Chatter Car Mechanic Help

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tk421's avatar

tk421

Senior Member

8,500 posts
Mar 29, 2010 4:37 PM
I have an 89 Dodge Spirit that can't hold any coolant in the radiator. I just finished filling it up again, and I was wondering if anyone had an idea what might be wrong with it?

It's not leaking on the ground while the car is not running, and I've turned the car on and just let it run for a while and no leaks onto the ground, either. I don't know about while we're moving.

I'm also pretty sure we don't have a cracked head gasket because we've had one of those before, and there is no shuddering and white smoke pouring out of exhaust like last time. I also just topped off the oil and it didn't look like there was any coolant fluid in there.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
Mar 29, 2010 4:37pm
I

I Wear Pants

Senior Member

16,223 posts
Mar 29, 2010 5:11 PM
So you haven't been able to find where it's leaking from?
Mar 29, 2010 5:11pm
ZWICK 4 PREZ's avatar

ZWICK 4 PREZ

Senior Member

7,733 posts
Mar 29, 2010 5:14 PM
heads cracked ?
Mar 29, 2010 5:14pm
I

iuhoosier11

Member

76 posts
Mar 29, 2010 5:19 PM
How much coolant are you putting in and how often do you have to do it? Can you smell coolant when you shut the car down after a long drive?
Mar 29, 2010 5:19pm
sleeper's avatar

sleeper

Legend

27,879 posts
Mar 29, 2010 5:22 PM
Ah I've seen this before and I know how to fix it. Really there are only 2 options:

1) Go to a car mechanic and get it checked out
2) Buy a new car

Any other questions?
Mar 29, 2010 5:22pm
tk421's avatar

tk421

Senior Member

8,500 posts
Mar 29, 2010 5:30 PM
iuhoosier11 wrote: How much coolant are you putting in and how often do you have to do it? Can you smell coolant when you shut the car down after a long drive?
No, it doesn't smell like coolant. I filled the radiator. Every couple days when I check the radiator is empty and there is nothing in the overflow.
Mar 29, 2010 5:30pm
I

iuhoosier11

Member

76 posts
Mar 29, 2010 5:47 PM
tk421 wrote:
iuhoosier11 wrote: How much coolant are you putting in and how often do you have to do it? Can you smell coolant when you shut the car down after a long drive?
No, it doesn't smell like coolant. I filled the radiator. Every couple days when I check the radiator is empty and there is nothing in the overflow.
Wow, it's got to be dumping on the ground. This is just a guess, but I've had a similar issue once before. My truck would only dump coolant at high rpm when the system had a big amount of pressure on it. Water pumps are centrifugal and pressure increases when you accelerate. Turned out to be a $2 rusted out hose clamp. No leaks at idle, but once the temperature and rpm got up, it was dumping on the ground. Just a guess.
Mar 29, 2010 5:47pm
tk421's avatar

tk421

Senior Member

8,500 posts
Mar 29, 2010 5:59 PM
iuhoosier11 wrote:
tk421 wrote:
iuhoosier11 wrote: How much coolant are you putting in and how often do you have to do it? Can you smell coolant when you shut the car down after a long drive?
No, it doesn't smell like coolant. I filled the radiator. Every couple days when I check the radiator is empty and there is nothing in the overflow.
Wow, it's got to be dumping on the ground. This is just a guess, but I've had a similar issue once before. My truck would only dump coolant at high rpm when the system had a big amount of pressure on it. Water pumps are centrifugal and pressure increases when you accelerate. Turned out to be a $2 rusted out hose clamp. No leaks at idle, but once the temperature and rpm got up, it was dumping on the ground. Just a guess.
Yeah, I'm hoping that's it. I'll have to take it to the mechanic when I can get some money.
Mar 29, 2010 5:59pm
GoChiefs's avatar

GoChiefs

Resident Maniac

16,754 posts
Mar 29, 2010 6:02 PM
Is your floorboard wet? I mean..surely you'd be able to tell..or smell it..but a guy I worked with had this issue. Turned out to be a heater core..and it was just dumping into the inside of his car. Lol
Mar 29, 2010 6:02pm
tk421's avatar

tk421

Senior Member

8,500 posts
Mar 29, 2010 6:07 PM
No, nothing on the inside. I don't know what this would have to do with my coolant leaking out or anything, but I probably also need to replace the thermostat for the coolant system. Even with coolant in the car, when I idle at a stoplight or anything, the temperature gauge in the car will creep up on me, then go down once we start moving again.
Mar 29, 2010 6:07pm
GoChiefs's avatar

GoChiefs

Resident Maniac

16,754 posts
Mar 29, 2010 6:28 PM
tk421 wrote: I don't know what this would have to do with my coolant leaking out or anything,
Uh..b/c your coolant goes through the heater core?
Mar 29, 2010 6:28pm
THE4RINGZ's avatar

THE4RINGZ

R.I.P Thread Bomber

16,816 posts
Mar 29, 2010 6:33 PM
Pull your oil dipstick does it look like oil or is it milky white looking ?
Mar 29, 2010 6:33pm
S

Society

Senior Member

1,146 posts
Mar 29, 2010 6:38 PM
THE4RINGZ wrote: Pull your oil dipstick does it look like oil or is it milky white looking ?
Mine looks milky white. If anyones looks like oil, then you seriously need to get laid.
Mar 29, 2010 6:38pm
tk421's avatar

tk421

Senior Member

8,500 posts
Mar 29, 2010 8:17 PM
GoChiefs wrote:
tk421 wrote: I don't know what this would have to do with my coolant leaking out or anything,
Uh..b/c your coolant goes through the heater core?
Yeah, but why would I be losing coolant because of a bad thermostat?
Mar 29, 2010 8:17pm
GoChiefs's avatar

