04 3.7 Loosing Coolant

[sleepyjim]

No wet spots inside or out on the ground.

Let it run for 30 mins in driveway and can not see any mist or spray.

Oil perfect.

Drives and sounds and all as normal. Temp gauge good (Unless coolant low).


Top off coolant tank and couple days later coolant is low, tank empty.


SO am I looking at bad heads or what?


Jim

 

[LibertyTC]

Ya not fun..where is the coolant going..?? Has this engine ever overheated?
Get the system pressure tested and look / listen for leaks, (see if pressure holds) is always a good first place to start.
You could also add a coolant die into system and do a UV light inspection/assessment.
Is there any oil residue inside the coolant reservoir at all or clean ?

Typical leak areas on KJ: Around/behind water pump, and especially around the rad core, left & right sides, when it's hot.
Lower rad hose, any wetness around there where it fits into thermostat housing side?

My thought is, if the engine was ingesting coolant, you would possibly have some white smoke out the tailpipe, and coolant mix/moisture /oil bubbles showing on the oil dipstick.
Do you have a baffle inside the oil filler tube, how does that look deep down in there?

 

[mrlavalamp]

Adding to the tank every couple of days?

So I am thinking you are probably looking at using something like a quart of water/coolant every 100 or 200 miles?

Have you tried revving it while parked and warm? Coolant pressure might go up a little when being driven vs. sitting idling. I know when my rad was leaking it started by ONLY leaking while it was driving, but the crack got worse over a week or so and started leaking any time the engine was warm.

Its gotta go somewhere, and that is a pretty fast leak for it to just disappear without a trace.

 

[sleepyjim]

Ya not fun..where is the coolant going..?? Has this engine ever overheated?
Get the system pressure tested and look / listen for leaks, (see if pressure holds) is always a good first place to start.
You could also add a coolant die into system and do a UV light inspection/assessment.
Is there any oil residue inside the coolant reservoir at all or clean ?

Typical leak areas on KJ: Around/behind water pump, and especially around the rad core, left & right sides, when it's hot.
Lower rad hose, any wetness around there where it fits into thermostat housing side?

My thought is, if the engine was ingesting coolant, you would possibly have some white smoke out the tailpipe, and coolant mix/moisture /oil bubbles showing on the oil dipstick.
Do you have a baffle inside the oil filler tube, how does that look deep down in there?

Baffle in filler tube? It has a half cover or something, is that what ya mean?

Jim

 

[LibertyTC]

Yes the piece on the right...

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My thought was with a bright flashlight once baffle is removed, you can see slightly under valve cover thru the small hole on the bottom, for any potential traces of coolant.
Of course pulling a valve cover is best if you suspect the engine may be ingesting coolant.

 

[sleepyjim]

Update!
First thank you all and as you all said it has to go someplace....Well enough lost coolant and a corrosion looking build up started ever so slightly where the top hose connects to engine, Had system pressurized and they said (i think the pounds are right but I might have jacked them up) at 18ilbs all good, as soon as it went over 18, a tiny spray started where I seen the "Corrosion"... Weird is no coolant anyplace on motor or around only that bit I noticed....

New hose and clamps (they was only 6 mos old but all new now), sand the engine side and all is good again!

Jim

 

[sota]

may yours NOT be the initial signs of a head gasket failure, much like they were for the wife's car.

 

[tommudd]

Update!
First thank you all and as you all said it has to go someplace....Well enough lost coolant and a corrosion looking build up started ever so slightly where the top hose connects to engine, Had system pressurized and they said (i think the pounds are right but I might have jacked them up) at 18ilbs all good, as soon as it went over 18, a tiny spray started where I seen the "Corrosion"... Weird is no coolant anyplace on motor or around only that bit I noticed....

New hose and clamps (they was only 6 mos old but all new now), sand the engine side and all is good again!

Jim

What kind of clamps did they use before and after ?
Some clamps can appear tight when installed then slowly they will start leaking
That would of been my first thing to check. Have seen many like that , some garage installed new hoses etc then weeks/ months later clamp is the cause for the leaks.

 

[GitEmSteveDave]

Harbor Freight sells a really nice UV LED light. I keep it for checking money, but it also works for spotting coolant leaks.