Nomad8888

I thought the heater core was gone in my 01, but it seems like something else. I checked the coolant overflow and it was to the bottom. Moreover, there was this brick-red sludge in there. A bad sign. So, I dumped about a gallon and a half of Peak antifreeze in and checked for leaks. Nothing. As of this writing, the coolant is topped off, and the gauge reads normal. No smoke out the pipes and the oil and tranny fluid are normal. I'm completely baffled. Even checked the floor on the passenger side as well as the underside. No drips. It was venting moisture out the defrost vents so something is broken somewhere. By the way, I'm not the original owner. I bought this lovely machine (I mean it too, not being sarcastic here) in October. She runs and shifts just right, so I'm confused.

Any ideas where all that coolant could be going if there's no leak? I mean, the sht's gotta go somewhere, right? Thanks in advance!

SXGT

if its an automatic....the brick red transmission fluid is cooled by the radiator. I always thought the tranny flud was more of a blood color.

have you ran any leak sealer through the system? have you flushed it recently?

Nomad8888

No. Just got her back in October. The only two things I've noticed are the mud in the overflow and the moisture on the windshield through the defrost vents.

JC316

Hmm, could be the intake leaking, enough to burn, but not enough to smoke.

96t-bird

Hi, have you checked your radiator? Are you running a stock setup, with your tranny lines running into the radiator. Or you using a separate tranny cooler? With the plastic radiator tank, sometime the inside wall that separate the two cracks. I got a mixture like you explained. It happen to me with my car. Which is a auto. Had to replace the radiator.

Horus

Intake manifold? Mine was leaking, in a spot that was just out of sight. After a week or so there would be no coolant left. Finally the breach got big enough where it would physically leak out, but had that not happened, I never would have known.

Nomad8888

As far as I know it's a stock set up. I don't see a transmission cooler anywhere.

96t-bird

When you check your radiator. did you notice any sludge, or reddish color? Also, check the heater hoses coming into the car from the firewall area. They may have cracks in them. When under pressure cause you to lose coolant.

JC316

I would say so.

Nomad8888

Well, I kind of found the leak. It's in front of the firewall down low on the passenger side. The heater core looks good. The hoses look fine. A buddy of mine suggested it's the heater control valve. Said they were plastic and prone to cracking and in that general area. Anyone else have a problem like that? It was dark when I saw the steam coming up from there, so I couldn't get a decent look.