98 rodeo coolant DISAPPEARING

daterxies · #1 12-27-2006, 10:09 PM

Hi... i been looking around with google etc and cant seem to find an exact match of what i need help with... overheating ive read about.

But my problem is my coolant is just... flat out disappearing. No visable signs of leaks, but the coolants disappearing pretty rapidly. (i have to refill it about 3x-4x a month)

Now what could this be? sense i have no way knowing whats going on with it i cant really offer much more detail... thanks for any advice in advance...

amigo-2k · #2 12-27-2006, 10:31 PM

I know there was an issue of a bad run of heads on the 98's which tend to have issues with hairline cracks in the heads.

I may have the same issue on my 2000, the reserve tank fluid disappeared over the past week....

daterxies · #3 12-27-2006, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amigo-2k

I know there was an issue of a bad run of heads on the 98's which tend to have issues with hairline cracks in the heads.

I may have the same issue on my 2000, the reserve tank fluid disappeared over the past week....

was there a recall on them?
thanks

daterxies · #4 12-28-2006, 12:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daterxies

was there a recall on them?
thanks

Also im a true believer at starting out cheap and working my way up...
So if that may be the problem would a seal work?

such as this

thanks

trooperbc · #5 12-28-2006, 01:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daterxies

Also im a true believer at starting out cheap and working my way up...
So if that may be the problem would a seal work?

such as this

thanks

well i'm no fan of those kind of stop leaks, especially when you don't know what's leaking -- you might clog something instead

but i am a fan of starting out cheap and working my way up. so this is what i would start with

drive it hard and hot, turn it off, and then pop the hood and investigate immediately. the coolant will then be at its hottest and the pressure the greatest -- and often hot vapor can be spotted as the indicator.
some areas to check

*radiator cap. it might be releasing pressure too soon and allowing vapor to escape

*any and all hoses. look and feel, under and all around. an old mirror helps. look for tell tale green fluid and vapor trails. i had a bit of leak in the *upper* radiator hose once that was invisible until careful checking like this

*check hoses to heater. these are the two hoses at the top of the engine near the firewall. here a mirror is a real help, necessity. a digital camera zoom spotted a leak for me that i couldn't see on my own because of the tight space and poor light

*check your carpeting, starting at the top under the dash. if they are damp, you may be at the start of a heater core leak, or inlet/oulet pipe leak

*check with a bright light and contorted angles the area at the top of the head, under the intake assemblies. there's a coolant pipe that runs through there with rubber orings as seals that leak. look for green. look also under the engine at the engine/trans seam. there's a weap hole in there somewhere that takes the above coolant down there. do this soon after driving as possible. park over cardboard or such to help locate drips

*check the water pump area on the fan end, same as above

*check the overflow hose

anyway, you get the idea. it could be any or all of these. my latest find was the heater core inlet/outlet area, and i'm still trying to tell if it could be the core or the hoses in the engine compartment (which show some coolant too) is getting that sponge-like foam gasket in the firewall wet from the outside in.

good luck

//bc

2eyefishclaw · #6 12-28-2006, 04:12 PM

pull your spark plugs out if there are any of them that have a green tint on the porcelan you got a crack head

daterxies · #7 01-05-2007, 08:07 PM

Alright heres an update. Its not the head gaskets, no coolant mixed with oil. I took my engine apart replaced intake manifold gaskets, and with the thermastat the o-ring was serverly warped, and had 0 sealent on. So i bought new thermastat and o-ring (who would think a peice of rubber could cost 6 bucks?) So i put engine back together everythings fine... 3 days later my resevour is empty again. Sucking coolant.
Anyone have any other ideas? Thanks.

Paul A · #8 01-05-2007, 08:19 PM

Hi,
Sorry, but this sounds exactly the same as has just cost me a small fortune.
Head Gasket!
There was NO contamination of the oil or coolant with mine.
The gasket had gone between the water jacket and one of the cylinders.
Any "white smoke" at all?

Regards

Paul

daterxies · #9 01-05-2007, 08:23 PM

no white smoke at all... that is why im started to get annoyed by this...
just to confirm... white smoke as smoke slightly coming out of exaust, not the "steam" that comes out when its cold out correct?

Ramblin Fever · #10 01-05-2007, 08:55 PM

Any leaks underneith? All your hoses good and tight?

If so, sorry, but the antifreeze has to be going somewhere, sounds like internally.

amigo-2k · #11 01-05-2007, 09:33 PM

Sounds like a cracked head (not gasket) to me.

Paul A · #12 01-06-2007, 04:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daterxies

no white smoke at all... that is why im started to get annoyed by this...
just to confirm... white smoke as smoke slightly coming out of exaust, not the "steam" that comes out when its cold out correct?

That's exactly what I meant, when cold ,the water vapour is not that hot so it condenses pretty quickly (white "smoke").
When the engine's good and hot it comes out almost superheated so it (unless the outside temp is REALLY cold) doesn't condense as quickly.
Had me baffled for a while!
Anyway, took it to a garage and they measure for gasses in the coolant which shows up the gasket fault.

Paul

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