QuestionThanks for your help.
I believe I will need special equipment to check for external coolant leak (i.e., to pressurize). So maybe I will get it checked some place.
However, I do have a concern on the internal leak. I do not see any of the following symptoms of head gasket leak:
1) Engine oil is clean, no water or coolant,
2) Coolant is clean, green, no oil or grey substance,
3) no overheating
4) no loss of power, car picksup fine
etc etc
Based on your expertise, do you still think the head gasket can have a problem or a problem in development?
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Followup To
Question -
1992 Corolla DX 4A-FE, 3-speed, 193K miles
For last few months, I had to constantly fill/top the coolant on regular basis. I suspect a leak as the coolant never comes to the reservoir when the engine warms up, even after the upper radiator hose becomes hot. I checked all the passages and connecting tubing from radiator to the coolant reservoir, its all clear, no blockage.
My surprise is that I never see coolant dripped under the car or any steam escaping with hood open and engine running hot? How can the coolant escape or drip? Is there anything that I can do myself or a cheaper solution other than to keep re-filling every month or so?
Answer -
There is a logical explanation, if there is a coolant loss it has to leak out somewhere, it may be an internal leak or an external leak.
An internal leak is the most serious because it could be a headgasket leak, an external leak can be checked by pressurizing the cooling system and looking for a leak, I suggest you do this first.
If there is not an external leak you should have the engine tested for a possible headgasket leak.
AnswerI think that you need to eliminate the possibility of an external leak first, have the system pressure tested, if there is still not an external leak, you will have to take steps to find out where the coolant may be going, yes, there may be a small leak at the headgasket if there is no external leak found.
