Cannot find coolant leak

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

jeeper03

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2015
Messages
129
Reaction score
31
Location
warrenton Va
I have noticed lately that my coolant level drops about 2 inches below the cold fill line after 2 weeks of driving, and if I go on long drives it seems to be more missing then just short trips around town in those two weeks. Now I just had the system flushed and new radiator and thermostat, and replaced several gaskets when I had the motor out of the jeep. I have put it on my lift several times and crawled all around the thing but I cannot seem to find any visible leaks. Could it be an intake gasket leak? I will perform a pressure test this weekend but just wanted to hear your thoughts on what I should look for.

Thanks,
Daniel
 

tombo_ontario

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2014
Messages
83
Reaction score
0
Location
Windsor, Ontario
I'd be suspicious of an internal head gasket leak. Could be leaking into a cylinder and be burned off. What you're losing sounds like a significant leak!
 

CalcityRenegade

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2013
Messages
1,174
Reaction score
1
Location
Calgary
I would check to make sure it is not a head gasket as Tombo mentioned. I would also look under the hood while the vehicle is running and have someone bring up the RPM's, I have a leak and you could not see where it was leaking from until you hit the gas and it started spraying out of a small split.
 

M38 Bob

Full Access Member
Joined
Jun 23, 2015
Messages
1,069
Reaction score
3
Location
Arkansas
Even HOAT leaves telltale colored streaks when leaking to outside surfaces. Get it up on a rack and use a good highoutput light to do a close inspection. If it ain't leaking to the outside, or polluting the oil, it's gotta be going out the tailpipe.

Bob
 

jeeper03

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2015
Messages
129
Reaction score
31
Location
warrenton Va
I will perform a pressure test this weekend and inspect it on the lift again. The only time I get a coolant smell is the first start up of the morning if I have someone else start it and I stand behind it. Otherwise after that if I start it again it doesn't do it and it doesn't do it when it is sitting there idling. Might have to try the uv light while it's in the air and under pressure could reveal something. Thanks for the tips so far.
 

belvedere

Full Access Member
Joined
Oct 23, 2008
Messages
547
Reaction score
1
Location
SD
A UOA (Used Oil Analysis) will determine if coolant is getting into the oil.
 

M38 Bob

Full Access Member
Joined
Jun 23, 2015
Messages
1,069
Reaction score
3
Location
Arkansas
You're saying the whiff in the morning is coming from exhaust, or inside? That is another option if it's a heater core leak. Might even be coming out of condensation tube.

Bob
 

dude1116

Full Access Member
Joined
May 31, 2011
Messages
3,373
Reaction score
13
Location
Pompton Plains, NJ
I have noticed lately that my coolant level drops about 2 inches below the cold fill line after 2 weeks of driving, and if I go on long drives it seems to be more missing then just short trips around town in those two weeks. Now I just had the system flushed and new radiator and thermostat, and replaced several gaskets when I had the motor out of the jeep. I have put it on my lift several times and crawled all around the thing but I cannot seem to find any visible leaks. Could it be an intake gasket leak? I will perform a pressure test this weekend but just wanted to hear your thoughts on what I should look for.

Thanks,
Daniel

I know all of this sounds stupid...but...

What type of radiator did you replace it with? Have you checked the upper driver's side corner of the radiator? I used to get a coolant smell in the cabin every once in a while when I had the same issue.
 

jp7794

Full Access Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2009
Messages
64
Reaction score
11
I was going to say to the same thing as DUDE. Aftermarket radiators are notorious for not lasting very long and pinhole leaking in the upper left corner.
 

boboborino

Full Access Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2014
Messages
587
Reaction score
20
Location
Lorette, Manitoba, Canada
I know all of this sounds stupid...but...

What type of radiator did you replace it with? Have you checked the upper driver's side corner of the radiator? I used to get a coolant smell in the cabin every once in a while when I had the same issue.

I was going to say to the same thing as DUDE. Aftermarket radiators are notorious for not lasting very long and pinhole leaking in the upper left corner.

Interesting! As I have not searched this(no need to until now, even though I probably still have no need to search) but that is exactly where mine is leaking right now. I have no idea what type of rad is in mine right now but I am going to be picking up a mopar radiator from the dealer this week!

Bert
 

ltd02

Comfortably numb
KJ Supporting Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2014
Messages
2,695
Reaction score
238
Location
North Central Maryland
Interesting! As I have not searched this(no need to until now, even though I probably still have no need to search) but that is exactly where mine is leaking right now. I have no idea what type of rad is in mine right now but I am going to be picking up a mopar radiator from the dealer this week!

Bert

FYI, When my 12 year old Mopar finally gave up the fight, it leaked right there too. Then the crappy Spectra I tried leaked there too but only 8 months later. Needless to say, I put a Mopar back in.
 

jeeper03

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2015
Messages
129
Reaction score
31
Location
warrenton Va
I'm not sure who made the replacement radiator I got it off ebay (probably not my best decision I'm hearing). I know it's not a mopar one though. The original cracked on the driver side as well. I'll look there first during the pressure test. I hope this isn't a head problem.
 

jeeper03

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2015
Messages
129
Reaction score
31
Location
warrenton Va
I checked the radiator in the corner after driving to work but didn't see anything. I will wait to see what the pressure test reveals before I buy a new radiator. No point throwing money at that if I have bigger problems. I still get the smell out of the exhaust but its not a constant smell more just once its been sitting a wile and then I start it. This is my daily driver so I'm hoping this is an easy fix.
 

jeeper03

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2015
Messages
129
Reaction score
31
Location
warrenton Va
Finally found this leak. Turns out it was a crack in the overflow bottle and once I did the pressure test I could see a small amount leaking. I will be going to several junkyards and pick-a-parts over the holiday break and will add this to the list of liberty parts to find. Hopefully that is the only leak as the amount seemed a little high for just that. Maybe the smell was from it dripping on the exhaust which would explain why there was never a puddle as well. Anyway thanks for all the help in finding it.
 

Hockeygoon

Full Access Member
Joined
May 7, 2014
Messages
253
Reaction score
2
Location
Manhattan Kansas
FYI, When my 12 year old Mopar finally gave up the fight, it leaked right there too. Then the crappy Spectra I tried leaked there too but only 8 months later. Needless to say, I put a Mopar back in.

I have never replaced a leaking radiator in my life and my current age of engines with radiators are 59 years old, 47 years old, 38 years old, 25 years old and several 1 to 10 years old. I've had a few patched due to damage and one routed out because a previous owner thought you could fix a head gasket with stop leak. Then I read about Mopar radiators failing after 6-10 years........ :thumbsdown:
 

ltd02

Comfortably numb
KJ Supporting Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2014
Messages
2,695
Reaction score
238
Location
North Central Maryland
I have never replaced a leaking radiator in my life and my current age of engines with radiators are 59 years old, 47 years old, 38 years old, 25 years old and several 1 to 10 years old. I've had a few patched due to damage and one routed out because a previous owner thought you could fix a head gasket with stop leak. Then I read about Mopar radiators failing after 6-10 years........ :thumbsdown:

I remember the good old days when the metal rads could be patched. These aluminum/plastic rads can be disappointing. But, I do have the original Aluminum/Plastic in my 98 Ranger/01 Outback and had quite a few others (older ones) over the years and this is the only one I've ever had to replace. :shrug:
 

Latest posts

Members online

Top