Low Engine Coolent

[cks316]

I recieve the "Low Engine Coolent" message on the display screen on my aurora, so I added some coolent. The message went away for a day or two and now it popped up again. How much coolent does the aurora's take (I own a 95). I checked for leaks and everything seemed to be fine. Is it possible it is burning the antifreeze?

[97 silverbullet]

ok I've had the same problem, check your cap and make sure its not broke, it is isn't I would still recommend upgrading your cap at the dealer, its not much at all. Second what kind of anti-freeze are you using, I've had very bad luck using the green stuff and its has always leaked out. The orange stuff I've had no problems with. What temp does your car drive at?

[dsatt12]

As far as how much it takes, the total should be in your owners manual. Other than that it just fills up to the lines on the reservoir.

You should be able to smell the antifreeze burning in the exhaust if you have significant amounts going that way. It's pretty distinctive if you've ever smelled it. If not, dribble a little on your exhaust manifold after your car is all nice and hot. You'll get the picture. It also makes your exhaust white, though that can be hard to see.

[Berlin IV]

Same problem, but now fixed, I changed the water pump which was leaky, and the thermostat for good measure. It was running hot. I got the message after that and checked the coolant once again a little low, the hose was a little lose, did a pressure test and fixed it. White gunk around cam. Use only Dex Cool orange, green causes problems.

[dmorlow]

Most likely it isn't going to leak if you just look at it. You need to have pressure in the system and if you are looking when you first start it up or after it lost all of the coolant, you will never find it. On my car, my radiator had a hairline crack in it. I could never find it. I just kept on loosing coolant. My dad had a pretty genious idea. He took a air compressor and then connected a pressure regulating valve on it so I wouldn't blow the whole system out, and then screwed it to the top of the coolant overflow container. When he did that, coolant just came gushing out of the radiator through the crack. We couldn't see it when the air compressor wasn't hooked up to it. So we replaced the radiator and the problem has been fixed sense.

[Sweet William]

95's came with green coolant, not Dex-Cool. Green does not cause problems if you change it every couple of years and add Bars Leak Gold tablets. The gold tablets do not contain metal.
Listen to the area around the water pump to see if it's making noise. There is a weep hole on the shaft housing of the pump, when the bearing starts to go fluid leaks out it. If you do the pump put all new hoses and replace pump belt and serpentine belt at the same time. It's all simple stuff that gets over looked until they leave you on the side of the road.
Smell under the hood when the motor is hot. Check your dipstick, if the motor is "burning coolant" then there should be a white or foamy type of mess on it along with the smoke and smell from the exhaust.
Putting pressure on the system with an air compressor is brilliant to help find a leak. The system is pressurized, and you can still work under the hood without burning yourself.