Radiator / Coolant Leaks

I scraped and cleaned both surfaces pretty diligently so hopefully it'll be well-enough. Ran out of coolant while refilling so I'll be gettin more tomorrow and then I'll run it to see how well its sealed

Good on you for flushing after seeing the mixed Dex with standard AF. Those two mixed can cause sludge.

Mike, there is some evidence that mixing will not actually cause sludging. It's an urban myth. Here's a link with related discussion: https://rivperformance.editboard.com/t1364p75-faq-dexcool-coolant-antifreeze-types

(fyi, I didn't mark your post neg., just letting you know why someone else did)

Well I had it going on in my Northstar Deville and there was lots of info about it there.

Either way, flushing the coolant system is always a good idea.

Indeed, if its preventative maintenance, its always a good plan! Might as well not take chances even if its just to keep the coolant color nice n Orange instead of mixing with the green n turning brown

Well....I'm beginning to suspect I need to hammer out a gasket... Things have been swell until tonight when I smelled that rich coolant scent and just like that, that little pool is beginning to reappear. I'd have included one the first time if the "correct" ones would have fit....sigh

Awwwww man. Do you think it's still the same problem?

Z-type wrote:

Awwwww man. Do you think it's still the same problem?

Might or migh tnot be same problem. Best way to determine is to wash engine then add fluorescent dye to the coolant and top it off. You'll be able to then see where it's coming from with a black light.

It might be the thermo housing warped from a prior overheating (hence the green coolant it was probably what was on hand) and needs to be replaced (they are available and not real pricey at the dealer).

Making a gasket is a 5 min job with the thermo housing and an x-acto type (stencil cutter) knife. Gasket material is a few bucks a sheet at an auto parts store, the "neoprene impregnated" black sheet will do fine. Put thermo housing on gasket sheet, on flat surface and trace (including bolt holes) with a pencil. Cut the penciled lines thru with the stencil knife. Test fit and trim excesses (you probably will have to retrim the inside hole), then install.

Albertj

This doesn't help your coolant issue, but your filter for the BBV needs to be replaced. You can buy it from Rockauto or just use some foam and create your own.

Well I hammered out a gasket from the gasket material sheet and shellacked it up real nice. Seems like there's absolutely no leak after a long day of putting the car through its paces and obsessive checking. As far as I can tell it may have had a thermo swap prior to me buying it and didn't get the gasket replaced and perhaps that's why I suffered the leak just 3 months into owning it. Either way, hope its all said and done now.

As per the bbv filter, that's the boost bypass valve filter yes? The little fuzzy mess here? Haha


I'm just getting into mechanical maintenance, is there a writeup on here for hopeless newbs like me?

I had a leak last week. I tightened the clamp on the fat radiator tube above the manifold on the drivers side and it has been fine since. I noticed the dry hot metal smell on the way to work and then I checked my coolant res. and it was near empty.

how hard is it to replace the bottom fat tube that goes from the radiator back into the bay? Not the top one by the manifold on the drivers side but the bottom one on the passenger side? Mine looks awfully dry with cracks and i really want to get it replaced before winter.

You mean the lower radiator hose? It's not a bad job. You will have to drain all the coolant. The clamp on the lower radiator can be a biotch but overall it's no harder than any other car...

its easier to do from under the car.jmo. if you can,replace the funked up OEM spring shut clamp with a band clamp. makes future repairs much simpler.

Roger that. I will check it out this weekend. I can I find radiator hose at the auto reilly's? Thank you.

Charlie,
Goodyear 62152, Dayco 71852, Gates 22154, AC Delco 24326L Take your pick. Prices on RockAuto range from 5.59 to 11.27

charlieRobinson wrote:

Roger that. I will check it out this weekend. I can I find radiator hose at the auto reilly's? Thank you.

yes or RockAuto.com. you will need to trim an inch or so off the new one to fit IIRC.

yup. the Gates hoses are really high quality! worth ordering them online. vatozone will get you out a pinch but Gates is the shit!

and while yer at it,might as well get the Gates serpantine belts and heater hoses too! i mean if you got the extra cash...

Sorry to steal the thread back but....

Got home this evening and my coolant is almost completely gone. HOWEVER this time there's absolutely no pooling where it has been the two prior instances, instead it seems to be leaking out like crazy from underneath the thermostat housing

llamalor2112 wrote:

Sorry to steal the thread back but....

Got home this evening and my coolant is almost completely gone. HOWEVER this time there's absolutely no pooling where it has been the two prior instances, instead it seems to be leaking out like crazy from underneath the thermostat housing

The only thing I can think of would be (bear with me on this) to wash the engine as best you can, all over, and as well the engine bay. Then add some fluorescent dye along with topping off the coolant to a 50-50 mix. Then take it for a drive. Or two. Or more. Eventually you ***will*** be able to see where the leak is coming from and splashing to. Watch out for the possibility that your leak gets worse all of a sudden and car starts to overheat. The dye etc. will not have caused that, whatever is the primary problem would be the cause. But with the dye in the system you'll see what's what.

