Thread: Cooling system overhaul

So I have been piecemeal trying to fix the massive loss of coolant in my GTP. It still loosing coolant.

So far (in addition to the tests) I have replaced the coolant elbows, the overflow hose, the radiator cap.
I did a pressure test on the Rad and it held 10 psi, There is no water in the floor pan so I don't think its the Heater core.

Im not sure what the issue is at this point so im going to overhaul. (the Radiator is filled with Dex Sludge anyway and it has the plastic OEM gaskets)


Im ordering a set of metal Lower intake gaskets, felpro SC gasket, Ebay radiator, Upper and lower hoses, Heater hoses, Thermostat gasket, I have metal elbows, should I get new ones or reuse them?
anything im missing? should I replace the Water pump gasket as well?
Trying to knock out anything that has a decent chance of leaking on a 230k car

re do the pressure test to 16 psi.

leave the new elbows. make sure the cap is on right too, its a odd angle and ive put it on with one side of the cap not hooked on fully. but it leaked from the cap pretty quick.

if your over flow bottle is full all the time that could be a bad cap too.

couldn't get the test to work over 11 PSI, Started leaking from the test cap, because its loosing so much coolant ive been refilling the overflow tank before each ride.
I did replace the cap already. no change.
Big thing I seem to remember, I could fill the radiator, come out three hours later (with cap off) and its down 3 inches, always to that level. Does the same thing with the cap on.

Check your oil. If you have the platic lim gaskets, you're probably running oil/coolant for oil.

Originally Posted by ADecker

Check your oil. If you have the platic lim gaskets, you're probably running oil/coolant for oil.

Checked a dozen times, Oil is clean, and .... Oily,

Sounds like mine. I was loosing coolant, had no idea where it was going, replaced lim gaskets and it stopped so dunno.

my old engine pulled the same crap. my res was full all the time, it would over flow and drip out the small vent hole at the top. i did lim, new cap, new rad ( the old one cracked) still lost coolant, then dumped in some blue devil and it stopped loosing coolant and the res started to act right.

figured it was a head gasket but after i pulled the engine i saw nothing that said head gasket failure once the heads were off.

new engine all new coolant and the coolant is full all the time now when i check it.

i dont know wtf was up with the old engine, im still baffled.

Originally Posted by ScottyDoggs

my old engine pulled the same crap. my res was full all the time, it would over flow and drip out the small vent hole at the top. i did lim, new cap, new rad ( the old one cracked) still lost coolant, then dumped in some blue devil and it stopped loosing coolant and the res started to act right.

figured it was a head gasket but after i pulled the engine i saw nothing that said head gasket failure once the heads were off.

new engine all new coolant and the coolant is full all the time now when i check it.

i dont know wtf was up with the old engine, im still baffled.

Well at least I have a last resort. The things not running bad, no white smoke, strange smell etc.
I figure its a leak somewhere I missed, but while im doing it ..... get the LIM gaskets and feel confident.

mine also ran like a top, no smoke either.

my one lim bolt, near the egr used to cry when the engine was hot. you could see the trail of coolant. the rest pretty much had coolant over all em.