How do I diagnose very slow coolant loss?
08-17-2018, 03:42 AM
#1
Advanced
Thread Starter
How do I diagnose very slow coolant loss?
(2011 PPT 62K/mi)
On a hot day (105+) I received a coolant low warning. The reservoir was down one half gallon. Since that day I've been monitoring the coolant level often, and I have noticed a few ounces disappear/evaporate/or leak after every drive or two. Nothing is on the garage floor, I can't smell or see coolant anywhere, the exhaust does not have water or steam in it, so I'm not sure where to look or what to do to diagnose. If there is a leak, its very slow, for now. Any constructive ideas to diagnose this issue? Or, is it normal to have to add coolant/distilled water to the system now and then, say every month or two?
On a hot day (105+) I received a coolant low warning. The reservoir was down one half gallon. Since that day I've been monitoring the coolant level often, and I have noticed a few ounces disappear/evaporate/or leak after every drive or two. Nothing is on the garage floor, I can't smell or see coolant anywhere, the exhaust does not have water or steam in it, so I'm not sure where to look or what to do to diagnose. If there is a leak, its very slow, for now. Any constructive ideas to diagnose this issue? Or, is it normal to have to add coolant/distilled water to the system now and then, say every month or two?
08-17-2018, 10:44 AM
#2
You can buy equipment to pressurize the cooling system and see if it holds pressure. If not, you definitely have a leak.
Unfortunately, you will only see the leak if it is in areas where it is easy to see. There are many places under the intake where you cannot look unless you remove parts.
I would at least top up the coolant with distilled/pentosine e (I believe - would have to look up my bottle name in garage), then remove the lower engine shield.
Then start the car and run it for a while, see if you get any drips to go onto the floor. Also can poke around the area with light when engine is cooler.
Alternative, remove the intake manifold, which will expose many of the areas where issues live for Porsche coolant problems.
It is likely your coolant pipes which were epoxied for some earlier years, may be the place to leak, coolant pipes themselves better reliability now since kinks were worked out in Cayenne models earlier.
It is not normal to be adding coolant to your car. If there are no leaks, the coolant has no place to exit the system (closed off system). If you have to add, means coolant escaped somewhere.
Also check the valve at bottom of rad, sometimes they start leaking due to bad seal but you will see pinkish residue any place where coolant is escaping and is being heated by engine.
Slow coolant leaks are indicators of upcoming issue and are easier to treat the sooner you catch them, less expensive too.
Update us on this on what you find.
Unfortunately, you will only see the leak if it is in areas where it is easy to see. There are many places under the intake where you cannot look unless you remove parts.
I would at least top up the coolant with distilled/pentosine e (I believe - would have to look up my bottle name in garage), then remove the lower engine shield.
Then start the car and run it for a while, see if you get any drips to go onto the floor. Also can poke around the area with light when engine is cooler.
Alternative, remove the intake manifold, which will expose many of the areas where issues live for Porsche coolant problems.
It is likely your coolant pipes which were epoxied for some earlier years, may be the place to leak, coolant pipes themselves better reliability now since kinks were worked out in Cayenne models earlier.
It is not normal to be adding coolant to your car. If there are no leaks, the coolant has no place to exit the system (closed off system). If you have to add, means coolant escaped somewhere.
Also check the valve at bottom of rad, sometimes they start leaking due to bad seal but you will see pinkish residue any place where coolant is escaping and is being heated by engine.
Slow coolant leaks are indicators of upcoming issue and are easier to treat the sooner you catch them, less expensive too.
Update us on this on what you find.
08-20-2018, 04:08 PM
#4
I had a slow leak that the dealer could not find, took it to a Indy and he pressurized car over night and found a pressure relief value was leaking, It was dripping on a tire, so leak was being flung off while driving. $10 part and $100 labor.