not driving

[Synthesis]

Hey, how's it goin everybody? I have a weird problem with my car....

I bought it a month ago. I noticed it was runinng low on coolant, so I topped it off last weekend. I was using a funnel, and spilled nothing. When I pulled the car out of the garage (right after I filled it up) there was a puddle of antifreeze in my garage where the rear of the car was. I popped the glass and checked it out.... nothing was spilled or anything, and i looked under, and nothing was dripping. The coolant level was still at max.

Today I checked it (haven't driven it since that last time i took it out; drove about 100 miles after that whole incident). The coolant level is half way between max and min, right on that crease in the tank. Looked under the car, doesn't look like it was leaking at all.

anybody know what this could be? one of my friends told me that some water pumps spit coolant (through a release hole)when they need replacement. any ideas? i'm going to jack it up when i get some time and see what i can find, but until then, i'm not driving it :frown:

thanks,
-k

 

[Daedalus]

Hey, how's it goin everybody? I have a weird problem with my car....

I bought it a month ago. I noticed it was runinng low on coolant, so I topped it off last weekend. I was using a funnel, and spilled nothing. When I pulled the car out of the garage (right after I filled it up) there was a puddle of antifreeze in my garage where the rear of the car was. I popped the glass and checked it out.... nothing was spilled or anything, and i looked under, and nothing was dripping. The coolant level was still at max.

Today I checked it (haven't driven it since that last time i took it out; drove about 100 miles after that whole incident). The coolant level is half way between max and min, right on that crease in the tank. Looked under the car, doesn't look like it was leaking at all.

anybody know what this could be? one of my friends told me that some water pumps spit coolant (through a release hole)when they need replacement. any ideas? i'm going to jack it up when i get some time and see what i can find, but until then, i'm not driving it :frown:

thanks,
-k

Your friend was right about the weep hole. That might explain the coolant on the ground. As far as the volume difference, it could be a leak or, if there was any air in the system, it would have purged itself through the overflow hose, and then sucked in coolant from the reservoirwhen the system cooled. Did you open the system up or just refill the reservoir?

 

[NSXSOON]

Sounds like the classic coolant tank failure. With age they tend to split at the seam mid way on the tank. The fact that you lost fluid down to that level kind of leads to this as an indication of the failure point. The seam splits can be so small that you may not be able to see it and fluid will only be released while under preasure while the system is up to temperature and preasurized. May be time for a new tank. I had the same thing happen to me and replaced the OEM plastic one with a welded alum. one from SOS. Very nice piece!!

 

[Synthesis]

thanks for the info.... yeah, i only filled it through the reservoir. i'm gonna pressure test the system and see if i can find any leaks when i get time. but if it was the water pump that puked, is failure imminent? should i try to fill it again and drive it around to see if the same thing happens?

thanks again for the help. i really appreciate it.

-k

 

[Synthesis]

nsxsoon - i'll definitely take a look at that reservoir more..... i do have to replace the timing belt, cause i'm not sure if the previous owner did or not. the car has 55k on it, but it's a 91; so i'm definitely limiting driving it right now.... i told a friend i'd go cruisin with him this weekend, so i'm going to give it a good lookover before then. what do you guys think? is it a good idea to drive it if i don't find anything? i'm kinda worried about the water pump theory....

 

[ScienceofSpeed]

I don't think the pump would release that much fluid. I suspect you have a leak that the pressure check will show. By the way, our new model coolant tank will be released in about a week with a new sight glass feature.

take care,
-- Chris

 

[titaniumdave]

Pressure check through the reservoir tank, I think you will find the leak.

 

[Daedalus]

what do you guys think? is it a good idea to drive it if i don't find anything?

You have signs of a leak but don't know for sure where it is. Don't risk an overheat.