coolant

aadrew

While recently running an errand, the dash of my
year-old VW GTI lit up like a Christmas tree with
the warning "STOP - coolant is low" etc.

The level of coolant in the overflow tank was
approx. an inch or 2 below the MIN level.

I periodically check the various fluid levels and
was surprised to see the level of coolant drop so
quickly from the last time I checked it. I assumed
there was a leak that I had not seen.

My VW dealership checked it out and said there
were no leaks, and that EVAPORATION was responsible
for the loss, presumably due to the hot weather
(in NJ?).

I contend that a closed system should not lose
that much fluid thru evaporation, but the service
manager stood firm. I have been going to this
service mgr. for nearly 20 years and I respect him,
but I find it hard to believe what he is saying
about coolant evaporation.

My husband, by the way, swears he has not added a
drop of coolant to his Chevy in 4 years (65,000
miles).

Any comments or ideas?

don434

I agree that it is very unusual to have to add coolant over a short time. I have owned four suburbans and have to add coolant maybe once in six years.
I suspect you have a slow leak somewhere. Are you lucky enough to have a flat parking area where you can check for drips on the concrete or blacktop over a weekend?
Of course it may only leak while the system is under pressure but usually if you run the car for three or four minutes after parking you usually can find a drip spot on the paved surface.
I think your service manager was too busy for such a small problem - in HIS OPINION. Again - I don`t buy evaporation.

eggnog

I guess this is the right area to post this question.

I recently changed coolant on my ford explorer myself. It had been a while since I'd done this so I just mixed the prestone coolant 50/50 with my tap water which is soft water. Is soft water okay? I later saw the directions recommending distilled or purified water. But is soft water that much worse than purified or distilled water? i.e. what are the possible effects? Should I consider doing another coolant change right away?

Andy
San Jose, CA

discouraged

I own a 95 Bonneville and have had a coolant leak for over a month. I have taken the car in for service and they have replaced intake and exhust manifold gaskets, pulled the heads and replaced valve seals. I drove the car for a total of 300 miles after all these repairs and the coolant level dropped below the level of the radiator 3rd row. there are no visible leaks on the engine block, water pump, or hoses. there has never been an accumulation of fluid under the car. I have taken the car back and was told they could find nothing wrong. They suggested I not fill it with coolant when it leaks out next time this way they would know there was low coolant.

butch11

Depends upon what was done to make the water soft. If you have one of those water softeners that uses salt to recharge a filter, then you should not use this stuff to mix with your coolant. There are also some people that say certain types of distilled water is not good-do not know which-I just use the cheapest distilled water I can find. Also you should use a coolant that does not contain silicates. Supposedly silicates can cause problems with erosion of your water pump impellers.

Having said all that-have never had a impeller problem using yellow Prestone and distilled water for over 400K in 3 different honda vehicles.

By the way-dispose of coolant carefully-animals will drink/lick it because it has a sweet odor/taste-will kill them if they drink just a little-same applies to kids also.

saturnboi21

I am posting here for a friend of mine who has a 1992 Ford Ranger (6 Cycle) with around 130,000 miles. It hasn't been maintained all that well and has developed an anti freeze leak. It started slow from what I was told but now leaks near all the anti freeze out after the car is shut off from driving .

Any ideas as to what it could be > causing this? Cheap fixes, etc, Also, since the anti freeze leaks out so rapidly is it incrediably bad to continue driving it? What could happen?