Coolant Leak - Running Out of Ideas

[blue2000s]

Originally Posted by JFP in PA

Several............. It is going someplace, so let's find it, but be ready for an "Easter Egg Hunt". You need to obtain a bottle of UV coolant dye (UView ) and a UV/Black light. Add the dye and run the car until it warms up. Shut the car down and start looking the engine bay, coolant system lines and hoses, and the radiators over with the UV light in a dim lit shop, any leakage will absolutely jump out at you. If it is an intermix problem, it can show up in the oil or on the plug tips if it is into the combustion chambers.

We do this regularly for customers, parts are cheap and it works like a charm. While looking over the Uview site, check out their “Airlift” coolant filling system, they make the vacuum fill units for Porsche, but only charge about $100 rather than the $750 the dealer gets for the unit with the OEM logo on it………..,

It certainly looks like it's going to come to that. If it does, I'm going to have to decide if I want to go to the effort myself or pay to have my mechanic do it.

[JFP in PA]

Just remember, when you take something like this to a shop, you are looking at a "time and materials" effort, which can get very expensive in and of itself, and before you take any corrective actions. We have had "leak hunts" that took over three hours of shop time (pulling lower covers off, sweeping the engine and radiator bays, etc.) before we even found the leak. This is a good “sweat equity” project, and you will know what really needs to be done before the first wrench is turned in anger………….

[SeanZ4]

I'm no mechanic but maybe? If you'll recall blue2000S, last week my blue 2000S puked coolant all over my driveway. It was obvious though. Infamous coolant cap. Got the one ending in -04 on and no problems yet... I wish the best of luck for you.

sean

[blue2000s]

Originally Posted by SeanZ4

I'm no mechanic but maybe? If you'll recall blue2000S, last week my blue 2000S puked coolant all over my driveway. It was obvious though. Infamous coolant cap. Got the one ending in -04 on and no problems yet... I wish the best of luck for you.

sean

I should have mentioned, I'm using the .03 cap, it's about a year old. I don't think it's the cap though as I seem to be loosing coolant somewhere when I use the pump that replaces the cap.

[SeanZ4]

I should have made myself more clear. I didn't think it was your coolant cap. I was suspecting the heat exchanger. Do you have any coolant in your oil?

sean

[Tranlm]

Since the pressure is decreasing slowly, my guess would be one of the gaskets.

Good luck though and please keep us updated! Thinking about it, it might be easier if you were to take off the bumper to expose the radiator, open the engine compartment, jack the car up, and wait til night time before running the car and UV light. Should make things easier and quicker for you.

[JamesBorisPerez]

That's odd, I had a bad leak and had to replace the water pump, I also replaced the cap and belt. After I did this there was no leak but I noticed a smell. The coolant did not drop so I did not pursue it.

Please let us know what you find out, Thank You.

[blue2000s]

Originally Posted by SeanZ4

I should have made myself more clear. I didn't think it was your coolant cap. I was suspecting the heat exchanger. Do you have any coolant in your oil?

sean

Nothing external to the oil cooler. I'm not seeing any indication of coolant in the oil.

[blue2000s]

I added the UV dye and ran the car for a while. I pulled off the under-panels and looked at the water pump area, radiators, and the coolant fittings. Still no luck on finding where the coolant is going. The oil doesn't appear to be glowing. But I'm not sure if there was coolant in it, it would be enough to show up.

I'm still noticing the sweet smell when I start the car hot. So it's going in to the mechanic on Tuesday.

[extanker]

Originally Posted by blue2000s

I added the UV dye and ran the car for a while. I pulled off the under-panels and looked at the water pump area, radiators, and the coolant fittings. Still no luck on finding where the coolant is going. The oil doesn't appear to be glowing. But I'm not sure if there was coolant in it, it would be enough to show up.

I'm still noticing the sweet smell when I start the car hot. So it's going in to the mechanic on Tuesday.

use your nose....really...try and catch a wiff ..is it the hvac ducts...coming in the window...front/rear of car..inside /outside...some cars have their heater fan motors running at very low speed even when the system is off so the smell could be coming from the vents via the heater core area

[JFP in PA]

You could have a slight leak in the head that is going directly into the combustion chamber and being burnt off. Possible head gasket, but more likely a cracked head...........