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Please Help - Coolant Leak

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Posted by: Slow Nova

The Impala is at it again. It's leaking coolant...but not a small, gradual leak...it gushes out about a gallon of coolant all at once, but I haven't been able to figure out from where.

I drove it to work all week last week with no problems. Yesterday, I go to pick up a friend to go to the A's game, and about a gallon of coolant dumped in his driveway as soon as I stopped. I topped off the coolant this morning. The car is out in the driveway right now, idling, and sitting at normal temperature...no leak anywhere. What the hell is going on?


Posted by: Slow Nova

I took my neighbors advice and called around to see who could do a pressure check on the radiator. Turns out I found a shop that did it for free. I also found out that Autozone lends the pressure check tool out for free. Water started gushing out when pressure was put on the system, when everything was hot. I put pressure on the system later on when it was cold, and no leak. I narrowed it down to the radiator though, so I pulled the radiator out, but still couldn't find the crack anywhere. The auto parts stores around here want about $400 for a new radiator. I bought one online for only $165 at www.radiatorbarn.com .

I really hope this is the end of the problems with this car until I can replace it.


Posted by: 98 VETTE DEVIL

well it sound to me like there is a leak in the system . your system is no holding any presure what happens is as long as the car is runing you'll be fine you don't loose any coolent but when you shut the car off the coolent starts to boil and ont ot come almost always thew the tank over flow hose check always your cap the rubber gasket goes bad with the heat and dose not seal right or a loose hose clamp or a small hole in a hose check all this before buying a new radiator .
98 torch red corvette coupe


Posted by: Slow Nova

Quote:
Originally Posted by 98 VETTE DEVIL
well it sound to me like there is a leak in the system . your system is no holding any presure what happens is as long as the car is runing you'll be fine you don't loose any coolent but when you shut the car off the coolent starts to boil and ont ot come almost always thew the tank over flow hose check always your cap the rubber gasket goes bad with the heat and dose not seal right or a loose hose clamp or a small hole in a hose check all this before buying a new radiator .
98 torch red corvette coupe




Already bought the new radiator. The old one had a hairline crack on the drivers side - where all the coolant was dumping out. The radiator cap and overflow are on the passenger side. The cap is only 8 months old, so I'm sure there's nothing wrong with it so far.

Not one drop of coolant has leaked since replacing the radiator.


Posted by: LS1JAY

Quote:
Originally Posted by Slow Nova
Already bought the new radiator. The old one had a hairline crack on the drivers side - where all the coolant was dumping out. The radiator cap and overflow are on the passenger side. The cap is only 8 months old, so I'm sure there's nothing wrong with it so far.

Not one drop of coolant has leaked since replacing the radiator.

Strange how you've had so many problems with yours. I know a guy who has almost 200,000 miles on his and hasn't had any problems at all other than routine maintenance of course.


Posted by: Slow Nova

Quote:
Originally Posted by LS1JAY
Strange how you've had so many problems with yours. I know a guy who has almost 200,000 miles on his and hasn't had any problems at all other than routine maintenance of course.


2000+ Impala? I can understand if it's a 94-96...but the newer Impala's are basically the Corsica resurrected.


Posted by: LS1JAY

Quote:
Originally Posted by Slow Nova
2000+ Impala? I can understand if it's a 94-96...but the newer Impala's are basically the Corsica resurrected.

Yeah, it's the newer body style with the V6.


Posted by: Slow Nova

Quote:
Originally Posted by LS1JAY
Yeah, it's the newer body style with the V6.



He may have the 3.8L V6. This one doesn't seem to have as many issues as the 3.4L V6 - the one that I have.

Maybe the fact that the first 18,000 miles of my car's life were as a Rental Car didn't help any either. Yeah, I learned the hard way.


Posted by: Slow Nova

...And my Impala only has 65,000 miles on it. I've been replacing parts like it's got 165,000 miles.


Posted by: LS1JAY

Quote:
Originally Posted by Slow Nova
Maybe the fact that the first 18,000 miles of my car's life were as a Rental Car didn't help any either. Yeah, I learned the hard way.

I'm betting that's part of the problem!


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