DirtyDaveW

I'm one of those guys that checks his fluid levels at least 3 times a week out of habit. My coolant (Glycol/Green stuff) has been perfect for months but about 3 days ago, I found it to be low by about a cups worth of coolant. "Wth?" thought I. I looked under the car. No pools or drips. No telltale scent of evaporated coolant. All hoses free of drips. I checked the overflow. Hmmm.. odd. It's perfect at the level for a cold motor. It didn't run hot the prior evening on the 20 mile trip home. The car runs great. There's no coolant in my oil and no oil in my coolant. I took some clean paper towels and wiped around the steam pipe on the back of the heads. Nothing indicative there either. The temp on the 20 mile drive to work and from work never gets over the 1/4 mark. Each time, before I drive it to/from work, I fill up the radiator with about another cup of coolant. By the time I get to my destination, that much is gone. I've also checked the heater core. No leak there either. I pulled the plugs and they look fine. I just read a couple of quick tests and I'll try those here in a few minutes.
You guys have any ideas?
Thanks!

jay_rich

i wonder if maybe ur knock sensor is leaking onto your headers and burning off? not leaving a puddle. No idea if it could be but hwne i first put my knock sensor in i had to make a 90* for my headers and it leaked onto my exhaust.

Worth looking at tho.

Jay

DirtyDaveW

After it cools off a bit more, I'll put her up in the air and have a look there and elsewhere. Thanks!

Kevin Blown 95 TA

Dave, smell any antifreeze in your exhaust?

boosted-lt1

Sounds like a small leak somewhere. You could try a pressure tester on the rad to bring it up to ~13psi or what not and inspect that way. And/or get some of that UV die and pour it it your rad. Inspect under the car with a black light when the cooling system is at pressure. That might tell you if you have a leak external to the engine.

Will it go below one cup low if you keep driving it?

-Scott.

DirtyDaveW

Well, got it up in the air on jackstands, pulled the creeper out and slid in under her. No antifreeze drips anywhere. I checked every surface, hose, coupler and the ground. Nothing.. dang.

DirtyDaveW

Kevin - I got down and sniffed both pipes and there's not a hint of coolant scent nor steam coming out.

bowtiepwr

>what he said!!!

DirtyDaveW

I'll go by AutoZone, O'Reillys and see if I can find one of those pressurizers. I haven't heard of that die method. I might have to resort to that. On the more than a cup question, I don't know. I'm not letting it get further at this point. I'm checking and refilling with every stop at work/home.
Thanks for the tips guys
I did read about another test... It involves filling the radiator, pulling plugs, holding a paper towel over the plug hole and then cranking it over. You then examine the paper towel for signs of the green stuff.

jay_rich

What about maybe bypassing your heater core for a few days and see. Possibly its leaking?

Jay

DirtyDaveW

I may have to resort to that.

DirtyDaveW

Update: Well, I think it's doing what you guys call "Pushing Water". I've caught it overfilling the overflow with coolant. I suppose the coolant going down over night is just the coolant finding voids in the heads and elsewhere as it sits overnight. If I put coolant up to the neck of the radiator and just ease around when driving, it barely goes down at all. But if I get into boost (A superbike thinks he's king, what can you do but correct this misperception?) then I can see traces of coolant around the cap on the overflow when I stop and the 'cup' of coolant is missing from the radiator. I guess this means that cylinder pressure is pushing past the gasket into the waterjacket but not to the extent it runs hot or the coolant gets into the combustion chamber. I'll put on some new head gaskets soon, perhaps this weekend.

DirtyDaveW

Just ordered some new FelPro 1074 Head Gaskets, Brass cam gear, ARP Head Bolts(saves time since I don't have to clean the old ARP's) and some thread chasers. They should be here before the weekend.

jay_rich

Sweeeet sounds good man! At least you found it now! Head studs are a good idea if you wanna put out the cash. Good to see your not all pissy about it and nice and calm...F**ckin cars! lol

Jay