I have a 1996 Camaro RS (3800II). I use only Dex Cool per the manufacturers specs. I do not see any coolant when I stop or when the car sits outside. Yet, I'm constantly adding coolant (the level is very low). Nothing is wet under the hood or the bottom of the vehicle. I can smell coolant when the AC is on and I am driving. Are there any suggestions?
2006-08-01 09:24:08 · 24 answers · asked by bigtony615 4 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
I have a new radiator cap.
2006-08-01 09:26:17 · update #1
Car overheats almost daily
2006-08-01 09:27:04 · update #2
You have that dredded GM intake that hasn't been upgraded yet. That is where all your coolant is going. Is kind of hard to explain, but replace the intake, as it will cause you more and more problems. I did 3 of them and to everyones surprise was the same problem. If you want to know more about what I mean, just hit me up with an email.
2006-08-01 09:29:45 · answer #1 · answered by Silverstang 7 · 3⤊ 2⤋
There are a couple of things I think it might be.
1st: You may have a small leak in your rubber hoses from your radiator to your engine that only leaks when the coolant is hot and under pressure. You wouldn't necessarily notice it just looking at the car because it is leaking out while you are driving at higher rpm
2nd: You may have an internal leak in your engine. You could have a blown head gasket or worse, a cracked cylinder head that is letting coolant into the engine. You can tell this by checking your oil. If you pull your dipstick and it looks a green/orange and cloudy, that's what it is. This is a pretty expensive repair, so I hope its not that.
If its not a cylinder head gasket or cracked cylinder head, before you replace your hoses, try going to an auto parts store and buying some radiator sealant. It will come in a little tube. You just dump it in your radiator and it can work wonders.
I hope this helps.
2006-08-01 16:34:53 · answer #2 · answered by Matthew W 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you smell coolant and have a haze on the inside of your windshield, you likely have a leaking heater core. That would require the replacement of the heater core to fix. It may be possible that you have a crack in your cylinder head or a leaking head gasket. Before spending a ton of money to fix, you should get a can of Bar's Leaks head gasket repair (part # 1100) To use, you will have to drain your cooling system and refill with water. After using the head gasket repair, you will have to drain and refill with Dex-Cool. That might get the job done without pulling the heads off. I would check the inside of your windshield first. If it has a greasy haze, you have a leaking heater core.
2006-08-01 16:50:27 · answer #3 · answered by united9198 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To be honest with you... the fact you smell coolant with the AC on makes me think that you have either a Small leak in one of the hoses (most likely the one closest to the intake manifold) Best thing to do is check this while the car is running....
Keep in mind the leak my be so small that the coolant leak is being burned off the manifold, thus no puddles of coolant is located.....
2006-08-01 16:30:26 · answer #4 · answered by LieDetector 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your cylinder head gasket may be blown. Does your car smoke? Is there water in the oil. Open the oil cap when the car is hot and check if steam comes out. Also check if the oil is a "coffee with milk" colour. If so you need to send your car in for some major repairs.
Hope I am wrong and its just a hole in a pipe.
2006-08-01 16:31:55 · answer #5 · answered by Odie 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I bet that its leaking into one of your cyliders and going out the tail-pipe. One sign would be lots of white smoke....
Another possibility, if you can smell it with the AC on is that you have a bad 'heater core'...its a small radiator under the dashboard.
Filling the radiator and pressure testing it will help you find the leak. Heres the type of pressure tester to use...
http://www.ntxtools.com/Merchant/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=STN-12270&Category_Code=405
2006-08-01 16:37:15 · answer #6 · answered by FreddyBoy1 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Smell your exhaust to see if it smells like antifreeze
When you turn the A/C on it put alittle stress onto the engine creating more back preesure and sucking more antifreeze through the bad gaket
Sounds like a bad head gasket..
2006-08-01 16:30:20 · answer #7 · answered by Vulcan 1 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like the heads are shot. The heads are buring hot, and your water pump is working over time... which means: that's going to go too soon. When you start your car up.. take a look and see if white smoke is pouring out of the back. Next take your car in for a compression test.. if your loosing any compression out of your plugs.. you're f**ked! If you're a real man.. you can fix it yourself.. I did it to my car.
2006-08-01 17:44:59 · answer #8 · answered by Wicked 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You have a blown head gasket. Blown very badly. Your motor is burning the coolant. Get it to a shop ASAP.
2006-08-01 16:27:32 · answer #9 · answered by Mike Hunt 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Have the head gasket checked and look at the oil stick for an over fill condition.
2006-08-01 16:33:23 · answer #10 · answered by slowmovin 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