coolant leak but not overheating

robzgrl1 · #1 07-07-2005, 08:14 AM

I have a 1999 montana and the other day out of the blue I noticed a spot in the driveway. So i looked and noticed a antifreeze leak but only when my a/c is on. but the thing most puzzleing is it is more water than antifreeze. I have no overheating and vehicle run fine. Any suggestions. I checked the oil and it is fine but you can defanatley smell the antifreeze. But when the a/c is off it doesn't leak. But when it's on it leaks pretty good.

cdru · #2 07-07-2005, 08:46 AM

Are you SURE it's antifreeze? Is it redish orange? You can't really go by smell as the liquid could have run down the side of something and picked up a smell from there. Air conditioners will naturally sweat/drip water just as part of normal operation. Can you figure out where the "leak" is coming from? Front of the engine? Back of the engine? Firewall. The normal spot for sweating to drain out of is the evaporator coil drain tube located on the firewall. It's a rubber tube about the size of a finger that is either straight or at a right angle and sicks out an inch or two. If the leak appears anywhere else, it's not the AC.

If it's always in the same place, put a white paper towel on that spot and run the AC for a bit. Pull it out once the leak appears and see what color it is.

Also, is your coolant level going down at all?

robzgrl1 · #3 07-07-2005, 09:18 AM

Yes It is redish/ orange. Yes my level is going down. I took off my radiator cap and it just started coming out. Could my thermostat be bad?. I just don't understand because it is not overheating. and when i stated my van up after taking off the cap it was still comming out of the radiator like it wasn't flowing through the motor. that is why I asked if it is the thermostat? the leak is underneath my Van in the same spot. I think it is comming from the back of the engine. And it just started doing this two days ago.

robzgrl1 · #4 07-07-2005, 11:37 AM

Well I did alittle more of a check and It is comming from a hose by the firewall but i am losing fluid. so could it be the heater core?

pitbull76 · #5 07-07-2005, 12:00 PM

It could be Intake manifold gasket. Look at the intake manifold gaskets to see if there's any reddish-brown stain or other evidence of leakage. Don't open the radiator when the engine is hot unless you like to get burnt. Wait till it cools.

robzgrl1 · #6 07-07-2005, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pitbull76

It could be Intake manifold gasket. Look at the intake manifold gaskets to see if there's any reddish-brown stain or other evidence of leakage. Don't open the radiator when the engine is hot unless you like to get burnt. Wait till it cools.

No it is not coming from there. I have not been running my van don't want to mess anything up. i checked all the hoses on the fire wall and one was wet it had a clamp so i don't know now.

cdru · #7 07-07-2005, 01:58 PM

If your heater core was leaking, it will just about always leak inside the cabin. There isn't any way for the heater core to leak into the engine compartment other then with the 2" or so of pipe that sticks throug the firewall. If your heater core was bad, your floor would be wet and you would have a tell-tale smell in the engine compartment.

If it is a hose, you are going to have an adventure getting the old clamp off. I struggled for quite a while getting a few off those off when I had my leak. When I did my heads this spring, I took the liberty of the easy access to just replace all the clamps from the OEM style to worm-screw clamps.

robzgrl1 · #8 07-07-2005, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdru

If your heater core was leaking, it will just about always leak inside the cabin. There isn't any way for the heater core to leak into the engine compartment other then with the 2" or so of pipe that sticks throug the firewall. If your heater core was bad, your floor would be wet and you would have a tell-tale smell in the engine compartment.

If it is a hose, you are going to have an adventure getting the old clamp off. I struggled for quite a while getting a few off those off when I had my leak. When I did my heads this spring, I took the liberty of the easy access to just replace all the clamps from the OEM style to worm-screw clamps.

What do you think it could be then? It is dripping pretty good. and alot

GregA · #9 07-07-2005, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robzgrl1

What do you think it could be then? It is dripping pretty good. and alot

Probably the hose. If they have never been replaced, its probably about time.

Take Care,

robzgrl1 · #10 07-09-2005, 06:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GregA

Probably the hose. If they have never been replaced, its probably about time.

Take Care,

Well I have noticed some brown slimish chunks in my radiator. Any one know what this is? When I squeeze the radiator hose It leaks from underneath my guess is i have a bad hose. any suggestions?

pitbull76 · #11 07-09-2005, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robzgrl1

Well I have noticed some brown slimish chunks in my radiator. Any one know what this is? When I squeeze the radiator hose It leaks from underneath my guess is i have a bad hose. any suggestions?

I have two: Replace the suspect hose and flush the cooling system to get the sludge out. That's all that should be required here.

GregA · #12 07-09-2005, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pitbull76

I have two: Replace the suspect hose and flush the cooling system to get the sludge out. That's all that should be required here.

In addition to flushing out the cooling system, I would replace ALL the hoses (both upper & lower radiator AND ALL heater hoses).

If you don't do it now, you will probably be replacing them in the near future. Do it now - good preventative measure.

I have also heard that the factory clamps for the heater hoses are a pain to get off & on. I would replace those too with the more generic hose clamps (the kind with the screws that tighten them down).

Take Care,

robzgrl1 · #13 07-09-2005, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GregA

In addition to flushing out the cooling system, I would replace ALL the hoses (both upper & lower radiator AND ALL heater hoses).

If you don't do it now, you will probably be replacing them in the near future. Do it now - good preventative measure.

I have also heard that the factory clamps for the heater hoses are a pain to get off & on. I would replace those too with the more generic hose clamps (the kind with the screws that tighten them down).

Take Care,

Well come to find out it was a worn heater hose i replaced myself. The slime stuff was from that dex-cool, so it had to be flushed . Thanks for the input.

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