Using Up Coolant (1 Viewer)

[twalker9480]

So I have a 1994 Fzj80 and since I've got it it's had a CE light for the EGR valve and has occasionally spit out a little smoke at startup, but it's not white. And that was all untill I took a drive from Phoenix up to Flaggstaff and I used a full reservoir of coolant, then I filled up and now after 3 days I'm out of coolant. I'm worried that I've blown my head gasket but I've done all the tests, and I've checked for all the signs of a blown head gasket. Everytime I fill up the coolant it leaks a puddle about a pancake and then stops and dosnt leak anymore.
Do I have a head gasket problem without any of the signs or is this another problem?

 

[93yotasr5]

are you sure there isn't a leak coming from the overflow tank? I had the same issue on my old 93 pickup.

 

[twalker9480]

are you sure there isn't a leak coming from the overflow tank? I had the same issue on my old 93 pickup.

I removed the tank and examined and it doesn't seem to have a leak, and when I fill it up it leaks towards the front and center of the engine bay, and sometimes there is a little bit of steam from below the intake manifold after it runs hard uphill

 

[Kaninja]

Check all your hoses. I just had a similar situation and have temporarly fixed it. Mine was the hose that attached to the heater control valve (driver side). Had a hairline split that would only leak while fully pressurised.

Also noticed a small split on the plastic heater control valve so that needs replacing as well. I had steam and reservoir would deplete. Not a head gasket IMO.

 

[twalker9480]

Check all your hoses. I just had a similar situation and have temporarly fixed it. Mine was the hose that attached to the heater control valve (driver side). Had a hairline split that would only leak while fully pressurised.

Also noticed a small split on the plastic heater control valve so that needs replacing as well. I had steam and reservoir would deplete. Not a head gasket IMO.

Awesome, thanks I'll take a look when I get a chance

 

[midfat]

If you have a pancake sized puddle of coolant on the ground, you have a leak. What you don't see is the leak when you're traveling at 80mph and the system is fully pressurized. Next time you are stopped and you see the puddle, go straight up from there.

 

[Reelitchy]

Look at your rear heat lines if you haven't already bypassed them. Mine are rusted bad but only leak during the winter of course. I don't loose fluid during the summer months.

 

[Tedward]

I had a leak near the heater control valve thing, loose hose clamp. Anyway my point is I didn't see a leak because it was landing on the exhaust manifold/heat shield. It was losing coolant much slower than your though.
Have you tried pulling over clean cardboard after a good run? Then check after it fully cools down.
Also, try washing your engine bay and under belly really well then starting over to find the loss. Keep looking so you don't have to do a head gasket job!
Good Luck.

 

[Tedward]

Check out the 'Ominous Smell' titled thread. Similar problem with good pointers.

 

[LINUS]

Drop a clean sheet of cardboard under it overnight. That pancake will be right overhead if you park level.

Like @midfat said, your pancake depressurization is a spray at speed, look for the telltale mist markings on random spots of your underhood components or even the hood liner.

 

[ThePatient1]

Ominous Smell

 

[Malleus]

Check the #3 bypass hose at the top center of the radiator. The tube on my '95 just broke there. If you have a cracked tube (easy if you set something on top of the radiator), it will leak down during the cooling off period and you won't see it.

 

[Funner]

Reach out to our local club, lots of us can help, you out.

AZ- Copper State Cruisers

 

[inkpot]

Steam from under the intake may well be a leaking throttle body return hose. It runs vertical below the rear of the TB down to the block. Hard to see/ hard to reach/repair.

 

[bahamasair]

It's either the PHH or the throttle body hose if you see steam coming from under the intake.

 

[Flightrisk99]

I just fixed a leak under the throttle body. The no. 2 water bypass hose is a couple inches forward of the phh.

If it is, you can reach in the ds wheel well and disconnect it, replace with a length of 3/8" heater hose, and the remove the throttle body (no need to remove throttle control cables) and connect the other end. While you're in there replace the 4" line that runs next to the engine lift hook. The hardest part is trying to reach in to get to the bottom connection. It took me about an hour and a half.