GoChiefs

Resident Maniac

16,754 posts
Mar 29, 2010 8:22 PM
LOL..nevermind..I thought you were asking what a bad heater core would have to do with leaking coolant. LOL Misread that. I don't think the thermostat would have anything to do with losing coolant..but it sounds like you definitely need a new one if it creeps up on you at the lights. Depending on how hot you mean by 'creeping up on you'.
Mar 29, 2010 8:22pm
nc52's avatar

nc52

and he comes in the night

419 posts
Mar 29, 2010 9:55 PM
it antifreeze gnome is taking all of your antifreeze. seriously it has to be going somewhere, i'm guessing its in your oil pan
Mar 29, 2010 9:55pm
W

Woollums9

Senior Member

125 posts
Mar 29, 2010 9:59 PM
sounds like a water pump....or depending on the type of motor it could be your intake gasket. happened to my old monte carlo
Mar 29, 2010 9:59pm
wes_mantooth's avatar

wes_mantooth

Tomfoolery & shenanigans

17,977 posts
Mar 29, 2010 10:07 PM
If there is a leak, you can use that aluminum liquid stuff from an auto parts store that closes a lot of leaks. I used it as a last resort(because some say it can clog the radiator), but it worked on my sisters car. Her car had a leaky intake manifold gasket.
Mar 29, 2010 10:07pm
GoChiefs's avatar

GoChiefs

Resident Maniac

16,754 posts
Mar 30, 2010 3:54 PM
If the radiator is emptying out in a matter of a couple days..I don't think any stop leak is going to help in this situation!
Mar 30, 2010 3:54pm
sonofsam's avatar

sonofsam

Wee' Gonna Win..

2,052 posts
Mar 30, 2010 4:13 PM
Zwick and Sleeper have the right idea...

In a lot of those older dodges, they used mitsubishi engines. Its the same engine they used in a few of the caravans, acclaims/spirits, and dodge dynasties. The engine is EXTREMELY prone to blowing head gaskets and cracking the cylinder heads. Chances are that the antifreeze is entering the engine through the gasket/cylinders and is being evaporated. For it to happen that quickly, its likely this is not a new problem, but one that has gotten progressively worse over time. The car usually spits out a nice unfriendly smelling exhaust as well and the exhaust may be tinged with a black or blue color. Here are your options:

1.) Mechanic rebuilds your engine completely... Upwards of 2 grand easily.
2.) Buy a new motor and have it installed... Upwards of 4 grand easily.
3.) Buy a new car... BEST OPTION.
Mar 30, 2010 4:13pm
sonofsam's avatar

sonofsam

Wee' Gonna Win..

2,052 posts
Mar 30, 2010 4:18 PM
If you choose to get a new car, here is a word of advice... Get your hooptie over to K-Mart and get some K-Mart chromes. Ghetto the heck outta it for under 50 bucks. Drive down to the local PJ's where most of the mexican people live and put a for sale sign in the window... then wait. Chances are you will sell that thing by the end of the day for more than you could get selling it elswhere.
Mar 30, 2010 4:18pm
tk421's avatar

tk421

Senior Member

8,500 posts
Mar 30, 2010 5:17 PM
sonofsam wrote: Zwick and Sleeper have the right idea...

In a lot of those older dodges, they used mitsubishi engines. Its the same engine they used in a few of the caravans, acclaims/spirits, and dodge dynasties. The engine is EXTREMELY prone to blowing head gaskets and cracking the cylinder heads. Chances are that the antifreeze is entering the engine through the gasket/cylinders and is being evaporated. For it to happen that quickly, its likely this is not a new problem, but one that has gotten progressively worse over time. The car usually spits out a nice unfriendly smelling exhaust as well and the exhaust may be tinged with a black or blue color. Here are your options:

1.) Mechanic rebuilds your engine completely... Upwards of 2 grand easily.
2.) Buy a new motor and have it installed... Upwards of 4 grand easily.
3.) Buy a new car... BEST OPTION.
We've already had a broken head gasket before and had to get a new engine. There is no smoke coming from the exhaust at all like last time. I don't think it's a head gasket.
Mar 30, 2010 5:17pm
sonofsam's avatar

sonofsam

Wee' Gonna Win..

2,052 posts
Mar 30, 2010 10:25 PM
The antifreeze is still leaking into the engine and evaporating... My guess would be a crack in the cylinder head... Still the options are pretty clear. Time to get a new ride.
Mar 30, 2010 10:25pm
tk421's avatar

tk421

Senior Member

8,500 posts
Mar 30, 2010 10:45 PM
sonofsam wrote: The antifreeze is still leaking into the engine and evaporating... My guess would be a crack in the cylinder head... Still the options are pretty clear. Time to get a new ride.
Ha, if I had money for a new car, I wouldn't be driving a POS from 1989.
Mar 30, 2010 10:45pm
sonofsam's avatar

sonofsam

Wee' Gonna Win..

2,052 posts
Mar 30, 2010 10:48 PM
tk421 wrote:
sonofsam wrote: The antifreeze is still leaking into the engine and evaporating... My guess would be a crack in the cylinder head... Still the options are pretty clear. Time to get a new ride.
Ha, if I had money for a new car, I wouldn't be driving a POS from 1989.
Thats why I told you to get some k-mart chromes and head on down to mexi-town. You will get good money as long as it runs. Use that money to buy a different POS.
Mar 30, 2010 10:48pm