Where is my coolant going??

PonyXpress · 08-09-2006, 01:44 PM

A while ago I had done a bunch of mods all at once, E-303 cam GT-40 heads, Cobra intake, 65mm throttle body, 24# injectors, and C&L mass air meter. So I put everthing together and besides a real crappy idle the car runs good (I blame the C&L meter), HOWEVER, I have to keep filling my radiator all the time?? I see no coolant leaking from anywhere yet water is dissapearing....is it being burned through the engine? where is it coming from? AHHHHH, please help this is driving me nuts!!

Dark_5.0 · 08-09-2006, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PonyXpress

A while ago I had done a bunch of mods all at once, E-303 cam GT-40 heads, Cobra intake, 65mm throttle body, 24# injectors, and C&L mass air meter. So I put everthing together and besides a real crappy idle the car runs good (I blame the C&L meter), HOWEVER, I have to keep filling my radiator all the time?? I see no coolant leaking from anywhere yet water is dissapearing....is it being burned through the engine? where is it coming from? AHHHHH, please help this is driving me nuts!!

The C&L meter is very good. Blame the E303 cam.

Pull the dipstick and see if the oil is contaminated with coolant.

Check your overflow tank to see if there is oil in the coolant.

There normaly is some cross contamination if you have a head gasket leak.

PonyXpress · 08-09-2006, 01:54 PM

I've had my eye on both and the oil looks clean as does the coolant.

Dark_5.0 · 08-09-2006, 03:26 PM

Well you can pressure test the coolant system and check for an internal leak.

You can also put dye in the coolant and then go and run the car hard and let it get up to temp then pull the plugs and check for the dye on the plugs. The is how the Ford dealership found the leak on our F-350 truck. It was using about 3 gallons a week and didnt have any cross contamination.

PonyXpress · 08-09-2006, 03:30 PM

Ahhhhh, so where do you get the dye from? Where was the leak on your truck then??

Dark_5.0 · 08-09-2006, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PonyXpress

Ahhhhh, so where do you get the dye from? Where was the leak on your truck then??

Head gasket. Not sure where to get the dye may want to google it.

Dark_5.0 · 08-09-2006, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dark_5.0

Head gasket. Not sure where to get the dye may want to google it.

I searched it on google and there are all kinds of different dyes to choose from.

http://www.sjdiscounttools.com/uvb483806.html

PonyXpress · 08-09-2006, 03:57 PM

Awesome man, THANKS!! If it's a darn head gasket I think I'm gonna just wait until winter and pull everything apart, I was thinking about ditching the GT-40's for the AFR 165's anyway! Then I could also take my time and maybe gasket match the Cobra intake.

rwhite65 · 08-11-2006, 01:30 AM

Any smoke out the tail pipes?
Ryan

PonyXpress · 08-11-2006, 08:38 AM

No smoke that's really visible.

mpj76 · 08-11-2006, 10:25 AM

Don't forget about the heater core. Those leaks can definately go unnoticed. Pull up your carpet under the HVAC system to see if its soggy. Thats how I found mine.

I had cross contamination at 65K (seperate issue). Gasket change fixed it, even though I couldn't visually see any signs of gasket failure after looking at them once I took them out.

Coupe50h · 08-19-2006, 11:02 AM

Seems some coolant isnt visible on the dipstick if the head gasket is blown, usually draining the pan you can discover the water if there is any, and with no white smoke out the exhaust i wouldnt worry, my car is almost the same combo as your's, and my coolant disappears too, but i blame my puke tank, sinc eit's old and brittle.

08-09-2006, 01:44 PM	#1
PonyXpress Registered Member Join Date: Jan 1999 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 26	Where is my coolant going?? A while ago I had done a bunch of mods all at once, E-303 cam GT-40 heads, Cobra intake, 65mm throttle body, 24# injectors, and C&L mass air meter. So I put everthing together and besides a real crappy idle the car runs good (I blame the C&L meter), HOWEVER, I have to keep filling my radiator all the time?? I see no coolant leaking from anywhere yet water is dissapearing....is it being burned through the engine? where is it coming from? AHHHHH, please help this is driving me nuts!!

