My 95 formula has been losing coolant lately, and we really cant figure out where its going. Yesterday we checked it over, and couldnt find any leaks anywhere. We also checked the oilpan, and thats fine. Is there anywhere this coolant could be going besides through the cylinders? Please dont tell me its a head gasket on a 2000 mile engine

 

It sounds like it could be a head gasket. I would use a pump to pressurize your radiator to make sure its is not leaking.

 

Well it could always be a cracked head. Do you have white smoke comming out the tail pipes?

 

look for the white smoke, if its smoking a lot and eating up coolant it could be a head gasket or cracked internals... Hope its just a small leak though How do you know its low in coolant? is it just the indicator light going off or every time you open it half the tanks empty?

 

Havent seen any white smoke at all. The car doesnt get driven very often, and the indicator light is always on when it gets started after sitting. The reservior tank level always seems to be fine, the level is always down in the radiator.

 

I had a similar problem. fixed with a new radiator cap, havent added coolant in months and its still to the top. and check to make sure your water pump isnt leaking just in case.

 

So was your radiator leaking around the cap? Because I havent seen any signs of leakage there.

 

Could have an intake leak. I'm currently battling the same problem...no white smoke...no leaks from anywhere I can see...

 

Your coolant is going somewhere, IF you have no leaks and are very very sure of that then you're absolutly leaking internally and it's going out the back end (white smoke).
If your 100% sure its not going out the back end as white smoke then its definatly a leak somewhere... so look real hard for it

How gradual is the leakage? how much goes in and out? Is it just somewhat empty when cold in the mornings?

Pull out the battery and check the resevoir tank hose. Remove the resevoir tank hose from the radiator side and check it carefully. If there is a hole or break anywhere in this line it could mean that when your cars cooling down its not sucking water back into the radiator.

Alternativly, replace your cap, maybe the cap isn't letting the resevoir tank part seep water back into the radiator. I'm not sure how that would work though.... If you have no leaks it should still suck in water even with a bad cap, because there's air getting into the raditor from somewhere....

 

thank you much!

 

It seems kind of funny the light isnt on when you park it but is on when you start it back up. Mark the level when you park it and recheck it again when you go to drive it. If it is losing coolant during this period I wold doubt it was a head gasket or cracked head. I would be willing to bet it was more like a tiny leak somewhere you havent found. Also check and recheck the oil level a small amount in the oil would raise the level and is very harmful for the lower end.

 

Alright thanks guys, Ill have to do some more checking

 

A few years back my stock tranny cooler located inside the radiator started leaking ATF into the radiator. If this is possible, it would also be possible for coolant to leak into the tranny. If you an M6, it couldn't be that though.

 

intake leak? coolant doesnt flow in the intake on an lt1

 

Well Ive done some more checking, and still no leak that I can find. How can I go about checking the head gaskets?