Coolant leak after topping off HELP!!!

[itsplynch]

This lx450 makes me feel stupid on a regular basis....

So I noticed I had never ever checked the coolants levels the other day and discovered that there was no coolant in the plastic container marked 'coolant.'

First I put some water in the actual radiator. I did this for 30-40 seconds and noticed it wasn't actually filling up. I looked to the left and saw the coolant container.

Feeling stupid, I filled up the container and closed everything back up.

I drove the car the next morning and there was a considerable leak coming from the back of the motor. Keep in mind I've never touched the coolant levels in the year I've had the truck.

So confused. Help please!

Patrick

 

[Funner]

Stop driving the truck until you find and fix the leak. There are heater hoses on the firewall behind the motor, another (search PHH) on driver side and a third above the PHH right under the intake. These are your most likely sources as is a cracked engine block or really bad head gasket leak. If you haven't damaged the engine yet you are lucky, but that luck will run out quick if you keep driving.

 

[itsplynch]

All I did was drive it for 7 minutes and temps were normal. It is so random that this just occurred when I filled it up.

My guess would be heater hoses as the heat was questionable on startup and when I filled the coolant the heat was much better.

Hmmm

 

[Funner]

All I did was drive it for 7 minutes and temps were normal. It is so random that this just occurred when I filled it up.

My guess would be heater hoses as the heat was questionable on startup and when I filled the coolant the heat was much better.

Hmmm

I don't know from your original post how long the coolant had been low or empty because it sounds like you have never checked it before. Hopefully you caught it in time so that an inexpensive hose will resolve it.

 

[inkpot]

It could also be the heater control valve. We have seen A bunch of these fall apart. Usually it is the hose barbs that melt away. John

 

[scottryana]

Sounds like the rear heater lines to me. The rust and leak. I would keep a very very close eye on your coolant levels of youre going to drive it that way, but better yet would be to bypass the rear heater until you can fix it