95SLS Posted August 8, 2004 Report Share Posted August 8, 2004 Ok, A while back they ol 96 Eldo NS had a splitting radiator, I replaced that. Now, a month or two later, I notice it eats water/rad fluid. About a gallon a week. Maybe less. I towed a baot with it about 1000 miles, yep had to add some water but it ran fine. I can't see where any water is going, anyone have any Ideas? Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDK Posted August 8, 2004 Report Share Posted August 8, 2004 I hate to mention this, but if you can not find any evidence of an external leak - then your NorthStar may have a head gasket leak. There are numerous posts to search by for "head gasket" leaks. Basically, as the engine heats the coolant pressurizes and oozes into the combustion chamber. It is diffused by the exhaust and not noticed. This can change with engine load to some degree. Depending on where the leak is, the combustion chamber gases can also leak into the coolant, causing bubbles. This kind of leak can be detected with a specialazed hydrocarbon sniffer. Many of the posts mention using a raditor pressure tester, that can be rented, to artificially-pressurize (not by operational heat) the system to detect leaks. This is not an in-expensive shop fix or a DIY fix - that most people have the tools, and know-how to accomplish. You may want to try adding some "Bars Gold" stop leak pellets. This is the same material that is added by GM after any engine/coolant work and re-plenshed every now and then. Good luck and I hope I'm wrong... Add power to leave problems behind. Most braking is just - poor planning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob D Posted August 8, 2004 Report Share Posted August 8, 2004 TDK has a good estimate of probabilities there...Given the age of the car and the fact that the motor has >100k miles, as unfortunate as it is the head gasket may be the source of your described symptoms. If, after testing it turns out that it is the source of the coolant loss, using the Bars stop leak may gain you some relief, and very well last the life of the car. I have a friend at work who's daughter picked up a used '94 El Dorado a few years back now. It started presenting the same symptoms as you've described. After following my advice on the Bars (rather than a fairly expensive head gasket replacement) she's put over 100,000 miles on the Eldo, including a round trip of the US. Yes. it still needs a little more coolant than normal now and then but hey, she's happy, and bucks ahead. I may add that they never went through any extensive failure analysis on that Eldo, they just started putting a couple of tubes of Bars Gold in the bottom radiator hose and drove it. All they did was keep their eye on the coolant level.. '93 STS.. opened, dropped, wide...fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted August 8, 2004 Report Share Posted August 8, 2004 Ok, A while back they ol 96 Eldo NS had a splitting radiator, I replaced that. Now, a month or two later, I notice it eats water/rad fluid. About a gallon a week. Maybe less. I towed a baot with it about 1000 miles, yep had to add some water but it ran fine. I can't see where any water is going, anyone have any Ideas? Mike Before you hit the panic button, you had a radiator replaced two months ago and did not have the problem before that, am a right. Did you put the cooling system supplement in at the time? If not I would immediately put in the maximum dose (in the upper hose, not the tank), hopefully someone will chime it with the dosage. Check your water pump for weeping, maybe you have a water pump that is beginning to go, and its so slow that you don't see it. You can purchase a cooling system pressurizer fairly cheaply and presurize your cooling system and see if the pressure drops... Hopefully its something simple. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adallak Posted August 8, 2004 Report Share Posted August 8, 2004 Just Like Scotty advised check first the color of the coolant. If it's clear green they did not put Bars leaks. Besides, clean with a wet towel upper and lower radiator hoses areas. If you have leaks there you'll se traces. Or you can WOT while idling to increase the pressure in the cooling system and watch first radiator hoses where they attached to the tanks and other connections as well. The saddest thing in life is wasted talent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
95SLS Posted August 13, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2004 Well, I did the Radiator repair myself, and the bars leaks did go in. And so did 2 more. Seems to have slowed. I was also thinking head gasket. I just dumped a few grand in the car in Maint because she loves the car and can't seem to part with it. I think it drives terrible compared to a Seville. It seems so high up. And top heavy. But I think it's time to do a new car. We just did our Taxes and we need a write off for this year. I was thinking a Used Escalade. But Cars . Com rates them as not too reliable. Says it's just a beefed up Tahoe and that I would be money ahead to get a GMC Denali. Thanks for the input. I think it will last until I trade it off. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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