Coolant loss or leaked water pump ?

diyer97 · Post by **diyer97** » 16 Jan 2010, 01:18

I remembered noticing coolant level down to minimum level so I refilled up to maximum twice (or at least once for sure) last year. Is this coolant loss considered normal or a sign indicates that the water pump start leaking ? The engine has 132k miles at present and timing belt was replaced around 65K (from previous owner record) and looks to be very good shape at present. Therefore I plan to do the T-belt plus idler,tensioner pulley and water pump when the engine reaches 140k or so; but we have a long trip (about 1600 miles from Calif to Texas) coming up and this coolant loss is bothering me after reading a lots about timing things and water pump on this site.
Any info regard this is greatly appreciated!!!

Post by **billofdurham** » 16 Jan 2010, 12:04

What mileage did you do between refills? All cooling systems need occasional topping up. I cover about 12,000 miles a year and usually top up twice. When you are topping up every week or so then you have a problem.

Bill.

diyer97 · Post by **diyer97** » 16 Jan 2010, 12:20

Hi Bill,
Thanks for the reply. I didn't remember but I think I put on about 8k a year and between refills roughly 5k-6k.. I didn't think I did more than two times in the last 12 months. So with this time span Am I Ok ?

Thank you for your input on other thread too. (leaked part)
Ken,

Post by **billofdurham** » 16 Jan 2010, 12:40

I should have asked how low the coolant went before you topped it up.

Over the years I have learned that a lot of coolant systems don't seem to like running at the max mark. Top them up to max and they will lose some coolant quickly then settle down and run for months about halfway between the min and max marks. My 850 does that as did my 940 and 960. I can't remember what the 240 and 740 did. I have marked the halfway point on the tank and now top up to that mark only and at most will add 1/4 of a pint of coolant every 6,000 miles.

One of the fleet cars that I drove at work, not a Volvo, would throw out any coolant above the 1/4 mark. Every time it went in for service it came out topped to max and would throw out what it didn't want in the first 100 - 200 miles. After that it wasn't topped up again until its next service.

Bill.

diyer97 · Post by **diyer97** » 16 Jan 2010, 13:34

That's interesting about coolant in different cars. I remembered when I got the radiator flushed about 15 months ago the mechanic filled only above the minimum level a bit so I asked him to pour in little more. He did but also said it's ok at that level. Some time later (not remembering exactly how long after it was flushed )I was alerted by the
"light" on the instruments panel and noticed the coolant was at minimum/or below it a bit so I filled the tank up to the max. The second time I refilled the tank when noticing the coolant was low but still above the min level and no light alert.
I did look under the car and no trace of coolant. I'm a bit worry because I don't want to be stranded on the trip and face a big bill but also I'd like to challenge myself with the T-belt jobs after spending time reading this forum. I can save some $ by doing the job in this tough economy time and I'm the kind of guy believing that I can do better job because I'm doing the job for myself. Of course I know my limit sometime.
Thanks again!!!

diyer97 · Post by **diyer97** » 29 Jan 2010, 09:44

I foundthe leak. Spot the coolant on the ground and traced it back to the radiator. It came from the area (bottom left corner of the radiator-looking at it in front of the car) surrounding the bolt,washer where the coolant pipe connected back to to the radiator. Not sure just the washer went bad or perimeter of that "hole" got rusted...