I have a coolant leak that I haven't found nor had the time to trace. Yesterday, however, I noticed coolant leaking from what I thought was the most unlikely place. The passenger side body panel gap between the fender and the rocker panel.

So what is in there? What would be the likely suspects?


Btw, I'm finally done with finals, which means I can dedicate some time to the car.

 

I'm trying to work out what side is 'passenger' side in Puerto Rico but can't make it out in your Avatar.

I'll guess it's the RH. If I'm right, you could have a leak from the Atmospheric Recovery Bottle or one of the pipes to it.



The liner has to be removed to access the Atmospheric Recovery Bottle.

Graham

 

Yes, it's right hand side.

PR is a USA colony, as much as I hate to admit it.

I'll check that out tomorrow, when the sun comes out. How can I tell if it's leaking, other than the obvious "it's broken"?

 

If the engine gets too hot and / or pressure builds up in the cooling system, excess coolant goes into a recovery bottle under the right hand side wing/fender. If that bottle gets full it has an overflow pipe which discharges coolant onto the ground in the area you are describing.

It may not be damaged, it could be just overflowing. Check your cooling system for overheating or airlock.

 

How do I check for airlock?

 

PR is a US colony!
How dare they. The US fought a war to stop being one themselves.

The pipe from the Expansion Tank or the Bottle cap can become detached which are both easy to see. I can't recall reports on the forum of anyone having an instance of the Bottle splitting.

Graham

 

Yeah. I don't like the situation and it doesn't seem to be going to get better anytime soon. Seriously we are a bit of a contradiction "Estado libre asociado de PR" or free associated state of PR. That would imply that we are free, which we are not, a state, which we are not, and sociates of the USA, which implies we are politically equals, which we are not. A couple of plebiscites have been celebrated to change our status. In the last one, becoming the 51st state won the majority of the votes. That was during the last elections, and coincidentally my first elections. However, not one single action has been taken to change that. Our representative in congress doesn't have the right to vote on anything they do, which means that at most, all he can do is listen to the other guys. He may voice his opinion but it won't be taken into consideration. It is really a pathetic state we are in. Our economy is worse off thanks to the USA. Maybe we'd be better off if they hadn't locked us in to only commercing with the USA marina when they enacted the Jones Act. However thank god I have their citizenship... :/

Eschewing the political. I tried to recreate the leak today and nothing. No leak, coolant level stayed the same, mostly. I tried cycling the heater for air lock, I noticed the little bugger actually heats, something it wasn't doing last week, even in idle. (Although I never really use it.)

I must have some hose that's leaking. However, I noticed minute amounts coolant seeping out through the seams of the expansion tank. It could only be detected by feeling around with your fingers. It only seemed to leak when the car was on. When off, nothing performed osmosis through the tank. It must be that after certain pressures, the coolant is forcing its way out the reservoir. (The price on those is stratospherically high.) I think I once read of a forum member who removed the internal components of the tank and installed them on a metal one instead. That may be a better solution.

I was suspecting heater "octopus" hose and valley hoses initially, however, now I am not so sure. I'll ask my step brother if he has a pressure testing kit. I do not look forward to paying what is essentially a week of meals for what is basically diagnostic when a doctor can give you a free consultation.

 

A pressure tester is the best option for a more controlled way of checking over the system.

Graham