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Coolant Leak Mystery.

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Old Jan 20, 2010 | 05:15 PM
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Default Coolant Leak Mystery.

alright, went to class today, then went to lunch, everything seemed fine, but then when i come back to my blazer after class to go home, there is a puddle of coolant under the radiator, so i tried to limp home, but then i decided that wasnt a good idea, so i pulled over and tried to diagnose the problem, radiator was just about empty, so i poured water in the Rad to see if i could see where it was leaking from, no luck, even with the car running i cant see where it was leaking from, and now it seems to be holding the water just fine, so i drove home, and it didnt get hotter than normal, and it still seems to be holding the water and what was left of the coolant just fine, so what could the problem have been?

My dad suggested that it may be the thermostat leaking when it opens up, but i think it would have leaked again when i drove home...

any suggestions? i am dumbfounded... Thanks in Advance
 
Old Jan 20, 2010 | 05:36 PM
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Start by replacing your rad cap. Cheap and easy. If it isn't holding proper pressure, it can allow the coolant to boil and push past the cap.
 
Old Jan 20, 2010 | 05:51 PM
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Originally Posted by swartlkk
Start by replacing your rad cap. Cheap and easy. If it isn't holding proper pressure, it can allow the coolant to boil and push past the cap.

well i will try this, but i think it would have been visible wouldnt it?

any other suggestions?
 
Old Jan 20, 2010 | 08:33 PM
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first off, where do u live? if there is any chance that it will get below freezing than u definitely need to get that water out of there.

And on my blazer the plastic tanks on the radiator developed hairline cracks and the coolant would leak profusely when the engine was hot. U might want check that.
 
Old Jan 20, 2010 | 08:56 PM
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Originally Posted by toaks1
first off, where do u live? if there is any chance that it will get below freezing than u definitely need to get that water out of there.

And on my blazer the plastic tanks on the radiator developed hairline cracks and the coolant would leak profusely when the engine was hot. U might want check that.

well i live in Eastern Washington, so there is a chance that it could freeze, but its been a pretty mellow winter, and i think there is enough anti freeze in there still so it should be safe for awhile, and as for the plastic tanks on the radiator? im sorry, but i have no idea what tanks you're talking about... and with these cracks, would it leak all the time? or just sometimes, cause it seems like that could possibly be it, Thanks
 
Old Jan 20, 2010 | 09:10 PM
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Originally Posted by DATEGGY39
well i live in Eastern Washington, so there is a chance that it could freeze, but its been a pretty mellow winter, and i think there is enough anti freeze in there still so it should be safe for awhile, and as for the plastic tanks on the radiator? im sorry, but i have no idea what tanks you're talking about... and with these cracks, would it leak all the time? or just sometimes, cause it seems like that could possibly be it, Thanks
He's talking about the sides of the radiator. They're made out of plastic.
 
Old Jan 20, 2010 | 09:59 PM
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Originally Posted by bigkhans
He's talking about the sides of the radiator. They're made out of plastic.
wow, sorry, not sure how i was supposed to decipher that the "plastic containers on the radiator", is actually the sides of the radiator, thanks for clearing that up! and i dont have a manual, im a poor student.

anyways, how can i see this without taking the whole radiator out, not much room to see the sides of it.
 
Old Jan 20, 2010 | 10:28 PM
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Originally Posted by DATEGGY39
wow, sorry, not sure how i was supposed to decipher that the "plastic containers on the radiator", is actually the sides of the radiator, thanks for clearing that up! and i dont have a manual, im a poor student.

anyways, how can i see this without taking the whole radiator out, not much room to see the sides of it.
What year is your blazer? I thought it was comon knowledge that the radiators have plastic tanks. Do you mean to tell us that you couldn't see the plastic on the radiator or tell by feel? I thought I saw some attitide in one of your replies so I do what I normally do and adjusted it.
 
Old Jan 20, 2010 | 10:48 PM
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Let's play nice now and leave any 'attitude adjustment' to the Forum Staff.
 
Old Jan 20, 2010 | 10:53 PM
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Originally Posted by bigkhans
What year is your blazer? I thought it was comon knowledge that the radiators have plastic tanks. Do you mean to tell us that you couldn't see the plastic on the radiator or tell by feel? I thought I saw some attitide in one of your replies so I do what I normally do and adjusted it.
its a 1994 GMC Jimmy SLE, and if you are talking about the plastic reservoir for the radiator, then yes i know that is plastic, but there is no leak coming from there as far as i know, and if you ARE talking about the sides of the actual radiator itself, then no i didn't know it had plastic sides, i guess i havent looked at it, or felt it that closely, im kinda new to the whole Blazer thing, well not really new, just new to fixing everything myself.

im still a little confused as to where you are saying the "plastic tank(s) is/are", so are we talking about the reservoir or the actual radiator??

Thanks in Advance Again!
 



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