and have the surface decked (although I doubt it warped since it has never came close to overheating).

Additionally, my fuel gauge is going whacky (again). Fuel Sending unit replaced twice already. Car has electrical gremlins (BCM related). A long time ago it started tripping almost every EVAP DTC in the list which I deleted with HPT. (I pressurized and smoke tested the EVAP with no evidence of leaks, replaced purge solenoids and gas cap)
This combined with the lower control arm bushings being bad, worn sway bar end links, and my cheap catback falling apart with a burnt out muffler sounding awful...

I've about had it. I realize a 9 yr old car will have it's issues but I'm debating whether it's worth sinking $ into.

/rant
kthxbai.

 

I'd get rid of it.

 

pull the valve cover and have a look

 

My old Jeep did this. It ended up being the worlds smallest pin hole in the plastic radiator end tank. No fluid anywhere and it never overheated but it was slowly evaporating out of the hole so every 5 weeks or so I had to put a quart or two of coolant into it. Eventually the end tank split and it started leaking badly but it took about a year or so.