Where's my coolant going?

Bigfish · Sep 18, 2020

2715E Lehman started overheating, check coolant level, down 3.5 gallons! Refilled and ran engine, no visible leaks, no coolant in bilge... Ran for 20 minutes and it dropped a half gallon... Ideas??

rslifkin · Sep 18, 2020

Any signs of coolant in the exhaust? If so, it's probably a heat exchanger leak. If not, check for signs of coolant in the oil or any excess steam while running.

DavidM · Sep 18, 2020

Loss of coolant can be the main heat exchanger, the lube oil cooler if coolant cooled and a bad head gasket/cracked block. The later will show up in the oil level rising and turning milky. You can probably smell antifreeze in the exhaust if the exhangers are leaking.

David

garbler · Sep 18, 2020

Be very careful with this problem. It maybe a simple leakage issue but then again it could be internal and cost you your engine. If there is coolant in your oil then the oil will normally look greenish, and as said before, high on the stick. Do not run the engine further. Find a good mechanic and get it fixed right now.

Good luck

SoWhat · Sep 18, 2020

DavidM said:
Loss of coolant can be the main heat exchanger, the lube oil cooler if coolant cooled and a bad head gasket/cracked block. The later will show up in the oil level rising and turning milky. You can probably smell antifreeze in the exhaust if the exhangers are leaking.

David

Agree, these are the most likely culprits. Hold a rag over the exhaust for a minute. I would put this repair in the emergency category.

Where's my coolant going?

Bigfish

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rslifkin

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DavidM

Valued Technical Contributor

garbler

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SoWhat

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