3.8 v6 98

Okay, so i recently repaced the water pump as well as the upper and lower radiator hoses. Thermostate seems fine, no visible leaks

However, after about couple weeks, i notice the resivior was empty.. As well as the radiator low..

I cant seem to pin point the leak, because it is not consistsnt.

Wanted to hear what you guys think.

Radiator test? Coolent system pressure check?

I hope i do not have a bad head gasket...

White smoke out of tail pipe but only on cold start


Waiting to hear frm you guys

Thanks!

 

An empty reservoir, and low radiator....that's got to be in the neighborhood of a gallon of coolant in those couple weeks time. That's a lot! If you had an external leak, you'd be able to see something at that rate. Pressure test the system, and/or do a combustion gases test on the coolant in the radiator. Common sense, if you're not losing it on the outside of the engine, you're using it on the inside.

 

yeah, that ^. Pull the dipstick and see if you have any water in the oil also.

 

If I had to guess here I would lean toward an intake manifold gasket. I went threw this same thing in my 99 3.8. I ended up replacing the gasket but since my son totaled the car less than two weeks after I replaced the gasket I can not say for sure this solved the problem but I do feel 90% certain it did as I did the work myself saw what I think was the failure point.
Reasons I would lean toward an intake manifold gasket.
1) They are a known weakness in the 3.8 and a common failure item
2) They can fail in three ways and none would show a visible leak.
a) Failure between the water chamber and air intake chamber to a cylinder would simply allow water into the cylinder that would go out the exhaust
b) Failure between the water chamber and the top of the engine would allow water to ooze out between the head and intake atop the engine where in would just boil off and never make it to the ground.
c) Failure the water chamber and the internal engine would put water in your oil however this could not go on long before you had a serious problem

 

No visible external leak.
No water on dipstick

Not sure how to test without the tools!

Just might have to pay to get it looked at....

160,xxx miles, i kne the valve covers are leaking too.. prolly does need a new set of gaskets

 

Alajoe i thnk you may be right.

Today my car almost overheated today.
But the weird part about was that as soon as i picked up a certain speed it cooled down..

Hard start up this morning, almost lik it was running lean, pickup rpm n it was fine, droped then it would die.

After getting warmed up, car seemed fine. Dwn the road it almost overheat, wondering if the problem was linked.

I want to leam toward intake gaskets, but just want to be sure n if yhere is ne way to test?

 

Since oil floats on water, the dipstick won't necessarily show any coolant. To be safe, I would pull the oil drain plug momentarily and make sure there is no coolant in the bottom of the oil pan. If there is, you may have already done some bearing damage. And if it were my car, and I wanted to save the engine, I wouldn't drive it until I KNEW FOR SURE where the coolant was going.

 

I knw what your sayin, but itsy only car n have to get to wrk.

Takin it to the shop tommorw to get it tested..

 

Took it to the shop, pressurized whole system and did see coolant by intake area.

I am goin to attempt to replace myself. Any tips?

while i swap out the intake, should i just upgrade a few things while im at it?? Cold air on a v6? Bigger injectors??

 

How'd you make out at the shop?