Coolant system problem!!!!??? help

[hardtorn]

About 2 weeks ago i started to smell a bit of antifreeze when I let my 94 atx warm up in the morning. I can not find any leaks No spots on the ground. However I am using antinfreeze up. I have been wathing the coolant over flow tank. After about 1 week it's very low. I did not notince prior to this week. However I'm sure it has been going on the whole time... Smoke/fog from under the hood after running the engine for about 5-10 min. I'm often driving after about 5 min. So I had not seen this going down the road. The thing thats strange is that it stops after about 10 min. Even when i see the fog under the hood I can not find a leak anywhere! The car runs fine. But I know something need repair. Could it be the heater core? Any way to find the problem without taking the system all apart?
Any help...

 

[sdpatt]

The two most common sources of coolant leaks are the water pump shaft seals and the composite end tank seals on the radiator. The end tank seals will usually show drips after the system reaches normal operating pressure so that is probably not the cause.

The water pump leak can be confirmed by getting down on your hands and knees and looking at the lower timing belt cover below the crankshaft. If you see a drip of coolant on the bottom of the plastic cover, the water pump is leaking. These drips usually fall to the front catalytic converter and vaporize into the sickly sweet aroma of fried coolant. That is why you wouldn't be seeing the drips on the ground.

The bottom line is that you have to find the leak by looking for the leak trails. We can only point you in helpful directions.

 

[SHOZ123]

The end tank seals will usually show drips after the system reaches normal operating pressure so that is probably not the cause.

My OEM radiator gave up the ghost at 125K so I ordered a Modine replacement. Supposedly they are the OEM manufacturers of the GEN 2 radiator. brand new it leaked at the drivers side tank seam when the temp is below 0F and the engine is cold.....

 

[rangerj]

SHOS123

The OEM and Modine (and other makes)radiators have a mounting bolt on the driver side for the fan schroud. If this bolt is too vigorously torqued it can distort the tank, and/or worse, crack the tank.

Both can cause the tank to leak. If the tank is distorted the seal can leak. If the tank is cracked, upon installation, or later due to stress, it will leak.

The point you so graciously opened the door for is, do not over-tighten the fan schroud nut/bolt on the driver side. Just "snug" it.

This post is not intended to infer or imply that you did anything incorrectly. It is only to provide a caution to those replacing a SHO radiator with the plastic tanks, be it a Modine, Motorcraft, or any other make. rangerj

 

[shojuan]

A good reason to get a radiator with a lifetime warranty, preferably from a local no hassle source. Just don't tell them you think you tightened the nut too much and so the leak is your fault. Always best to start off playing dumb, lol.

Rick

 

[snowwind1990]

don't overfill the reservoir either. It will dump the extra and dribble...
Check the reservoir for seam cracks or pin holes. It could probably use a cleaning anyway. You must test with really hot water in the bathtub, see if bubble come out of the container on its sides or bottom. It rubs at the bottom and can crack there.......Snowwind has used up three. So basically, they are only good for 3-4 years I guess and they crack. Time for a new rad. cap maybe..I say this because, there seems to be a series of failures:
1. reservoir leak
2. tank leak
3. rad. cap. seal spring gives in to poor rubber elasticity
4. t-stat
hose, hose, hose, hoses, hoses, hosesesess.
sensors are way down the list!
and maybe a pump in there at about 200K!

 

[snowwind1990]

No more posting to threads on coolant...
Snowwind gave up his water pump today....oozed and spewed, smokin' coolant after a romp at 75mph!
Wowee!!!!! I just love this SHOstuff.
Now I need to replace Bart's rad. and Snow's pump..tell ya what. I'm taking the rad. out of Snow and lettin' him sit...I will fix up Bart. Then for Christmas, I will have a pump, belts, and maybe break down and do the crank seal.....and that folks is Christmas for this year! eek!

 

[SHOZ123]

A good reason to get a radiator with a lifetime warranty,

Well Modine does have a lifetime warranty. Just have to take it out and take it to the local radiator shop.