Coolant Usage

[conkers15]

my Camry uses coolant like its her job. I recently flushed the radiator fluid. I have to check the coolant every so often because it keeps disappearing... where is it going? what should i check for?

[Albuynp Ryeno]

Do you see white smoke out of the exhust?

Also look underneath for coolant leaks.

[conkers15]

no smoke comes out of it, and i recently replaced seals and stuff so for sure i know nothing leaks from the bottom... anything else i should look for?

[bronzemaxell]

Originally Posted by conkers15

no smoke comes out of it, and i recently replaced seals and stuff so for sure i know nothing leaks from the bottom... anything else i should look for?

i experienced similar situation a while ago where my 1993 camry 4cyl with 280k miles, coolant keep disapearing in about 3 or 4 weeks, the reservior bottle is empty and i have to keep top off the tank, my initial suspect was the headgasket, but i don't see white smoke, milky engine oil, and my radiator was recently installed (about a year ago), and it was loosing coolant more and more quickly, until finally i see some steam coming out at the buttom of the radiator, after i replaced the radiator and two new radiator hoses, my coolant level has been staying about the same for the last 6 months where i don't need to top off coolant reservior tank.

many areas can leak, radiator crack, radiator hose crack, heater hoses, water pump leak, and the most recent mishap i had was one of the two small coolant hoses to the throttle body exploded, burst, lost all coolant and engine started to overheat, luckily was on local near home, shut off car immediately and let it cool off, replaced all small coolant hoses, fill coolant, now the car drive ok again.

[frenum49]

I would take the car to a garage that will find the problem for little/no money. They can pressurize the coolant system which will make finding the leak a lot easier. I have seen a few cars that just needed a new radiator cap. check that your cap has a good gasket.

[Kep]

^+1 frenum41's point is good. There are several types of coolant leaks that the coolant leaks onto a hot surface and evaporates before you can see it. Pressurizing the system when the engine is cool often lets you find the leak. If it isn't obvious I think that they can add a dye to trace it better.

If you want to try doing this yourself, call around some of your local auto parts stores to see if they might "loan" out the radiator pressure tool. I think some Auto Zones do.

Kep

[conkers15]

thanks guys ill look into it!!

[TMetalMan]

Freeze plugs (AKA expansion plugs) also offer another point for coolant to leak. The freeze plug closest to the water pump at the front of the block is leaking coolant in my Camry. It's leaking so much that I can top off the reservoir and it will be empty in less than a week.

[Kep]

I was unexpectedly loosing coolant and I noticed that my coolant overflow tank had two holes in it's top where it rubbed on the hood. I plugged up the two holes and my coolant quit disappearing. You may have a similar leak.

Kep