magical cooling system?
03-15-2005, 05:06 PM
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magical cooling system?
ok so my radiator sprung a leak over the winter. it'* right at the top row, basically behind the hood latch. it'* a small leak - the kind that whizzes a little stream of fluid out when the car'* up to temperature.
well when the fluid got down to where it wasn't reaching the top row of the radiator anymore the leak stopped (duh). still i got the feeling that stuff was evaporating out.
i decided to leave it until the low coolant light came on to see if my theory was right, or if in fact the leak had stopped with a slightly low fluid level. it'* been over two months now, and the light hasn't come on. the car runs at the same temp (210-220 @idle) as it did before the leak. the funny thing (not funny, actually) about it is there'* no coolant left in the reservoir and when i open my radiator cap there'* no fluid in sight - dry as a bone.
how the hell is my car cooling itself? it has no coolant! at least none that i can see...
well when the fluid got down to where it wasn't reaching the top row of the radiator anymore the leak stopped (duh). still i got the feeling that stuff was evaporating out.
i decided to leave it until the low coolant light came on to see if my theory was right, or if in fact the leak had stopped with a slightly low fluid level. it'* been over two months now, and the light hasn't come on. the car runs at the same temp (210-220 @idle) as it did before the leak. the funny thing (not funny, actually) about it is there'* no coolant left in the reservoir and when i open my radiator cap there'* no fluid in sight - dry as a bone.
how the hell is my car cooling itself? it has no coolant! at least none that i can see...
03-15-2005, 06:23 PM
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1) Replace the Radiator before you have to replace the engine... The alluminum has pitted... There is another option, you could have that row thats leaking capped off so no fluid will pass through that tube...
2) The Temp sensor DOES NOT measure the actuall engine temp...lt measures the temperature of the coolant in the block... If there is no coolant, by the time the temp sensor measures the engine temp it may be too late... I have seen a few sensors( A plastic on the outside ) melted from the high block temps due to the lack of coolant..
3) Even though you may not have seen the coolant, there was problably just enough in the radiator to keep the engine block and heads full of coolant... Any lower can become a problem in a hurry...
Good Luck
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2) The Temp sensor DOES NOT measure the actuall engine temp...lt measures the temperature of the coolant in the block... If there is no coolant, by the time the temp sensor measures the engine temp it may be too late... I have seen a few sensors( A plastic on the outside ) melted from the high block temps due to the lack of coolant..
3) Even though you may not have seen the coolant, there was problably just enough in the radiator to keep the engine block and heads full of coolant... Any lower can become a problem in a hurry...
Good Luck
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03-15-2005, 08:28 PM
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Originally Posted by jr's3800
1) Replace the Radiator before you have to replace the engine... The alluminum has pitted... There is another option, you could have that row thats leaking capped off so no fluid will pass through that tube...
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