Put it to you this way - if it was a head gasket leak into a cylinder for instance you'd see it on the temp gauge, you'd run hot and maybe have vaporlock problems. . If you installed the cheapest private label thermostat you could, it's time to go get a Gates, they don't cost that much more. It may be sticking or some other silliness. It's a good idea to get rid of the current thermostat if the car has run much hotter than normal for an extended length of time. If you have a cracked intake manifold or other housing, you'll find out for sure with the fluorescent dye. Even if the stuff sprays out hot and then evaporates the dye will leave tell-tale marks easily spotted with a UV light (black light). So yeah, at this point I'd clean things up, inspect with a black light to find any old dye stains if any , fill with coolant mixed with dye, drive a bit (one to five drive cycles to fully warm should do it), and then pull into a darkened garage and check with the black light. Don't have a black light?!?! Well - if you have an incandescent trouble light a really cheap way to get a black light is just to buy a "black light" fluorescent bulb - the screw in spiral kind - at a home center or a walmart. I got mine at Home Depot but I've seen them at Lowe's, the local Do-It-Best, and even the local grocery store from time to time (halloween for instance). They are promoted to "party people" so they may be on an endcap or some silliness instead of hanging with the other bulbs. Replace the bulb in your trouble light with the blacklight bulb. Wha-la. Anyway, after each drive when your car is in the garage, just flip open the hood, click on the trouble light and have a look.

My guess is that your cooling system was under-maintained when you got the car. And, even if you were to call my cooling system well-maintained, it failed when the radiator developed a crack that only opened under high pressure. It took me amost a year to find the stupid thing, that's how seldom it leaked and it had the nerve to leak in such a way that the coolant sprayed out onto the ground usually. So even with the UV light and stuff it was a while before I found it. The mechanic at the dealership and I agreed that this leak was one for the books. What eventually happened was apparently the crack got larger and changed the whizz from the leak to hit the transmission case instead of the ground and as well to start dribbling on the radiator end tank.

Once you have done the dye thing and found the leak(s), the fix may be obvious or it may simply be time to repost. With pictures of the blacklighted dye spots...

Happy leak-hunting

Albertj

Does anyone know what could be the problem with my riv, when i turn off the car the coolant starts leaking and it leaks for about a minute, it is not leaking when the car is running or when it is turned off, only immediately after i turn it off after it has been driven? the leak appears to be coming from the grill front drivers side

Probably the Radiator, or it could be as simple as one of the hoses has corrosion between it and the connection. When you shut the car off, the Cooling System is pressurized more than when it isn't running. It might be just enough pressure to push the Coolant out of the fitting/hose connection.

thank you for the fast answer I appreciate it! should i stop driving the car till i fix it? there also appears to be oil in the coolant tank even after i flushed it last week

I would bet a few bucks that the plastic portion of the radiator near where it attaches to the upper hose is cracked, causing the seeping under pressure. These can leak for thousands of miles without much consequence - just make sure to keep an eye on the overflow level. Add coolant mix as needed.

You can check by looking right under the hose. Use a camera with flash (or smart phone) to snap a pic under there. You'll see a stain where the coolant has been. If you're lucky, it's a hose. If the radiator is cracked, get a replacement and a couple hoses ready, then watch it until it gets worse. I'd fix it before winter, though.

As for oil in the coolant, that's a whole other issue. Might be LIM gaskets (another thread).

AA wrote:

I would bet a few bucks that the plastic portion of the radiator near where it attaches to the upper hose is cracked, causing the seeping under pressure. These can leak for thousands of miles without much consequence - just make sure to keep an eye on the overflow level. Add coolant mix as needed.

You can check by looking right under the hose. Use a camera with flash (or smart phone) to snap a pic under there. You'll see a stain where the coolant has been. If you're lucky, it's a hose. If the radiator is cracked, get a replacement and a couple hoses ready, then watch it until it gets worse. I'd fix it before winter, though.

As for oil in the coolant, that's a whole other issue. Might be LIM gaskets (another thread).

It wasn't oil in the coolant just dirt, and as for the leak you were spot on it was the plastic, replaced the radiator today, thanks again to all who replied to my questions

I noticed I have a coolant leak Sunday. Gosh darnit, I just cant win.

Its on the passenger side and dripping ever so slowly right on top of the sway bar.

Top of the bay looks dry. Couldnt find a thing. I dont have jacks or ramps to get under the car to check it out so im probably gonna have to take it somewhere.

glob blob it..