DIY Network

Losing Water from Cooling System From "Talk2DIY Automotive" episode DTTA-151

• If water is getting into the mixture, you are not going to have good performance or good mileage. Make sure your vehicle is cold, and then the first thing you do is remove the radiator cap (figure A) and see what your cap says is the correct poundage for your radiator cap.

• With a pressure kit, you need to pressurize the system to find out if you are losing pressure. If the pressure is okay, you need to hook the kit up to the radiator (figure B) and check the pressure there by listening for leaks. You can use a stethoscope to listen for the leaks -- they are available at an auto parts store.

Figure A

Figure B

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Figure C

• If you check that out and still don't hear anything, you could have a leak in your heater core or some other areas of your heating system. You can purchase a dye kit from your parts store. You place the dye into your system and then start your vehicle and let the dye run through the system. The kit provides a set of yellow glasses you wear and a purple light (figure C) for checking where leaks are. You could have a small leak and you would be able to find it with the light.

RESOURCES :

Tires
BFS Retail and Commercial Operations
Bloomingdale, IL 93060
Phone: 630-259-9000
Website: www.mastercareusa.com

Jasper Engines and Transmissions
PO Box 650
Jasper, IN 47547-0650
Toll-free: 800-827-7455
E-mail: sales@jasperengines.com
Website: www.jasperengines.com

Leak-Detector Kit (Spectronics Corp.)
Spectronics Corp.
956 Brush Hollow Rd.
Westbury, NY 11590
Toll-free: 800-274-8888
Website: www.tracerline.com/products.html

Digital Multimeter and Hand Tools
Westward Tools
Email: info@westwardtools.com
Website: www.westwardtools.com

Jacks and Jack Stands (Bend-Pak, Inc.)
Bend-Pak, Inc.
Website: www.bendpak.com