Coolant

[sburna]

Last month while doing a routine maintenance I noticed that my coolant resevior was empty, opened the radiator cap it also seemed empty, then drained it and only about a gallon of radiator fluid came out. I flushed the radiator, refilled all fluids and i was set to go. But now for the past 4 weeks Ive had to refill the coolant every week and also once in a while Id get white smoke coming out my muffler on idle . Does anyone know whats up with my car and what steps should I take to solve this. Any help is appretiated, Thanks.

 

[Doug99RS]

Take the cap off and leave it off for a few minutes. See if the rubber dries out and looks like crap. Most of the time the cap won't hold pressure and the coolant will overflow in to the resevior. It gets overfilled and dumps out the excess on to the ground. The engine then cools down and the excess coolant is then pulled back in to radiator and because it forced out too much it then pulls in as much as it can. Eventually you drain the resevior this way.
Doug

 

[sburna]

Thanks Ill try that, but whats up with the white smoke its been getting worse day after day.

 

[wolf20043]

White smoke and low coolant leads to a possible head gasket. Compression test will tell you alot. Post the numbers after and we will see what is going on.
Mike

 

[Doug99RS]

The headgasket is a god possibility given the two symptoms combined. I must have been smoking the rock and missed the part about smoke in the exhaust when I first posted. But also I know it's easy to jump to conclusions about a headgasket being blown any time there's a coolant lost issue. Checking the cap in the manor I suggested requires no tools and is cheaper than a compression test kit in the event that the cap is needed. I think cheap first.
Doug

 

[wolf20043]

The headgasket is a god possibility given the two symptoms combined. I must have been smoking the rock and missed the part about smoke in the exhaust when I first posted. But also I know it's easy to jump to conclusions about a headgasket being blown any time there's a coolant lost issue. Checking the cap in the manor I suggested requires no tools and is cheaper than a compression test kit in the event that the cap is needed. I think cheap first.
Doug

Very true. Always check the cheapest possibility first.
Mike
And I wasnt trying to correct you bro I just dont consider
that some people dont have the things I have available in my garage.

 

[Doug99RS]

Very true. Always check the cheapest possibility first.
Mike
And I wasnt trying to correct you bro I just dont consider
that some people dont have the things I have available in my garage.

No hard feelings. A compression tester is one of those tools that if you don't have one someone you know should. Not quite as important as a wrench and socket set but it's definitely something everyone should have after a year or two of owning any DSM.
D

 

[Doug99RS]

So how about an update?

 

[ddavisaf]

What's a compression tester?

 

[Doug99RS]

One uses it to beat off Trolls.