Radiator question

[mustanger]

Just how much coolant should you go through?

I don't have any leaks, nothing in the oil but yet I seem to go through coolant quick. Could I have a bad water pump? Could the radiator be going bad?

[mustang8998]

It shouldn't go through any coolant. It is either leaking somewhere, or burning it.

[mustanger]

It shouldn't go through any coolant. It is either leaking somewhere, or burning it.

What do you mean by burning it? So I can try pin-pointing it out.
Thanks for the response.

[mustang8998]

If you have a head gasket, or even an intake gasket seeping a small amount, it will burn up and may not be too visible. It may look like the vapor you see this time of year. I would put a pressure tester, on the radiator. Pressurize it and see if the pressure drops. If it does, it is leaking somewhere.

I would also check the floor, around the heater box for wetness.

You haven't, by chance drained the coolant recently, have you? If so, it may be working out air pockets still.

[mustanger]

If you have a head gasket, or even an intake gasket seeping a small amount, it will burn up and may not be too visible. It may look like the vapor you see this time of year. I would put a pressure tester, on the radiator. Pressurize it and see if the pressure drops. If it does, it is leaking somewhere.

I would also check the floor, around the heater box for wetness.

You haven't, by chance drained the coolant recently, have you? If so, it may be working out air pockets still.

I rarely drive my mustang and the last time I had anything done to the radiator was having it flushed and that was back in mid to late summer and since then I may have driven it several times with a total of less than 100 miles on it...if that.

I will definetly check for vapors and get the pressure test done, I have checked the floor under the heater box and the floor is bone dry but I do hear some strange sounds when I first start the car and kick on the heater(sounds that come from the heater) and same thing when I turn off the heater, not sure if this is typical or not. With the age of the car every sound gets my attention.

[mustang8998]

The noise you are hearing, shouldn't be related to the loss of coolant issue. There is constant flow of coolant, through the heater core. You can hear air bubbles in the heater core, but you would hear it, at all times.

Try burping the system. Jack up the drivers side and let the engine get up to temp. Add coolant, until it will not take any more and is at operating temp. That way, most of the air is "burped", from the system.

[mustanger]

The noise you are hearing, shouldn't be related to the loss of coolant issue. There is constant flow of coolant, through the heater core. You can hear air bubbles in the heater core, but you would hear it, at all times.

Try burping the system. Jack up the drivers side and let the engine get up to temp. Add coolant, until it will not take any more and is at operating temp. That way, most of the air is "burped", from the system.

Ok, thanks...I'll do that :bigthumb