low coolant light...but not so much low coolant..?..

Ok, I had a look around the forums and couldn't exactly find my issue so I hope I'm not repeating something that's been brought up over and over.

I am having problems with my cooling system. I've tried a few fixes on my own but I'm not sure what's what anymore.

At first I was loosing coolant. I tried to do the quick fix and got the stop leak and followed the instructions to put it in. I did that but was still loosing coolant.

I finally had the chance to look around, park on a hard clean surface to see if I'm leaking and found I was leaking somewhere around the neck around the top radiator tube. I replaced the tube, thinking that it seemed I has a hole in the tube up there.

Well, that took care of the leak, I think, because I didn't notice the leak there any more. BUT....my coolant light kept coming on and the temp gauge would go up and slightly above the 210 mark.

I changed out the thermostat (noticed the stop leak had crusted over in there so I see it did it's job in the system, I guess?) and put in a new one. I also burped the line thinking that i might have air in it..

I'm still back at having the heat to up and sometimes over 210.

The fans are kicking on, as they should, the temp doesn't quite that high when I'm at highway speeds but under 40mph and the temp creeps up.

On top of that...the coolant light keeps coming on. I check the coolant and in the radiator and there's still plenty in there. So I top it off...maybe a 1/2 cups worth....maybe 1/4 cup...of coolant. Somestimes more, sometimes less...but it's by no means near low (in my opinion).

Soooooo.....what is going on? Anyone know if temp going over 210/220 is ok? Normal? What can I do to check whether the low coolant light is because I really do have an issue vs 'no big deal'? How do I know where the coolant is going if it's not visually dripping out from somewhere?

I have watched as the car is running to make sure that my water pump it still working and pushing the water ... It is sooo I am taking that as it is not my water pump..

Again I am pulling my hair out with this and would like to see if anyone could give me a few tips to what it could be before I dont have any hair left to pull out..

Thank you in advance and sorry the post is soo long..

Miss

clean the low coolant sensor that is located just below the rad cap. Or just leave it unpluged like i did. Change your T stat to 180.

210 is normal for a stock car with a stock tstat and fan turn on points.

also check the small tube going from the radiator to the tank as if u moved it it may hit the belt and cause a small leak...this would only be noticable at high temps as the radiator cap opens up. as for stop leak...dont use that stuff again. its a bandaid that does more harm than good. u may also still have a bubble in the system although u burped it. if u burp the top of the stat housing with a cool motor the stat wont let the air in the motor pass and burp out as the stat is closed

Thank you all soo very much for all the information and replies. I am working on doing each and every one of them .. I just dont want to give up.. I know it is something I can fix. :th_thumbsup-wink:

my initial thought was of the low coolant sensor on its way out. try what everyone else said first tho for sure. i think what they said sounds better than my idea tho lol

but.... if in the end nothing works try replacing the sensor

low coolent sensors are good about going out.