[V8] Trouble finding a coolant leak

[Coleman, David]

How long have you been monitoring the loss?

A couple weeks after I replaced its expansion tank, my '91 started slowly losing coolant for a while, perhaps a mouthful every two days.  Did have the white-ish evidence on the inner fenderwell that Dave H. mentioned, but I wasn't sure if it was new or from the previously repaired leak.  So I routinely topped it off for a week, and it essentially cured itself.

So I'm not sure if there was some hose connection that was taking its sweet time to seat, or perhaps an air pocket was moving it's way through the system.    

In any event, in an attempt to help you out karma-wise: it's definitely a head gasket.

-DaveC.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: v8-bounces at audifans.com 
> [mailto:v8-bounces at audifans.com] On Behalf Of George Tur
> Sent: Thursday, December 30, 2004 11:28 AM
> To: v8 at audifans.com
> Subject: Re: [V8] Trouble finding a coolant leak
> 
> On Thursday 30 December 2004 03:18 am, Ed Kellock wrote:
> > Check the fitting on the bottom of the coolant recovery 
> tank.  It can 
> > crack and leak with very little or no obvious evidence to give it 
> > away.  The V8 tank is specific due to the orientation of the small 
> > outlet on the top, but others can be used as long as you're 
> ready to 
> > replace the small hose from the top of the tank to the top 
> of the rad.
> >
> >From: Kneale Brownson <knotnook at traverse.com>
> >To: getur at optonline.net, v8 at audifans.com
> > 
> >Your symptoms commonly are described for a leak from the seal at the 
> >rear of the engine at the plumbing for the coolant 
> reservoir.  I think 
> >it's an O-ring.  Coolant "disappears" onto the exhaust.  
> There's also 
> >the possibility of a head gasket leak.
> >
> >From: Dave Head <v8q at bellsouth.net>
> > To: getur at optonline.net, v8newlist <V8 at www.audifans.com>
> > 
> >Sure - but the 3 main places you will lose coolant are 1. 
> Reservoir - 
> >cracked outlet neck on the bottom (most likely) 2. Bad upper hose - 
> >pinhole leak at one of the bends a few inches from where 
> they enter the 
> >head 3. Bad heater hoses
> >
> >With it heated up, is it maintaining pressure?
> >Look at the inner fender liner behind and below the reservoir - and 
> >whiteish streaking on the plastic?
> >
> >From: quattro <allanvega at adelphia.net>
> > To: getur at optonline.net
> >Not to alarm you, but if you cant see or smell 
> it......chances are its 
> >leaking into the combustion chamber or oil. If your oil 
> looks normal, 
> >then it may be leaking into the cobustion chamber. I would have a 
> >presure check of the cooling system done to be sure. If it 
> is  leaking 
> >you will have to rplace at least one head gasket. At that 
> point you may 
> >as well do the timeing belt and water pump as the belt will 
> have to be removedf anyhow..
> >Allan
> 
> ***********
> Thanks for the replies. I have over the past 6 months, 
> replaced the expansion tank, upper and lower radiator hoses, 
> and the o rings where the heater hoses connect to on the 
> block. I pulled the cover from over the heater core area and 
> it doesn't look like there is any leak there. There is no 
> contaminant in the oil or expansion tank. I'm going to bring 
> the car in next week for a pressure test of the system to see 
> if it can pinpoint where the problem is. I do hope it isn't 
> the head gasket, that was just replaced 9 months ago when I 
> had the new heads installed. Arghhhh! The never ending V8 saga.
> 
> George
> 91 V8 that is trying my patience
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