[djmalisk]

Hi, i'm new in this forum, so i don't really know how it goes here, but i have a question. I own a 98 Camry LE 2.2L 4cyl. 119.000 miles on it ...

Couple months ago, i replaced my radiator(also T-stat) plus the upper radiator hose that goes to the engine, and i've been having a leak on the engine part where the hose connects to the engine! After that, i replaced the timing belt, water pump, Alternator belt, power steering belt, all those litle gaskets(camshaft etc). Also i replaced the battery, and last week i replaced the 4 sparkplugs and the plug wires & the PCV valve, also the AIR Filter( u know regular tune-up)

As soon as the mechanic put the sparkplugs together, i started the car and i heard a knock on the engine, sounded like a DIESEL ENGINE .. but anyway, that knock went away after couple of days ...

That upper radiator hose been leaking(no drips on the ground) and i've been loosing coolant on my reservoir(i've been adding more and more) and finally what happend my radiator(2 months old) started to leak on top driver side where the metal part is atached to the plastic part, and also by looking on the lower part of the radiator, i seen those crystal drips of coolant.
Since my radiator was under waranty, i went to the place where i bought it, so the guy gaved me another "brand new" radiator said by HIM, and he suggested me to check for leaks on my HEAD GASKET!?!?

I need some help here!

I was reading all this threads about radiator leaks, and i don't see any MILKY STYLE OIL. Has regular oil color( i changed the oil & filter last week).

I don't know what's going on, and another thing is, that the Upper HOSE i never got chance to stop it from the leak. It will leak when i first start the engine on the morning, or it will leak after i stop the engine! As far as i can see, while engine running and builting a pressure, the Upper Hose won't leak!? Is it possible the metal engine part(where the upper radiator hose conects) is cracked, or it's the clamp(brand new) that won;t hold, or maybe the hose(brand new) has a crack or something on it?

Please, i need some help here, because if it's the head gasket ready to blow or something, you talking around $1200 easy ...

I live in Clearwater Florida

Thanks for suggestions and ideas .....

 

[Mike Gerber]

I would take the car in to a professional and tell them about your problems and ask them to pressure test the cooling system for leaks. There are 2 ways of doing this. One way replaces the radiator cap with one connected to a hand pump, that is used to pump up the pressure in the system to find leaks. The other way is to poor some dye in the cooling system and run the car for a while. Then look for leaks under ultraviolet light. The dye will show up in this light indicating the source of the leak. Either test should be under $100 and show the source of the leaks(s).

Mike

 

[djmalisk]

Ok this is funny, i don't know what the heck is goin on here!
That upper hose that was leaking, the only leak that it does, it does it in the morning as soon as i start the car, and then for the rest of the day won't leak!? Any ideas?
And another thing i seen, around the hose, where is conected to the metal part of the engine, is like all green stuff, like corosion type!?
Is it the hose pitched or is it the engine(metal) part where the hose gets connected broke!?
If any picture helps, i would take a picture of it and post it here!?
Thanks

 

[Mike Gerber]

Ok this is funny, i don't know what the heck is goin on here!
That upper hose that was leaking, the only leak that it does, it does it in the morning as soon as i start the car, and then for the rest of the day won't leak!? Any ideas?
And another thing i seen, around the hose, where is conected to the metal part of the engine, is like all green stuff, like corosion type!?
Is it the hose pitched or is it the engine(metal) part where the hose gets connected broke!?
If any picture helps, i would take a picture of it and post it here!?
Thanks

The green stuff is most likely antifreeze leaking out, depending upon the color of the antifreeze used. Some antifreeze is green, some is red, and some is yellow.

It is hard to say what is wrong. It could be the hose or the housing is leaking, or even a loose clamp. Impossible to say over the internet. That's why I originally suggested taking it in to have the system professionally checked for leaks. A picture may help. There is no way to tell for sure. Post the picture and people can look and give you an opinion.

In the meantime, check the coolant level when the engine is cold. If it is low, add a 50/50 mix of coolant and antifreeze, to bring the system up to full. Then bleed the system if you know how to do that. You don't want to run out of coolant and overheat the engine. If that happens, you might just wind up with a blown head gasket you feared at first.

Mike

 

[djmalisk]

When engine is cold, the coolant level is between low & full. I added before, and i've been loosin it over the week. But past couple of days i didnt add any coolant, so like i said it's between low & full, and the radiator is Full to the top(when engine is cold)
That's the only leak that i can see really! it only leaks on the morning when i first start the car, and overnight when i shut off the car! I can tell by looking first thing on the morning that it leaked, because it's wet underneath the hose!
Thanks ... Im gonna try to get some pics. and im gonna need some help, how to upload them in the forum !

PS: I dont know how to BLEED the system

Thanks a lot