Where is my Anti-Freeze Going ?

[profreckles]

On my 1998 Ford Taurus the Anti-Freeze is going somewhere.
First my wife went on a 500 mile trip. On the way home it started getting hot. She put a gallon of Anti-freeze in and made it home.
I put anouther gallon in.

I took it to the shop. Water pump is fine. Mecanic can find no leaks.
says it's not burning the fluid because of cracked heads.

No idea.

Yet in about a week or so of normal driving a gallon needs to be put in.

No visable leaks. No leaks under car?

Any Ideas?

[KimMG]

Leak in the overflow container.
Bad radiator cap.
Head gasket.
Its slowly leaking somewhere.

[TomV]

My Merc Villager had a leak around a freeze plug. The fluid boiled off quickly enough that there was no dripping onto the floor.

At the rate you are losing fluid you should be able to find a leak while the car is idling in your driveway. My loss was noticable after more driving than you indicate.

I would like to think your mechanic checked the engine oil to ensure that there was no leak in the head gasket as suggested in the earlier response.

[profreckles]

He checked the Oil no water in oil

[KimMG]

Blown head gaskets don't always leak water into the oil,a blown head gasket can leak minute amounts of water into the combustion chamber. Using a gas analyzer, a mechanic can test for hydrocarbons in the cooling system. Did the mechanic do this?

[profreckles]

I looked and there is a little antifreeze around the
Cap. (But that could be from the last fillup)
AND under the Radiator there is some kind of sponge
materal. It's Wet.(But the weather here is wet)
So I may have to wait for the weather to dry out
before I can locate this.

[profreckles]

Originally Posted by KimMG

Blown head gaskets don't always leak water into the oil,a blown head gasket can leak minute amounts of water into the combustion chamber. Using a gas analyzer, a mechanic can test for hydrocarbons in the cooling system. Did the mechanic do this?

No the Mechanic did not have a gas analyzer.

[KimMG]

Did the mechanic pressure test the system? Pressure test the radiator cap?

[hughw]

My guess is a leaking freeze plug....could be that its not leaking until it gets very hot and under pressure..and then boiling off before dropping to pavement....just my guess though.

[lincoln_mark_8]

How wet is the weather you flooding there. Your car should not be wet or soaked anywhere under the hood unless you are forging rivers. I would replace the cap and see if that helps. If it does good if it don't it only cost $5 and you have a new one. make sure there is no small leaks in the overflow bottle. It might be so small you don;t see it leak.

[rsxse240]

mine was leaking from the overflow bottle, and the guy at the parts counter says it is a overly common problem, but ford won't care, because at $45/tank they are makin money!