Coolant Leak?
 

Ok. So I have a 99' Chevy Trailblazer(same thing as a Blazer, just that it is loaded) and it has been running very well. About a month ago, It was extremely cold, I drove around town running errands, then dropped something off at a friends work, I left the car running for less than 5 min and when I come back outside, there is some liquid(I believe to be coolant) dripping out from underneath my car and it was so much it came out under my car and was a puddle. After that I checked my coolant tank and refilled it. But then, by some miracle, I kept checking everytime I drove to see if it would be leaking, but it never did. Now, after this weekend, I was drivin to the store and on the way there, I see my temp gauge is pushing its limits, so I pull off and let it cool down. I check the coolant tank and it hasnt changed much since the last time i filled it which was a couple weeks ago. So I check in the radiator and its just about bone dry. What is going on????!!! Also, I checked today to see if I could tell where it is leaking and I found that I noticed coolant under the radiator and when I let my car idle, there is a liquid that comes out along w/ my exhaust, I figured it was water from the condesation like normal, but I let it drip into my hand and it has a slippery feel to it. What is going on in my car?? Do I have a gasket leaking? or anything? I'm not a car genius, so I can only speculate.

RE: Coolant Leak?
 

well with the radiator dry, it seems you have a leak in the radatior or lower hose. As far as the exhaust the coolant shouldnt make it that far, that should be just water. It might feel slimy because it has a lot of carbon and the other combustion byproducts in it. Good luck and keep us posted, hopefully someone else can help out.

RE: Coolant Leak?
 

Are you still running the Dexcool Coolant, or are you using the good ol' green stuff?

If youre using Dexcool (prone to clumping), you could have something as simple as a clogged return line from the resevoir, and coupled with the poorly sealing cap from Chevy, the coolant in the radiator is boiling off and not being replenished. However, since you saw the leak/puddle, it's much more likely you have a worn out lower hose like lennyblazer said. Start by checking the hose connections at the base of the radiator, and also check the drain plug. Due to the extreme cold, that little sucker coulda come loose.

RE: Coolant Leak?
 

I'm using the good ol' green stuff.
What do you mean the poor sealing cap from Chevy? The radiator cap? Should i get a new one of those?
I checked the hoses today, and since I"m not a car person, those hose connections at the base, there are two of them correct? Those were grimy and wet looking. not persay at the connection point, but the hose itself was that way, both of them where like that. So if the cold caused it(back to the story) it was freezing when i saw the leak, then the next few days it was pretty warm 40's and up and I could not find the leak, because nothing showed any evidence of a leak, even after it sat and I put paper underneath, no leak was found, so the temp caused the leak?
Cause when I saw the temp was extremly high I pulled off the road into a parking lot, popped the hood, and right behind the intake manifold(where the intake tube runs into the engine, like the black thing sitting on top of the engine?) There was steam coming from that area...

RE: Coolant Leak?
 

If you've got the black plastic radiator cap, you should definitely replace it with a Stant cap. They're less than 10 bucks, and they actually work!

And the hoses should not really be grimey and wet..Mine are realitively clean and dry. As for the cold causing the leak, I was only saying that was a potential cause if it froze the drain plug and it cracked or something and fell out causing the leak...I'm just speculating though, I don't know if that could actually happen.. Also, the temp might not be a very good indicator here, because we don't know how much exactly leaked out when it was cold (if most of the coolant leaked out, that would explain not seeing a leak the next warm day).

The hoses being wet and coolant soaked means either the hose itself is cracked/damaged, or theres a leak above it, somewhere else in the engine.

RE: Coolant Leak?
 

Ya, my friend guessed something with the temp too, but we tested it in a way with refilling the tank and driving in diff. Temps of the following days, and nothing happend. So is the cap the main probable cause for why the coolant isnt being drawn from the tank to the radiator? And the hoses seem to be a somewhat easy fix being right underneath everything? If that is the cause? Becuase we took off the plastic guard right under the front bumper(it also protects the oil filter-which I love the easy access) so we could check under the radiator and there was liquid underneath that and you could see traces of where it was running down and pooling up enough to then leak at the end of the plastic gaurd...does that make sense? or am I not clear enough. sorry I am bad w/ cars, i'm slowly learning.lol.
does the steam/smoke stuff have to do with anything when it was overheating?

RE: Coolant Leak?
 

Since there's a bit of confusion in passing information to us, this is one of those cases where I think first hand observation and testingare in order. I would fill the radiator with pre-mixed coolant of whichever type you're using and then take the truck to a mechanic who can run a coolant pressure test for you. This will pinpointany externalleak(s).

RE: Coolant Leak?
 

I'm sure the steam is a pretty big indicator or something to do with all this, I just can't come up with anything...someone else will pipe up here soon enough with a good answer. As for the cap, the radiator cap is the part that maintains pressure in the coolant system. When not kept at the right pressure, the coolant will boil off at normal operating temps. This could explain the loss of coolant, but again, the puddle you found points to a more significant problem. A good test would be to take of the radiator cap, and fill the radiator with some coolant. Then you can see where it's leaking from.

RE: Coolant Leak?
 

What does that sort of test usually cost? Also is that a test that is relatively easy if one were to have the right tester/testing device/pressurizer thing?

RE: Coolant Leak?
 

This linkwill explain about a pressure test and a Stant tester goes for ~$70. Offhand, I don't know what a mechanic will charge.