Mistertones

My coolant is always empty in the reservoir, and low in the radiator. Do you guys have any idea why it is? It's a 1996 Nissan Maxima reaching 160k, I replaced the thermostat maybe a year ago. That is the last I've ever touched anything in the coolant part in the car. I've read around, and it could be my water pump leaking?

schmellyfart

iTrader: (46)

Have you checked for leaks? Did you top it off when it was low?

Mistertones

I always top it off when it's low, or whenever I smell like a burning smell after I drive. My temp never spikes. It always stays in the middle. I leave the car on with the hood up, but I don't see any visible leaks.

DBear

Look carefully on the front of the radiator and around the bottom for small traces of coolant. I just replaced a radiator for that. I never saw coolant on the ground, or even large puddles, but the reservoir kept going dry, and I did see small drips in a couple of places. I think if you have small leaks, most of the evidence evaporates fairly quickly.

ChrisMan287

iTrader: (34)

Check the bottom of the car for leaks and pin point where it's coming from, coolant doesn't just disappear on it's own.

There's a leak somewhere without a doubt.

phatboislim

iTrader: (27)

is your car smoking?

Mistertones

I'll try to do it when I could find dry pavement. It just snowed here again maybe 6 inches last night on top of probably 8 last week.

Mistertones

No smoke at all when I drive or idle.

phatboislim

iTrader: (27)

that shoulda been easy to spot then...a green spot on white snow if theres no smoke. like everyone said...its time to inspect and see where the leak is coming from

Trini Boom

iTrader: (5)

I am betting its the o-ring seals on the water pump that is worn and letting coolant disappear. Just had this on my friends 96 max with only 92K. Age deteriorates those seals...

max ride 41

iTrader: (4)

well, mr t you know we have the same car, color and all. and in this cold weather, if your running low or leaking the coolant will stay in the rad/engine until warmed up. same problem as you, overflow runs low amd i keep topping it off. we have a seep hole for the water pump and it leaks from there as well. i've had it running low for about 2 years and my rad is fine, so's my temp. remember its cold out and after it warms up you'll see it fill up, thats the level you want to top off the coolant.

Crusher103

iTrader: (10)

Get ready to be raped by a water pump repair.

max ride 41

iTrader: (4)

nah, im gonna do the whole chain, w/pump, tensioner, guide thing as soon as i get some more $$$$ saved up. i would'nt waste my time doing just the pump.

Crusher103

iTrader: (10)

Get ready to get raped by changing all that ****.

max ride 41

iTrader: (4)

ah my friend but ney you know not of my price i was given. 500.00 for everything tax included. i have parts coming for the job which cost me less then that!! haha, good times!!!

BigLou55

iTrader: (6)

check your water pump, I had to continuously fill up my radiator and could not figure out where the coolant was going until one the leak finally started becoming more frequent when I finally found it coming from the weep holes

maxgtr2000

iTrader: (29)

Check all your hoses while the car is warmed up and running. I changed out a water pump when that was not the problem. Not a big deal though since I gained the experience. Leaks can come from the radiator hoses, heater core hoses, the rubber seal on top of the radiator, and there is a small coolant hose on the back of the upper intake manifold. If the radiator cap is going bad it won't hold the pressure either and the water from the radiator will just evaporate.

maxed_out_99

have you ever pulled the cap off the radiator? or is always the reservoir? i know its a stretch and probably not the problem, but, you may have a crack in the reservoir. its a possibility and a cheap repair and it never hurts to check

Mistertones

Hey sorry for not responding lately guys. But I have seen small drops under my car after parked overnight. It's right below the water pump and the reservoir area. Is there a pressure test mechanics can do to pin point where or why it's leaking? I checked my radiator with the car off/cool. And I didn't see much or any coolant in there. Should I be able to see coolant in there when I open the cap?

Mistertones

Also I noticed like a burning smell coming under my hood after I park my car. I'm not sure if that has anything to do with the low coolant issue. Can pin point what it smells like. Just like something burning. Again my temp needle does not spike at all. Also my heater takes forever to get warm, and when I have it set on the high fan setting, it does not blow as strong as before.

maxed_out_99

the burning smell might be a valve cover leaking on the manifold or coolant, coolant has a sweet smell when it burns like syrup. oil burning off the manifold smells a little more like paraffin wax soaked in dirt. when you pull off the radiator cap there should always be coolant in it. the reason you have no heat is because the coolant is not making it to the core because theres not much in the system.

