I got a low coolant warning in January and added about 2 cups of coolant. The warning just came up again 3000 miles later. It took about a cup and a half of coolant. Is this normal? Is it something I should be worried about? There is no overheating involved but where the heck is the coolant going?

 

it doesnt seem like its losing alot of coolant, did you have the full coolant drained and re-filled for any reason? maybe it wasnt fully re-filled?

 

No. The first time it was low, I simply added a cup and a half to bring it to full. This time, same thing. So I guess I have a leak but it must be quite slow.

 

Look around the thermostat tower for dried coolant. Common slow leak area that requires replacement of the plactic tower. Use the aluminum one for the replacement. Another location is the water pump leaking out the weep hole but it will typically only do it while driving until it significantly fails.

 

sweet smell?

 

I'll check the thermostat tower. No sweet smell that I noticed.

 

I thought my coolant leak was coming from the thermostat housing, but found out my water pump was bleeding out of the weep holes, and I was loosing the same amount as you... new water pump and bleeder hose after 82k miles.

 

Check the expansion tank also, the plastic nipples crack/break rather easily. Mine was leaking on the very bottom (before my water pump got car-cancer, that is)

 

Expansion tank! hadn't thought of that. I'll check it. I just hope I get it figured out fast, I'm driving to Savannah later this week and I'd hate to end up on the side of the road with the hood up.

 

another place to have a look is down under the air intake. there are two coolant pipes under there. mine had been leaking for some time but i couldnt tell where since the coolant was drying up due to the heat from the engine. the two coolant pipes under the air intake are prone to splitting hence the leak. also, couple of weeks ago i started loosing coolant, and as much i tryed to find the leak, i couldnt. so it was a case of wait for it to get worse and then see. and worse it did get, subsequently found the hose from the thermostat to the radiator (bottom one), had been rubbing against the radiator cowling which caused it to split. easy replacement you may think, the bottom pipe was a nightmare to get on (new rubber dont stretch so easily!), and then the tension clip.........the neighbours definately heard some foul langauge that morning!

good luck with your hunt. post the results for us.

T

***still with the elite 'cos i got an XK8***