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Topic: Antifreeze mystery

in Forum: C3 Cooling and Heating Systems


Antifreeze mystery

Posted: 8/21/22 11:32am Message 1 of 7
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Waterford, MI - USA
Joined: 9/13/2002
Posts: 1754
Vette(s): 1973 Red coupe

Where does it go.

I can’t find any leaks and no sign of moisture/water in the engine oil yet I have added a gallon of coolant into the radiator 

I’m going to pull the cover off the heater core to make sure it isn’t leaking in there but I don’t smell it and everything seems dry

always something 



|UPDATED|8/21/2022 11:32:16 AM (AZT)|/UPDATED|



Brian - NCM Lifetime Member

73 coupe L48, Flat-top pistons, Performer RPM Heads, Crane Cam and roller rockers, Holley 650 vac sec. Performer intake,
3.55 gear BTO 200-4R trans,
Leather seats, Seatbelt Plus 3point seatbelts, Pioneer CD player
Magnaflow Exhuast System

Dewitt radiator and dual electric fans
Borgeson Steering box
 


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Re: Antifreeze mystery

Posted: 8/21/22 2:50pm Message 2 of 7
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Equinunk, PA - USA
Joined: 10/31/2007
Posts: 2465
Vette(s): 1972 conv, 4-speed, 350, 200hp, numbers match, rally wheels, war bonnett yellow w/white top. good condition, nice driver.

Look for white foam on the underside of the oil fill cap, or on radiator fill cap. Maybe even on the dip stick. Sure sign of a mixture of the two liquids. Does oil show a over fill status? What about white vapor from the exhaust?




Re: Antifreeze mystery

Posted: 8/21/22 5:44pm Message 3 of 7
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Waterford, MI - USA
Joined: 9/13/2002
Posts: 1754
Vette(s): 1973 Red coupe

Nothing on the oil dip stick or valve cover cap

you can get a slight smell of antifreeze after the engine has been run for a short trip

no leak at the heater core

I did not see any “white smoke” out of the exhaust at start up




Brian - NCM Lifetime Member

73 coupe L48, Flat-top pistons, Performer RPM Heads, Crane Cam and roller rockers, Holley 650 vac sec. Performer intake,
3.55 gear BTO 200-4R trans,
Leather seats, Seatbelt Plus 3point seatbelts, Pioneer CD player
Magnaflow Exhuast System

Dewitt radiator and dual electric fans
Borgeson Steering box
 


Re: Antifreeze mystery

Posted: 8/21/22 7:02pm Message 4 of 7
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Duncanville, TX - USA
Joined: 11/8/2003
Posts: 20214
Vette(s): #1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas

Check your transmission fluid. Trans cooler inside the radiator could be leaking coolant into the trans, unless you have by-passed it and have an external cooler.

Check for evidence of coolant leaking from under the heads...as in a head gasket leak. A head gasket leak to the outside can seep coolant onto the exhaust, and never leave a visible leak on the ground. Took me over a year to find the coolant leak on my older Burban, and that's where it was leaking. I wound up using a dye in the coolant to find it.

Of course, the usual suspects, like the radiator cap, and overflow bottle/hose can leak and be hard to spot sometimes.




Joel Adams
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Re: Antifreeze mystery

Posted: 8/23/22 3:39pm Message 5 of 7
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Waterford, MI - USA
Joined: 9/13/2002
Posts: 1754
Vette(s): 1973 Red coupe

Found the leak

Checking out everything I could in the garage and finally it showed itself. Bad spot in the 5/8" heater hose. It had been rubbing on the motor mount just enough to wear it thin. Today it became a full blowout.

Love it when it happens in the driveway and not on the road.






|UPDATED|8/23/2022 3:39:49 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|



Brian - NCM Lifetime Member

73 coupe L48, Flat-top pistons, Performer RPM Heads, Crane Cam and roller rockers, Holley 650 vac sec. Performer intake,
3.55 gear BTO 200-4R trans,
Leather seats, Seatbelt Plus 3point seatbelts, Pioneer CD player
Magnaflow Exhuast System

Dewitt radiator and dual electric fans
Borgeson Steering box
 


Re: Antifreeze mystery

Posted: 8/23/22 4:55pm Message 6 of 7
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Grapevine, TX - USA
Joined: 8/26/2006
Posts: 1525
Vette(s): 1972 LT-1 convertible with factory air. 2017 Black Rose Grand Sport convertible.

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Re: Antifreeze mystery

Posted: 8/23/22 9:43pm Message 7 of 7
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Burke, VT - USA
Joined: 1/23/2002
Posts: 7282
Vette(s): SOLD - "The Toy" - '70 Convertible
SOLD - "The Beast" - '90 ZR-1 (#682)
SOLD - "Betty" - '28 Ford Model A Tudor
Sold - "BLKBRRD" - '78 Pontiac Trans Am
"BLUBYU" - '04 Coupe
Redwingvette said:

...  Love it when it happens in the driveway and not on the road.



That's the next best place for something to happen. The best place is in the garage...!!!



|UPDATED|8/23/2022 9:43:48 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|



Jim Olson 

"The Toys"...!!!  Save the Wave!

Where I've been in a Corvette...!!!

in Forum: C3 Cooling and Heating Systems


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