Coolant loss over time: some numbers

[e9999]

well, since some are currently in major panic mode about overheating and we are still in the tail end of the last great HG panic , I thought I should throw out a couple of numbers to quantify the rate at which coolant is lost under -hopefully- normal operation. If others could chime in for the record, maybe we can come up with some numbers that should give a benchmark figure for folks here to determine whether they may have abnormal consumption, which may be an indication of HG and other problems, leaks etc.

Here goes:

On 9/18/05 I filled up the overflow bottle to the line (it's a '97).
On 6/29/06 -9 months and 2000 miles later- the level was down by 1/2".

There may be a slight effect of the new nose down by 1" or so. Forget that. Ground was fairly level in both cases. Not major effect either.
There is a trace of red around the overflow cap, so I may have lost a bit there. This was mostly Fall, winter, and spring, which are mild here but I did run several hundred miles recently in very hot weather, with engine temps reaching at times 220F so not completely cold weather operation either. Not a lot of miles so maybe mostly normal evaporation losses -assuming I have no leak or HG problem-.


There you go: 1/2" in 9 months / 2000 miles !

Anybody else?


(edit: all the above when cold, of course)

 

[Darwood]

I've lost about 5/6's of my overflow in about 6 months and at least 10,000 miles, however I see lots of red crusties around the radiator and the overflow cap. In fact I think I saw red crusties on my front diff the other day. I need to replace some stuff

 

[mason]

I'm loosing about 1/2 inch every couple of days from the overflow. No leaks. New radiator. 90 to 100 average here now.

-Eddie

 

[e9999]

I'm loosing about 1/2 inch every couple of days from the overflow. No leaks. New radiator. 90 to 100 average here now.

-Eddie

well, that's only 100 times faster than mine above....

 

[john_eckels]

I was losing a few ounces every month. A new PHH solved the problem.

 

[cary]

I feel like posting that I am going to Jinx myself. Has been at the same level for 10 months and 10,000 miles.

 

[cayeb]

I filled the overflow bottle 12/03/06 & six months later it's at 1/2 now.

 

[mason]

I feel like an idiot. My clutch fan is totally worthless. I can spin it BACKWARDS even when the car is hot and running. Should have known. It has never come on since I got the truck (2 years, HOT southern New Mexico summers), but the temp needle has also never budged off of normal (I know, it's got a range), so I figured everything was good.

I got a new radiator couple of months ago because I had a few pinhole leaks and I kept filling it up. Now I can see where some of the coolant was probably going.

Could be with the AC running, clutch fan not working AT ALL, and nearly no air moving between the radiator and condenser, and 100 degree desert temps, I'm loosing some to evaportation.

Would have been nice to see the temp needle move JUST A LITTLE BIT!

-Eddie

 

[sseaman]

1/2"= ?ounces

i wonder how much is really being used compared to the system capacity

 

[Ting]

bump... I want to see more people response.

If you have more water ratio, does water evaporate more?

 

[gomiggity]

I just recently discovered a leak in my coolant system. There is a 3 inch rubber hose that connects two metal hoses in the rear of the engine bay which was leaking. I had to remove the starter to get to it, and while it was only 3 dollars in parts to fix it, it was not an easy job.

If you are losing a significant amount of coolant I would highly recommend searching for leaks in your system. Unfotunately mine had gotten so bad, I was caught with none left and overheated.

 

[Ting]

I just recently discovered a leak in my coolant system. There is a 3 inch rubber hose that connects two metal hoses in the rear of the engine bay which was leaking. I had to remove the starter to get to it, and while it was only 3 dollars in parts to fix it, it was not an easy job.

If you are losing a significant amount of coolant I would highly recommend searching for leaks in your system. Unfotunately mine had gotten so bad, I was caught with none left and overheated.

That's PHH.

http://www.sleeoffroad.com/technical/tz_heater_hose.htm

 

[Jacques Villeneuve]

I have not lost any in at least 6 months (knock head = wood).

 

[gomiggity]

That's PHH.

http://www.sleeoffroad.com/technical/tz_heater_hose.htm

Yeah that definitely looks like it. The clamps were the biggest pain. We actually went with the screw clamps to make things easier next time. It's pretty tight quarters in there.

 

[cayeb]

MINE i DISCOVERED THE LEAK ON THE METAL HOSES GOING TO THE REAR HEATER. I HAVEN'T DONE THE REPAIR YET BUT THE WAY LOOKS IS IN DEED A PHH.

 

[archie]

I think I lost a little( maybe 1/8 inch) in one year and about 3 thousand miles between my observations. I think ambient temperatures should be noted in your observations because checking during the winter would (I think) cause less water expansion and more vacuum.