Coolant Leak, no Spots under car, No White Smoke in Exhaust

[chas]

if the engine is burning the coolant you should smell it in the exhaust which you generally cant smell when seated in the vehicle. if you smell it while driving (particularly low speed) its probably leaking into the engine bay.

as for the 260* readings, sounds like air/steam or exhaust gases flowing through your system. if your head gasket is slowly leaking it can push exhaust gases into the coolant, displacing the coolant into the overflow and elsewhere. the pockets of hot gas will cause interesting readings. also, low coolant levels (which creates steam instead of carrying heat away) will also provide these crazy readings. so its not certain that its a head gasket leak.

i have read that removing the radiator cap while running (and once coolant is warm and flowing) and holding an exhaust gas analyzer over the opening can determine if you have exhaust gases leaking into the coolant.

[Distephano]

The Exahust is pretty much scentless. Doesn't really smell like anything.


I've been checking the coolent levels since the last time I filled it up. Sure looks like it hasnt' dropped at all in the last week. I'm really baffled. Maybe there was one last big air bubble in the system that finaly purged out. Beats me... I guess I'll see what happens.

[RUC]

If I start the car and run it without the radiator cap, I get smoke bubbles coming out of the top after a while.

[HPbyChevy]

Here's a story for you guys... I had this problem last year. I'd check the coolant, it'd be low. Was like this for a couple of weeks. ?? I noticed after driving that I could smell antifreeze burning. ?? I'm thinking what the F*c!??? No puddles, just this smell and the low coolant level. I looked HIGH, I looked low. I looked everywhere! Come to find out, the weep hole in the water pump was leaking... the pump went bad. The coolant was leaking out, and with the motor being hot enough - the coolant was burning off leaving no puddle. Just an example. It could be a number of different things when a coolant system is involved. Good luck. ;)

[chas]

those weap hole leaks are hard to spot! get the engine hot and look for steam (you might even need to keep the engine running for weap hole to keep leaking).

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr> If I start the car and run it without the radiator cap, I get smoke bubbles coming out of the top after a while. <hr></blockquote>

sounds bad i am afraid. air bubbles would not have a smoke/vapor trail. exhaust leaks into the coolant or overheating coolant would make smoke (its more likely steam). the steam/exhaust bubbles would explain your strange temp readings.

[RUC]

I took the pulley off of the water pump today and the water pump today and the weephole is plugged with silicone, so nothing is leaking from there.

For some reason the bolts on the the water pump were unreasonably loose and I torqed them down as much as possible. I also noticed that the stop leak I put in the fluid was all caked up around them. I thought they were just loose, but the car still smells like antifreeze when I drive it. Any ideas.

[Ugene96rs]

Wow! Lots of posts for coolant leaks on Camaros. I have been smelling antifreeze for about the 2 last months or so. Looked for leaks, could not find any, it wasn't even low on fluid. Did a presure test, held pressure for thirty minutes. The only thing I could find was about 20 little tiny specs, like spray of something, on the bottom of the plastic air intake duct that mounts the the core support. Not enough there to even tell what it was. So I thought maybe it is the water pump just starting to go out and I ordered one off ebay. Gave 29.00 total for a brand new AC Delco in the box with gasket! Got lucky! This was all about three or four weeks ago.

Today I smell it but it seems to be getting worse with the weather warming up, car running a little warmer and all. Look under the hood again and now the plastic intake piece is wet with antifreeze. Water pump pulley is dry belt is dry. Right above the pump, under the intake, back in a recess is wet. I start the car up and look for leaks. Nothing. I race the enginge a few times and when the motor hits about 3k on the tach it sprays coolant out from this little recess. Deffinitly not the water pump. Of coarse not, that would be way too easy. Oh, and the car is a 96 RS with 117k miles. This is the first trouble I have had with the motor. Ok, ok! I replaced the alternator @ 100k miles. Expensive little bugger! Other than that just regular maintenace.

#$*&@#$%&*!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't want to have to change the ******* gasket on the intake!! Half of the **** motor is under the dash! POS!!!!

Ok, I feel better now.

Any one changed the intake gaskets on the 3.8 while in the car? I have the factory manuals, they don't make it sound too bad but I'm sure all those bolts are going to fun getting to. Hell it took 2 hours to change the plugs and wires 3 years ago! I can just imagine on pulling the intake.

[SpeedingFirebird]

This may sound stupid, but does your radiator cap seal tightly? If not ,it will relieve pressure as you are driving (aka release steam), and likely will not hiss after you turn it off. If the radiator is new, the cap could be the problem.

[Ugene96rs]

Holy cow!

I wold just like to say "THANKS!" to everyone who participates in this board. I had a coolant leak (see a few posts above) and thought it was for sure my intake manifold gasket. Turns out, after reading posts from others about their leaks I did some research on this elbow I kept hearing about. Thought you guys were crazy cause I could not see any elbow. Looked through the parts cd I have and there it was. It conects the manifold to the tension pulley bracket. I pulled the alternator and the brakcet and there was the little elbow with a hairline crak in it.

WHat a releif. I would have pulled the intake and before looking into the little elbo.

Thanks again! You guys saved me many hours of headache and frustraition.