disapearing coolant?

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11-19-2012, 02:20 PM
JDSM

disapearing coolant?

ok folks, here goes...

about a month ago, i replaced the OE coolant overflow tank because i saw coolant leaking... everything was good until....

this past weekend at the 5-star ford ECR event, during each of my first 20 minute runs, almost all of the overflow tank volume had disapeared.

-there is no coolant coming out of the radiator(i pulled the hold-downs and looked)

-the inner floor is dry, as is the heater core/AC drain line.

-the heater lines at the firewall to engine are dry.

-the little hoses under the thermostat are dry.

-it's not boiling-over, frame area is dry(coolant doesn't evaporate quickly, and leaves residue).

-the under tray is dry(not from the water pump).

-the temp gauge has been stable and happy.

sounds fun eh?

it's obviously something internal, as i saw green mist out of the tailpipe...

has anybody had this? is it the head gasket or the head itself?

so, what do you think?

Jerome.
11-19-2012, 03:30 PM
trickyrix

Can you smell it coming out of the tailpipe? Not saying you should shove your nose up there and huff the fumes, but you should be able to smell it if it's coming out that way. Sniff around everywhere for that sweet smell of coolant.

Are you sure the overflow tank isn't cracked? Since that's the last thing you touched, that would the first thing I'd check...
11-19-2012, 04:56 PM
black roadster

If you are losing coolant with no obvious leaks, you could have a blown head gasket. A pressure test will show any leaks. A leak down will tell you if the head gasket is the problem. Feel free to call me to discuss.
11-19-2012, 05:34 PM
cone-cerned

Quote:

Originally Posted by trickyrix

Can you smell it coming out of the tailpipe? Not saying you should shove your nose up there and huff the fumes, but you should be able to smell it if it's coming out that way. Sniff around everywhere for that sweet smell of coolant.

This happened to my old Ferguson tractor. Turned out to be a cracked head.
11-19-2012, 11:52 PM
JDSM

smell it at the tailpipe, yes. I and others saw green mist when hot off the track... so, anybody got a good '01-'05 head?

today though, it held it's coolant just fine, no loss?!?!

blackroadster, you are always helpfull, thanks... everyone else too
11-20-2012, 12:33 PM
motorollow

Pressure check before throwing parts at the problem.
11-20-2012, 12:49 PM
POS Racing

Quote:

Originally Posted by motorollow

Pressure check before throwing parts at the problem.

Yep! Defiantly get a hold of the free pressure tester from Auto-Zone and see if you can spot the coolant leak!

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/acc...pters/_/N-263r

On my '02 it was one of the 100 little bastard hoses that snake to the oil cooler.
11-20-2012, 01:59 PM
Jim m

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdcanadian

ok folks, here goes...

about a month ago, i replaced the OE coolant overflow tank because i saw coolant leaking... everything was good until....

this past weekend at the 5-star ford ECR event, during each of my first 20 minute runs, almost all of the overflow tank volume had disapeared.

-there is no coolant coming out of the radiator(i pulled the hold-downs and looked)

-the inner floor is dry, as is the heater core/AC drain line.

-the heater lines at the firewall to engine are dry.

-the little hoses under the thermostat are dry.

-it's not boiling-over, frame area is dry(coolant doesn't evaporate quickly, and leaves residue).

-the under tray is dry(not from the water pump).

-the temp gauge has been stable and happy.

sounds fun eh?

it's obviously something internal, as i saw green mist out of the tailpipe...

has anybody had this? is it the head gasket or the head itself?

so, what do you think?

Jerome.

Are we missing a symptom here???
11-20-2012, 02:03 PM
POS Racing

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim m

Are we missing a symptom here???

Yesterday, 11:52 PM he ads this post:

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdcanadian

today though, it held it's coolant just fine, no loss?!?!

Are we?? ;)
11-20-2012, 07:08 PM
trickyrix

I didn't see no green mist, and everything else checked out good... except the radiator cap! Nobody panic... just keep an eye on things and cross your fingers.
11-20-2012, 07:47 PM
POS Racing

Quote:

Originally Posted by trickyrix

I didn't see no green mist, and everything else checked out good... except the radiator cap! Nobody panic... just keep an eye on things and cross your fingers.

No way time to load the parts cannon! ::Banana::

http://i.imgur.com/SzALe.png
11-20-2012, 10:38 PM
motorollow

:clap:
11-27-2012, 02:54 PM
JDSM

well folks, turns out if was a pinhole leak in one of the two "heater core" hoses at the firewall...

the reason nothing was wet or on the ground?

it was spraying onto the exhaust header, instantly evaporating!

it finally showed itself when the pinhole got larger and left a puddle...

replace your hoses!

flame away!
11-27-2012, 03:02 PM
jrj512

I had a pin-hole leak that was not detectable until Rogue at Miata Solutions hooked up his little device that pressurizes the cooling system. I was going to suggest this until you mentioned the green mist.
11-27-2012, 05:30 PM
black roadster

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdcanadian

flame away!

If you insist.

http://www.wellandgoodnyc.com/wp-con...rd-simmons.jpg
11-28-2012, 12:49 PM
JDSM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrj512

I had a pin-hole leak that was not detectable until Rogue at Miata Solutions hooked up his little device that pressurizes the cooling system. I was going to suggest this until you mentioned the green mist.

if the girl at the counter at autozone had let me know the attachments where seperate tool rentals, it would have been solved earlier...