The check engine light wasn't on but the low coolant light was. what can be wrong and why won't it hold water?

Answer 1

Your engine cooling system is a closed loop system that holds alot of pressure.
If it leaks out when your motor is off and you are just putting water in the radiator, the petcock valve at the bottom of the radiator could be faulty or opened. Check that first.
You could have a ruptured hose, blown out water pump or a hole in the radiator.

If it leaks out when your engine warms, then you need to make sure the proper radiator cap is installed correctly (auto parts store can sell you the right cap with the right pressure).

Whether the water comes out while filling a cooled system or leaks out when it gets hot, you will need to open the hood and look for the leak.

The low coolant light will go out when you fill the radiator overflow resevoir with a 50/50 mix of coolant and water.

Answer 2

It is leaking somewhere. First, pull out the oil dip stick and see if it has a white/cream looking substance in it. If it does, you are leaking coolant into the oil and the engine will seize soon. If not, look along the radiator, hoses and around the water pump.

Answer 3

The check engine light indicates fuel mixture and ignition problems and has nothing to do with low coolant. That's why there are two separate indicator lamps on your dash. It sounds as if you have either a freeze plug missing or a hose problem.

Answer 4

you have a leak in the #2 cylinder, in case you're fortunate it relatively is in ordinary terms a blown head gasket. which could additionally be led to by making use of a cracked block or a cracked head. For purposes of prognosis i'm going to in ordinary terms assume it relatively is a foul head gasket. in case you save overheating it, you will ultimately get the different issues to boot. on the intake stroke, your #2 cylinder sucks the coolant during the pinnacle gasket. The presence of water, alongside with the inability of compression, motives the misfire. on the compression stroke, your engine is pushing air during the pinnacle gasket into the coolant passages. Overheating is by the fact coolant isn't circulating, the two because of the fact you're out of coolant or because of the fact you have air in the coolant passages. on the exhaust stroke, the coolant left in the cylinder is going out the exhaust, the place it hits the nice and comfortable exhaust gases and turns to steam. Head gasket and intake manifold gasket are relatively some issues. The intake manifold gasket is going between the cylinder head and the intake manifold. Head gasket is going between head and block. A cracked head ability you will desire to swap the pinnacle. you will would desire to have your head checked and once you pull it off to redo the pinnacle gasket. carry it to a gadget save, they're going to grasp a thank you to type it out. in case you wind up with a cracked block or head, it might desire to be greater fee-valuable to swap the engine.

Answer 5

There's probably a leak. Go to an auto parts store and get some stop leak for your radiator. There's one my mechanic recommended but I can't remember what it's called. It's sort of in a jar with a red lid, if I remember right. Follow the directions for adding it. You'll probably need to drive around for about a half an hour or so after you add it.

Answer 6

you got low coolant. look under the car for leaks on the pavement

Answer 7

Leaking or being consumed. Leaking from hosed radiator etc. Consumed by engine, cracked block or blown head gasket etc.