OK as most of you know I reciently put a new engine in my 99 Camaro. It came out of a 2001 Boneville that had a clean Car Fax until the interior fire, 70K on the meter.

Here is my issue... I over heat every few days and I am really low on water. I refill and purge the system, I get all the air out and everything is fine for a few days. then it happens again. I can hear water move through the heater core it sounds like a slurping sound. I cannot get this to go away.

Here is what I know about the issues
I am not leaking per se, no puddles on the ground
I can smell antifreeze once I drive the car
No white smoke and the exhaust does not smell like it has any antifreeze in it.
No exhaust gasses in the cooling system that I can smell.
compression is good all 6 cylinders. Engine has plenty of power I can even break the tires loose on dry ground.
No water in the oil, no oil in the water
There is seepage where the O rings are between the intake gaskets, under the thermostat. Wet gasket, small pool in the well where the lower intake bolts are, minor staining of the lower intake but nothing to indicate more than just minor seepage.

When I put the new engine in the car I replaced all gaskets except the head and timing gaskets. The compression was good in all holes and like I said good maintenance records up to the fire. All hoses are good. Plastic elbows replaced. radiator does not have any visable holes. Unfortunatly I dont have a pressure tester but I will get access to one here soon. I replaced my Rad Cap since my old one didnt appear to be allowing the coolant into my bottle. Am I missing something here? I dont have the torque angle meter to properly reinstall the heads that is the main reason I didnt change the gaskets.

Do any of you have any ideas of where I am getting all the pressure and where my coolant is going to?

Massey

 

The engine we bought out of a fire damaged vehicle had the same symptoms. It turned out to be a bad head gasket as well as a cracked head. Although we did have a little white smoke at start up. No oil in water or water in oil. On thing we kept noticing was the overflow tank cap would blow off.

I used one of the $12 torque angle meters from Advance Auto to do the head gaskets on the 3.8 It was kind of a tough little critter to use up under that cowl.

Also, after we did the head gaskets, we kept losing water and it turned out to be the orings on the heater hoses where they plug into the engine. Couldn't see them leaking while engine was sitting idling but if you barely moved on of the hoses, it would squirt coolant everywhere. The coolant was running down on the engine and cooking off instead of leaking a puddle.

 

I dont think that the fire is the cause of the issues, my engine did not even have soot on it from the fire. The car mainly lost its interior. My friend has a pressure tester and we are going to check stuff out with that here soon. This problem is getting worse but my car's performance has not suffered at all. Any other ideas out there before I pull the heads on this? I am thinking that if I have to go that far I am going to have the heads on the other engine worked over before I pull these ones and use the reworked heads instead of just putting the old ones back on.

Massey

 

Things to look for.

A crack in the over flow tank. It would not be related to engine swap but stuff like that happens.

The heater hose O-rings. Man I have a heck of time getting them to seal it was a tinny leak in the back. The second set of orings fixed it I put a thin coating of grease on them.

Auto zone will let you borrow a pressure tester they will just want a deposit.

 

had a similar problem and it was a coolant hose with a tiny leak by the clamp. took days to lose coolant and never did overheat. low coolant light would come on before temp would even go out of ordinary. it would pressure up and push a little out then when shut off it would cool and suck air in.

 

I need to top off every day now so my leak is more than little. I have never had the low coolant light come on I dont know if I have the sensor. I have the icon and light on my dash but never seen the thing come on. I am collecting stuff for a head gasket job now and I am going to use my old heads and have them prepped first before I do the job so I dont have anything to worry about in that department. I cant find the stupid torque angle meter here in my area. most of the Autopart stores here go "huh... a what... Oh you mean a Torque Wrench" I know my store does not carry them and my competors dont have a clue... but then again I already knew that. I really wish it was not coming down to this but it looks like I dont have much choice.

Massey

 

http://www.amazon.com/Owatonna-Tool-.../dp/B000TY12OU
15 bucks i order off amazon all the time if you order it in the early morning most of the time youll get it the next morning/afternoon

 

Thanks for the link... I ordered it... One step closer now.

Massey