fill the radiator and reservoir if the reservoir is leaking you should know really soon coolant will be EVERYWHERE

a pressure test will find leaks but, dont quote me on this, i dont think it will tell you if the pump is leaking just the hoses,cap, and radiator

max ride 41

iTrader: (4)

the rad should be full to the top everytime!!! either you have a lower hose leaking or your rads leaking. pressure test is a good place to start, have them check the hoses and thermostat might be going south too. dont let the coolant go low, you'll overheat the engine and you'll be walkin!!!

plugeye

mine had the same symptoms:
always low on coolant
coolant burning smell
sometimes a small puddle under the pump, i thought

had already replaced:
cracked radiator/ thermostat/ cooling fan/ ??

i was prepared to replace the water pump, but i tracked the leak to the top of the intake area.
turned out to be a small 90 degree 3/8 hose on top of the intake was leaking on the motor & burning
replaced it for almost free & it fixed the problem
check yours for the same

max ride 41

iTrader: (4)

yeah, its called a coolant bypass hose, mine leaks too. its a little hose that runs across the block. mines been leaking for years.

cashoit

Agreed.

dont jus assume its the pump. It could be a worn hose or hose clamp.

phatboislim

iTrader: (27)

i did replace my pump and im continuously looking under my car when i walk to it to make sure it was the pump that was leaking, seems to me that was my problem. usually its not the oil cooler pipes unless your car has been subjected to up north type weather/salt conditions because they have a tendency to corrode

99BlackMaxMS

iTrader: (85)

There should always be fluid in the radiator, and leftover fluid in the reservoir tank.

My car has been doing the same thing, as soon as the cold weather hit this winter. After the car sits for about 8 hours coolant slowly begins to leak. I even had the coolant system pressure tested at Nissan (courtesy of a friend) and there were no leaks that could be found (when the car was warm, of course). Only thing that I can think of that would be leaking is the o-ring seals on the water pump, as the coolant is dripping down behind the alternator and AC compressor.

Mistertones

Ok update! I started my car to melt off some of the snow earlier. And when I popped my hood to maybe see if I could see a leak. I think I may have found it! I'm not sure if this has to do with the cooling part of the car, but hopefully. Here is a picture. It's the black rubber hose that looks wet. When my car was on, I saw it drip.

flyineagle96

Did u tighten it up? Is it sealed?

bobflood

Check the nipple on the radiator where the coolant overflow hose fits. Mine was actually cracked almost all the way around; when the fluid tried to overflow into the tank it instead came out that crack and evaporated off. The overflow tank level always looked good, but eventually the level in the cooling system got so low that it affected the heater output (It never showed hot on the guage). I always was checking it cold, so I guess I just never noticed the crack. Finally, it broke all the way off so it was so obvious even I couldn't miss it!! Had to replace the radiator, but it's all good now.

maxed_out_99

that looks like a external trans cooler line of a condenser line the wettnes may just be snow melting.or it may be your leak! did you fill your radiator and reservoir?

Goodspeed91

thats the power steering cooling i do believe. If the mechanic told me right. I got the same leak and brought it in. DIDNT even want to see the extimate for a water pump! Thats crazy!!

cochisegsxr

Hey guys sorry to hijack mistertones thread but for some reason i still cant post a new topic on here . how annoying. But i have 99 se and the auto climate control is not blowing real hot. If the the fan is on the second speed it evetually goes warm but on full fan speed it blows cool . I automatically think thermostat but was wondering if anyone else might know if something different. Recent work done was the a new alternator put on not sure if it happened after that or not? Can someone give me a pm if they have any info. Sorry again

maxed_out_99

coolant level?

Trini Boom

iTrader: (5)

It is the power steering cooling line. If you have been refilling your PS fluid with ATF, that's where its going so that's another issue soolved but its not the OP's source of coolant leak.


I am currently having the same issue. Open your hood and when the car reaches full operating temperature, grab both upper and lower radiator hoses. They should both be the same temperature. If the lower is cooler than the upper one, then your thermostat needs replacing.

maxed_out_99

the gauge would always read a low temp if its in failsafe (stuck open)
correct?

Trini Boom

iTrader: (5)

The gauge will be near normal operating temperature but not quite. Also, your fans will turn on and offf every 20 seconds as mine is now and its 19 degrees here..so the ECU is protecting the engine from overheating.

Mistertones

So does coolant run through this line?

jholley

iTrader: (13)

No that's ATF from the PS system running thru the radiator to cool off.

As Trini already stated that cannot be the cause of your coolant leak.

Mistertones

Alright I just stood outside with the car on for like 20 minutes looking everywhere for a leak. I could not find anything. I tightened that line that I thought was the coolant anyway.