After a nice ride @ pretty nice speed's and a safe return home, i have noticed my car leaking coolant...but today it lost power and lights appeared on the dash and they leak came shortly after i parked the vehicle...have flushed it twice since i've had it...new water pump new thermostat new radiator cap...reservoir was clogged so i cleaned the lines out and put it back...no other problems exist at the present time...i dont have my heater core hooked up and the people i bought it from had bypassed the core by connecting the hoses...could thiis be the problem....HELP ME PLEASE...!!!

 

do a pressure test on cooling system. do a compression test on all cylinders. could be headgasket is goin. could be more than one issue.

 

Is it overheating?

 

Wasn't overheating at all... Was driving fine until earlier today when it lost power on me and after a visit to autozone discovered i need a new alternator.. but no overheating as the temp gauge stay's at or below netural...Again i ask would the heater core nit being hooked up with this bypass method have any affect on it...?

 

before we go farther what motor is this?

 

3800 V6 Motor

 

No, Heater core is a add on to your coolant system. I would just plug the heater hoses. Connecting them will make the car a little slower to warm up.

Sounds like you are building too much pressure in your cooling system. Either your gage is wrong and it IS getting hot or you have a blown headgasket. Do a Pressure test of the cooling system and then start the car. If it starts building pressure quickly your going to need get the heads checked and replace the gaskets.

 

does autozone or a store like that perform the test or do i need to by a tester

 

Wouldn't a blown head gasket present other symptoms as well?

 

you can rent a tester from most parts stores for very little. they do want a fairly large deposit but you get that back.