Water going missing but no puddles??? - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

roscoa1 · 08-28-2005, 01:54 PM

Hi all,

Been here a few times and had some great help and advise..... i have another little problem that i just cannot figure!

My 1991 MK III Supra turbo is losing water (coolant) but no puddles anywhere! Yesterday after completing a long fast drive of a 200 mile round trip (with traffic for about 20 mins), the car performed fantastic, did not over heat, i checked the expansion tank after getting home and it was 3/4 full, although i could smell coolant i could not find a leak.

In the morning the car had lost 4 litres of water/coolant with no puddles!!!!?????

Any ideas...... the only clue is a slight hissing around the turbo side of the block yet i cannot find anything coming from anywhere, and there is no steam..

Help will be greatly received!

Cheers

Rosco

TcmaBoy · 08-28-2005, 09:26 PM

If you can hear hissing from the turbo side, that may be where the leak is. Toyota used a water cooled center section in their turbos. Over the course of a long drive the coolant may have boiled as it passed through the turbo, and seeped out slowly through a seal or fitting on the turbo. With the coolant hot the expansion tank would have filled up. As the car cooled off the coolant would have flowed back into the radiator. Your radiator may have already been low when you got home. Another explanation could be a blown head gasket. The 7MGTE is notorious for this problem. The coolant may have leaked into the cylinders. I would do a compression check to make sure the head gasket is ok. If the head gasket is ok, then I would start the car and take it for a drive. Get it hot and come back home. With the engine still running get a flashlight, I use one with a red lens, and look around the engine bay. The flashlight will help highlight any steam.

Jeeves · 08-29-2005, 01:16 AM

Check to see if your passenger side carpet is damp. If so that indicates a dead/leaking heater core.

ekim55121 · 08-29-2005, 01:20 AM

my camrys rad was cracked so finly it looked like a seam in the rad that was there when it was made and i had the same problem i though since my over flow tank was cracked as its a notorious camry problem it was escaping from there when i foudn the leak i was pissed cause i was 300 miles from home in the woods camping, so my lesson learned just dont let it bite you in the ass. i was lucky that we had alot of water on hand so we used the water that was for drinking and had to resort to drinking all the beer

roscoa1 · 08-29-2005, 02:28 AM

Hi All

Thanks for your replies! The heater core is ok and there is no sign of water in the the cockpit whatsoever. I am sure it must be the water feed into the turbo, and i will change the gaskets to see if this makes a difference, if so then i hope i do not lose anymore water or it could be the HG and if it is then at least it will give me the excuse to put a metal one in!

Thanks for all your help and i will post again either way after the gasket is changed.

Cheers

Rosco

roscoa1 · 09-15-2005, 03:17 PM

Hi All

A little late coming back! But it was coming from the water feed into the turbo, the water must have been evapourating and causing the level to drop. Replaced the gasket and have not lost water since....

Thanks for all your help!!!!

I now have a high pitched screeching / grinding from the front right of the car when driving along (goes a little when turning right an goes after a little driving.... Any ideas (If its not one thing its another!!!)

Cheers

Rosco