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Lemmy Car Experts, I have a car that is randomly leaking coolant and need advice (Resolved) (lemmy.world)

submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by YoBuckStopsHere@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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2012 Ford Focus, 155K miles, it is leaking a decent amount of coolant when my partner drives it to work but doesn't even leak a drop if I drive it to work. The mileage is the same but I don't sit in traffic. Could the extra heat from sitting in traffic be opening up a pinhole sized leak in the coolant line?

Edit: Thanks to a tip from the comments when the heat is turned on it leaks. I should be able to bypass that line pretty easy.

Thanks Kolgeirr@sh.itjust.works

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[–] lungdart@lemmy.ca 5 points 1 year ago (2 children)

When coolant heats up, it can evaporate of there's a way out. Do you have any residue on the inside of your hood?

If you're experience a LOT of coolant loss it could be escaping into the engine through a falling head gasket. In this case you wouldn't see any residue on the inside of your hood.

God speed.

[–] Mr_Smiley@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

If its head gasket I would expect the loss to be consistent. If you open the rocker cover cap / oil filling point and it looks like there is Mayo in there, then it could be a sign the head gasket is failing.

[–] YoBuckStopsHere@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

That was my first instinct, I had a 92 Dodge Daytona which had a terrible head gasket. That was what I was seeing with that. The focus looks fine. No loss of power and no backfires so I don't believe coolant is getting into the engine.

[–] YoBuckStopsHere@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Inside hood is clean. The coolant hoses though look and feel like they are near the end of their life. I've not located where the leak is occurring, no signs of fluid on the engine block. The puddle I saw was next to the inside of the front right tire, under the coolant tank. I checked and it's leak free.

I added some stop leak to see if that solves it for now. Car only has to last another six months before we replace it and my teenager gets to deal with it.

[–] bobs_monkey@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

my teenager gets to deal with it

Oh you sweet summer child

[–] YoBuckStopsHere@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

Best way to learn how to work on a car, is to have a car that needs to be worked on.