My 1986 GL EA82 spfi 3spd auto. Is going through about 2 qts of coolant every 100miles. No leaks in any of the hoses, radiator,water pump or heater core. No big plumes of white smoke from the exhaust. No signs of water in the oil.

 

Getting tired of filling up the radiator every other day.

 

Any Ideas?

rad cap?

I'm about to go through this with my wifes car.

 

Get the pressure test kit from autozone, and don't forget the 'Import car adapter'.

 

I plan to pull the spark plugs, make sure the radiator is full, then pressurize the system and come back in an hour. In theory it should be pretty easy to see where the leak is after it's been leaking for an hour.

 

If I don't see any big puddles, I'll crank it over and see which plug shoots water out :-\

Can't remember if those have a trans cooler. If the do, check your tranny fluid to see if it's turned to strawberry milk. Usually it's the other way around and the trans fluid bleeds into the coolant, but I have seen it happen the other way.

No water in the tranny fluid. The engine oil and tranny fluid are due to be changed soon, so I can better inspect for water traces. I have a whole bunch of radiator caps, guess I'll try a few different ones until I get to changing the fluids and a more intense inspection for leaks.

Checked the floor board on the pass side yet?

No leak from the heater core.

if everything else checks out then it's using it internally:

1. intake manifold gasket

2. headgasket

 

both can start slow and not cause any noticeable burning or other definitive signs.

 

if the engine has ever been worked on before and it has aftermarket intake manifold gaskets, those may be leaking as the aftermarket gaskets can be flimsy and prone to leak.

 

headgaskets will have a small leak from coolant passage into the cylinder. it will gradually get worse over time. once you reach a gallon per hundred miles it's the point where you'll see a bit of material at that leakage point "missing" at the block face and/or head, as if it's been warn down. it is as if that leak can cause localized overheating and degrades the metal there...somehow it wears it down though, i've seen it on vehicles driven for a long time drinking coolant. i took pictures of one a long time ago, i may have even posted it.

intake gasket

pull the plugs and compare - if a cylinder has that much coolant going through it, that plug should look a lot different.

The motor has 60,000 miles on it. the radiator and thermostat were replaced by the PO before I got it. Being it is a 1986 car it probably sat a lot without regular use. Now that I'm running it on a regular basis it makes sense that the gaskets would start failing from sitting for so long. Hopefuly I will have time this weekend to check the plugs and intake gaskets. thanxs for the tips.

Getting tired of filling up the radiator every other day.

 

Any Ideas?

 

Tapeworm? Good luck!

Does the exhaust SMELL sweet? or even feel cooler than normal?

 

Had a buddy's EA82 (MPFI) with a bad intake gasket, and it wouldn't smoke, per se, but plug 1 was moist and the exhaust was nearly cool to the touch coming out of the back (at operating temp) where my SPFI EA82 can't hold my hand infront for more than a couple seconds..

Found the leak. One of the hoses to the heater core at the firewall. The hose had heat insulation on it so the leak wasn't easy to spot. thanxs for the feedback.

Haha! You must be relieved.

I went through a similar thing with my GL. Same scenario

 

1987

46,000 miles

 

Car had done a lottta sittin'.