How do you go about tracking down an elusive coolant leak? My 88 wagon seems to be losing coolant, but there's no visible leaks. Every once in a while, when I stop my car, I can smell burnt coolant, but I can't see it anywhere. There's no steam coming out my tail pipe. Also, the level in the reservoir doesn't ever drop, but the radiator definitely looses coolant.

how often do you have to add coolant?

check thermostat housing mine was leaking there and i couldnt find it because it would run off the side then down the back of the engine. i could smell it burning and was having the same symtoms as you

Good question... I don't really know for sure. I know I added coolant yesterday before heading to Fort Collins, but I don't think I actually topped it off. I got back home today, and I had to put in about 1/8 of a gallon.

have you checked the weep hole on the water pump, also check the hose from hell, the little one from the manafold to the block

if you can obtain a cheapo keychain laser pointer, that can help greatly.. just give her a good hot run, park it, jump out and shoot.. see if you can find any mist that isnt visible to the naked eye.

I've had pin-hole leaks in the 90* hose under the altenator, and in one of the heater hoses on the backside of the engine. Both were kinda hard to locate. I've also had pin-hole leaks in the radiator, can be real "fun" to find those, 'specially when it's between the cores of a 2 row one.

 

If any of your coolant system hoses are 4 years or older, I would reccomend changing them, just because they're at the limit of worthyness.

 

Another thing to check, would be to make sure all clamps are tight.

When I'm troubleshooting odd leaks, I'll go for a good run to get it hot, idle at 4000 RPM for 2-3 minutes, shut it down, and jump out with my nose & a flashlight to find any little sprays.

 

-=Russ=-

I just found a bad leak that took forever to locate.. Was a coolant hose that goes to the carberator. Wonder if I really needed to replace the water pump....

Every leak that I`ve had was a pain in the a$$ to locate. I`ve had one on the 90deg hose under the A/C compressor, the 90deg coming off of the back of the manifold under the spare tire, from the o-ring at the metal pipe attached at the water pump, and one of the heater hoses under the spare tire... Good luck in your endeaver...

"rent" from autozone a cooling system pressure tester.

"rent" from autozone a cooling system pressure tester.

 

+1

 

Also, sometimes with cooling leaks, you won't be able to find then unless the engine is nice an hot. The '82 wagon that LUVMYRBAT just sold to Zeke had a cooling leak from the radiator but never could find it. Well turns out, after we drive it down to just north of Ft. Collins, it lost coolant and when we put more in, it shot out of this tiny hole in the radiator. In addition to the hoses that have been mentioned, check the one that goes from the top of the block to the intake, and also check intake gasket as well.

Is it a turbo? If so check the hose under the turbo. If it's leaking there it will run onto the exhaust. Also look for the tell-tale white chaulk like staining that antifreeze leaves behind. It stands out pretty well on aluminum engines.