08-09-2006, 01:54 PM	#3
PonyXpress Registered Member Join Date: Jan 1999 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 26	Re: Where is my coolant going?? I've had my eye on both and the oil looks clean as does the coolant.

08-09-2006, 03:26 PM	#4
Dark_5.0 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Staging lane Posts: 4,337	Re: Where is my coolant going?? Well you can pressure test the coolant system and check for an internal leak. You can also put dye in the coolant and then go and run the car hard and let it get up to temp then pull the plugs and check for the dye on the plugs. The is how the Ford dealership found the leak on our F-350 truck. It was using about 3 gallons a week and didnt have any cross contamination. __________________ 92' LX-Big brakes, Lots and lots of suspension, GT40X heads, Ported cobra intake, stock cam, Vortech SC trim. 00' Lightning-Stock 88'CRX-13 second ego killer

08-09-2006, 03:30 PM	#5
PonyXpress Registered Member Join Date: Jan 1999 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 26	Re: Where is my coolant going?? Ahhhhh, so where do you get the dye from? Where was the leak on your truck then??

08-09-2006, 03:57 PM	#8
PonyXpress Registered Member Join Date: Jan 1999 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 26	Re: Where is my coolant going?? Awesome man, THANKS!! If it's a darn head gasket I think I'm gonna just wait until winter and pull everything apart, I was thinking about ditching the GT-40's for the AFR 165's anyway! Then I could also take my time and maybe gasket match the Cobra intake.

08-11-2006, 01:30 AM	#9
rwhite65 Ride Hard Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Wyoming IL Posts: 1,094	Re: Where is my coolant going?? Any smoke out the tail pipes? Ryan __________________ 65 Fastback 91 roller 306, H/C/I AOD-Bauman, PI Stallion, 4.10's and traction loc 04 Grand Cherokee Freedom Edition 79 Ford F-250 4x4 - Restored

08-11-2006, 08:38 AM	#10
PonyXpress Registered Member Join Date: Jan 1999 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 26	Re: Where is my coolant going?? No smoke that's really visible.

08-11-2006, 10:25 AM	#11
mpj76 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 158	Re: Where is my coolant going?? Don't forget about the heater core. Those leaks can definately go unnoticed. Pull up your carpet under the HVAC system to see if its soggy. Thats how I found mine. I had cross contamination at 65K (seperate issue). Gasket change fixed it, even though I couldn't visually see any signs of gasket failure after looking at them once I took them out. __________________ 91 Coupe: FMS 1 5/8 unqual shorty's, BBK off road X-pipe, Super Duty T5, Pro 5.0 short shifter, 2.73 rear, G3 alt, MSD coil, dist, no smog pump, oil cooler, 195K miles, 14 deg timing, 23 mpg city/29 mpg highway @ 65 mph.

08-19-2006, 11:02 AM	#12
Coupe50h Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: SanAntonio, Tx Posts: 957	Re: Where is my coolant going?? Seems some coolant isnt visible on the dipstick if the head gasket is blown, usually draining the pan you can discover the water if there is any, and with no white smoke out the exhaust i wouldnt worry, my car is almost the same combo as your's, and my coolant disappears too, but i blame my puke tank, sinc eit's old and brittle. __________________ X-Texas highway patrol ssp 1990 coupe - exploder Gt-40 iron heads, Explorer intake, 19 lber's. E-cam. crane 1.7 rollers. 190fp. 75mm maf. 65mm tb, tubular subframe connectors, mac cai, Asp crank pulley, T-5, king cobra clutch, flowtech 1-5/8 unequals, mac X-pipe Frpp driveshaft, lakewood Lca's. race weight 3,160 12.69 @ 107.35, 1.71 60' 26x8.5 drag's 3.90 gear 13.20 @ 106.91 - 235/60/15 firestones 2.3 60' 3.27 gear

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