[brarei200]

I filled my coolant up two weeks ago, it used like a 1/4 of the jug.... I go out today and check it and it's low again, so I put about 1/8 of the jug in.

I looked for leaks, I don't see anything, could it just be when I replaced the radiator, I didn't put enough in and it's just going through the system??

[avoctane]

make sure you fill it up, have someone get in the car and rev it up to 2,000 rpm at least... then fill it up to the top. Cover the radiator w/ the cap. Then bleed the system out for air.

[brarei200]

What if I just run it, come home, let it cool off and top it off until its full, that should work?

[birdman77]

I have that same problem with my 95' bird. Let me know what you find out cause I'm stumped?

[djfirebird93]

Sounds like you need to bleed the system. I had a similar issue, and it went away when I filled the rad cold, Then filled the reservoir to "Full Cold", start it with the bleed screw open, then wait for it to start dripping out the bleed screw. It takes a few minutes before coolant comes out the bleeder screw.

[brarei200]

Well, the first time I filled it after getting the new radiator in, I bled the system until coolant started shooting all over the place lol. I'll bleed it again I guess lol.

[djfirebird93]

Did you fill the reservoir or did you just put it in the radiator?

[brarei200]

I filled the reservoir when I filled the radiator the first time but none after that.

[brarei200]

It's still losing coolant, I don't see any trails?

[jeffmoto]

Is the passenger floor board wet ? Heater core will leak inside.

[brarei200]

jeffmoto, on 04 November 2012 - 02:35 PM, said:

Is the passenger floor board wet ? Heater core will leak inside.

No, the floor is dry.

Forgot about this topic lol sorry

[jeffmoto]

I recently had to replace my overflow hose, it had a leak and I never noticed any leakage but was losing coolant.

[brarei200]

jeffmoto, on 18 November 2012 - 04:19 PM, said:

I recently had to replace my overflow hose, it had a leak and I never noticed any leakage but was losing coolant.

I think I just recently replaced that, but I will check it again and post back.

[ZimZam93]

I would get that checked out really soon! That exact thing was happening to my 4th gen firebird and i did some reaserach and found that my 3800 series ii engine was built using a plastic intake manifold and those would crack and break over time allowing the coolant to mix with my oil and made it all milky white. I didnt drive around on it for too long before i noticed this, and i took it in and the guy said i better cross my fingers because coolant can do some damage to the bits and pieces of the engine. Though my engine was still running and he said it sound great, i was able to avoid needing a rebuild /whole new engine and got away with a 780 dollar fix. I know they sell kits that have a metal replacement manifold for around 100 dollars online and you can do the work your self if you have the know how and i unfortunately do not http://www.firebirdnation.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/cry2.gif I hope you dont have my problem or worse! but i just wanted to bring that possibility to light, good luck!


PS; if anyone who is more engine savvy than I can correct anything or can provide further detail please do! im willing to learn as much about my engine as i can!

[brarei200]

Thanks for the tip Adam, I just changed my oil last week and there were no signs of coolant in it.

Anyway to check if the intake is leaking without tearing it apart??

[djfirebird93]

Not the lower intake manifold gasket. The upper you can, but you would be having idle issues if the outside of that gasket was leaking. So pretty much, you're going to have to take it apart and replace it.. Maybe a compression check or a cooling system pressure check.

[CDNbakn]

Replacing the lower intake manifold gasket and the plenum gasket is not too difficult. The biggest issue I had was getting to the bolts at the very back (clearance issues in these cars) and scraping the old gasket off the manifold itself. All in all, the repair cost me about $40-60 (can't remember the exact cost of the gasket kit, but it came with both upper and lower gaskets and even throttle body gasket).

Edit :: I did not go with the metal gasket kit (cost a bit more), but I changed coolant type from the orange Dex-cool to the Universal green coolant. It was said to be the Dex-cool that was eating away at the gasket, and that the green one was safer to use. So since I was switching coolant type, why not go with the plastic gasket set again since it won't dissipate again? Made sense to me.

This post has been edited by CDNbakn: 20 November 2012 - 02:16 PM

[djfirebird93]

I, too changed my coolant to the green. But I did so while changing the engine. I still put on the metal gaskets.

[brarei200]

This thing is still leaking. Any DETAILED guides with LOTS OF PICTURES on how to change the intake gasket? And also, what gaskets do you suggest?

[brarei200]

Well I'm gonna pick up some more coolant just to keep it topped off until I can find a guide to do the intake and when I have time to do it.