Disappearing coolant

[[1990]525]

A little more than a month ago I was having the problem of large amounts of coolant "disappearing". I'm talking the full radiator reservoir every 1-2 days.

Well I decided to pull the head. Under the valve cover there was what I would consider a large amount of gunky duckbutter ****, but the rest of the head was clean, except there was evidence of the same mayo-esque goop at the mouth of one of the pipes on the intake side. (I forget which one of the two it was). There was none of the same goop on the dipstick, but with the oil pan dropped (by the way there was little to no goop in the pan), looking up you could see an amount of the same sludge at the front.

I think it's either the head or the headgasket.

After pulling the head and having it tested, I'm told there are no leaks, but they milled it the smallest amount possible anyway. I replaced all gaskets ladeeda.

Well after getting everything back together, she drives wonderfully (she drove wonderfully before) normal. The coolant level seems to be holding, great. So I decide to reset my valves because I got new rocker arm retaining clips. I find under the valve cover the same GUNK that I had just cleaned off and thought I had been ridden of. I thought hey this could just be residual GUNK that I couldn't reach from under the oil pan.

I have driven a few (maybe 2 or 3) hundred miles since the coolant was retaining, and the level has dropped 2 ribs below the kalt mark.

Is the gunk likely to be residual? What could be my problem?

[Ferret]

After a proper HG failure, you end up finding crap for months usually...

However with the M50 engine the head only used to crack as you torqued it down for that final time...

*has a theory on that*

[whiskychaser]

Suggest changing your oil and filter soonest and watch that temp gauge like a hawk. Check your coolant daily and if its still going down keep and open mind-it may just be a weep from a hose or something. He says hopefully

[uscharalph]

If its not thru the headgasket, it could be thru the heater core.

[bsell]

Suggest changing your oil and filter soonest and watch that temp gauge like a hawk. Check your coolant daily and if its still going down keep and open mind-it may just be a weep from a hose or something. He says hopefully

Could he be losing that much through the heater core and drain hose but not smell it? I doubt it!

Could there be a fine crack in the head spraying a mist of coolant out the top of the head? This sounds far-fetched as losing a tank every 1-2 days into the engine should make for a fine chocolate milkshake in the oil pan but he doesn't have that. So the coolant must be going to the ground, but where?

Brian

[whiskychaser]

Could he be losing that much through the heater core and drain hose but not smell it? I doubt it!

Could there be a fine crack in the head spraying a mist of coolant out the top of the head? This sounds far-fetched as losing a tank every 1-2 days into the engine should make for a fine chocolate milkshake in the oil pan but he doesn't have that. So the coolant must be going to the ground, but where?

Brian
I dont know what a drain hose is. I do know that crap in the sump may not show up as the dipstick goes straight through it. Thats why I'm saying drain it and see. But as I understand it he has only lost a couple of segments over the last 2-300 miles so lets hope its an external leak.

[[1990]525]

After a proper HG failure, you end up finding crap for months usually...
I that's what this is!


However with the M50 engine the head only used to crack as you torqued it down for that final time...

*has a theory on that*
Oh ****. m20 have the same problem?


If its not thru the headgasket, it could be thru the heater core.
I cannot imagine this coming from the heater core, no other symptoms.


Suggest changing your oil and filter soonest and watch that temp gauge like a hawk. Check your coolant daily and if its still going down keep and open mind-it may just be a weep from a hose or something. He says hopefully
I've got like 10 filters and plenty of oil because of this :) The temperature gauge surprisingly even when I was losing the entire reservoir was unaffected. I'm very keen to every noise and imperceptible difference in driving as a product of this though.


I dont know what a drain hose is. I do know that crap in the sump may not show up as the dipstick goes straight through it. Thats why I'm saying drain it and see. But as I understand it he has only lost a couple of segments over the last 2-300 miles so lets hope its an external leak.
I forgot to mention I have put separate dyes in the oil and coolant. Under UV lamp I am seeing a small oil leak from the sender, but haven't positively identified an external coolant leak. I'll have to clean everything off and check again in a few days.

[CharlesAFerg]

If its not thru the headgasket, it could be thru the heater core.

I never really smelled it much, and mine is through the heater core too.
Seriously, check it out.

[bsell]

I dont know what a drain hose is. I do know that crap in the sump may not show up as the dipstick goes straight through it. Thats why I'm saying drain it and see. But as I understand it he has only lost a couple of segments over the last 2-300 miles so lets hope its an external leak.

Was trying to describe the evaporator drain hose.

Brian