Losing Radiator fluid

[Billy Blaze]

Now that the overheating is done I have a coolant leak somewhere.
When I stop the car after driving it all day I smell coolant (hot coolant).
I have to refill the Overflow bottle at least once a day if I drive the car.
I can not detect any visible leakage.
There are no hoses with hot steam, no coolant on the ground and no visibe leak.
Suggestions?
(Besides buy a new radiator), even though I am almost there with this problem.

[Titus]

Now that the overheating is done I have a coolant leak somewhere.
When I stop the car after driving it all day I smell coolant (hot coolant).
I have to refill the Overflow bottle at least once a day if I drive the car.
I can not detect any visible leakage.
There are no hoses with hot steam, no coolant on the ground and no visibe leak.
Suggestions?
(Besides buy a new radiator), even though I am almost there with this problem.

You may want to locate the leak before you buy a new radiator. I had a pin-hole leak in the hose that conects to the waterpump. when under pressure, it would spit coolant onto the bottom of my Supercharger. The heat from the SC vaporised the coolant on contact.

[POS Racing]

Autozone rents (for free) this little jewel!

Makes it real easy to locate the leaks!

This is how it works!

[wrxmr2eater]

I had an issue like this that turned out to be the clamp on the hose leading to the water pump was slightly too low on the connection and so it was a leak that was not seen and burned off before making a puddle.

[Sharpie]

Sometimes they seep from the waterpump too without much detection.

[Billy Blaze]

Kewl, great suggestions.
I will go rent the pressure tester, get it up on 4 jackstands, take off the belly pan, get someone to pump the tester, and then get underneath and look for the leak.

It makes since that it might be the waterpump hose cause it does smell like its burning before it puddles anywhere.

Tell me this I just changed the thermostat, gasket, flush and filled my radiator (flushed by pouring a few gallons of Distilled water into the radiator), refilled with 50/50 coolant, and replaced the radiator cap (ended up putting the old one back on the new one was leaking).

I did not have a leak before doing this, could this work have caused the leak somewhere else?

[POS Racing]

I did not have a leak before doing this, could this work have caused the leak somewhere else?

Since you did the work I'm thinking the answer is yes!

Be careful with the pressure tester it can generate enough pressure to pop a radiator.

[Billy Blaze]

Hey I am getting better at this...lol

In the most likely case that the thing does not come with any directions is there a specific air pressure # not to go over while pumping it up.

(I wonder if porn site search terms will pick the above statement up under penis pumps..lol)

[POS Racing]

In the most likely case that the thing does not come with any directions is there a specific air pressure # not to go over while pumping it up.

For the links provided:

The pressure tester has a gauge (figure F) with color bands indicating the pressure levels that are appropriate for specific vehicles and cooling systems. Your radiator cap should indicate the appropriate pressure for your system. You can also get this information from your vehicle's owners or service manual.

[Billy Blaze]

hhhmmm, dont have an owners or service manual yet.
I did however notive that both the thermostat and the radiator caps were not the same #'s as what came off the car, but Autozone said thats what they sold for my 99.
I will post the #'s,....;gotta dig out the parts
I am pretty sure the thermostat thats in there now is about 10 degrees hotter.