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Losing coolant on 95 Grand Prix

Tiny
TMAC12304
  • MEMBER
  • 1995 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 132,000 MILES
I have a 95 grand prix that is losing coolant somehow. Its not leaking on the ground but its losing coolant fast. Also the coolant does not get hot. Can you help me?
Friday, April 1st, 2011 AT 2:58 PM

33 Replies

Tiny
MERLIN2021
  • MECHANIC
  • 17,250 POSTS
Go to autozone, they will loan you a cooling system pressure tester. Use as directed, leaks will be exposed quickly. A block test kit can be bought to determine if its head gasket related.
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Friday, April 1st, 2011 AT 3:19 PM
Tiny
TMAC12304
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You dont know what it could be? I changed the thermostat then it started to lose coolant rapidly the coolant dont get hot. The car can run for an hour and the coolant will stay warm the radiator cap can be taken off and its not hot. I brought it to a mechanic and he said it was because I need a tune up. But I dont think thats the problem. Where is the all the coolant going I put in about 5 gallons in the past 3 weeks?
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Friday, April 1st, 2011 AT 3:24 PM
Tiny
MERLIN2021
  • MECHANIC
  • 17,250 POSTS
First, put in a different thermostat yours is defective, second. Follow my advice in the first answer to figure out where the coolant is going. This is what we do on any type vehicle.
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Friday, April 1st, 2011 AT 3:35 PM
Tiny
TMAC12304
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  • 19 POSTS
Why would the brand new thermostat be bad? So where is all the coolant going?
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Friday, April 1st, 2011 AT 3:44 PM
Tiny
TMAC12304
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  • 19 POSTS
My wife brought it to a shop and they said that there is a crack in the radiator but if there was wouldnt it leak on the ground? And would the coolant just dissapear?
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Friday, April 1st, 2011 AT 3:46 PM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,761 POSTS
It's possible that the coolant could be evaporating but this engine is also notorious for intake manifold leaks and it can leak into the combustion chamber and get burned out the exhaust.
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Friday, April 1st, 2011 AT 4:16 PM
Tiny
MERLIN2021
  • MECHANIC
  • 17,250 POSTS
If you want to test tstat place in boiling water with a thermometer it should open full when temp of tstat is reached. New ones can be defective. Look at the radiator, see any white powdery stuff? That would be a visible sign of a leak.
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Friday, April 1st, 2011 AT 4:17 PM
Tiny
TMAC12304
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  • 19 POSTS
If the tstat is bad that would cause the coolant to dissapear and never get hot?
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Friday, April 1st, 2011 AT 4:24 PM
Tiny
TMAC12304
  • MEMBER
  • 19 POSTS
I just checked it out I dont see any leaks around the radiator but I openend the oil filler cap and there is a yellow mucus looking crap around the cap and the filler area. What is that?
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Friday, April 1st, 2011 AT 4:35 PM
Tiny
TMAC12304
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  • 19 POSTS
Are you going to answer my question? I dont see leaks around the radiator but I see some yellow mucus looking substance on the oil filler cap and around the filler area. What is that stuff?
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Friday, April 1st, 2011 AT 10:30 PM
Tiny
MERLIN2021
  • MECHANIC
  • 17,250 POSTS
I thought I did, are you going to follow advice or keep asking questions?
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Friday, April 1st, 2011 AT 10:40 PM
Tiny
TMAC12304
  • MEMBER
  • 19 POSTS
I already tried that. Why is there yellow stuff around the oil filler cap? Does that have anything to do with it? Also I am reading online and it says that if the tstat is bad that the coolant wont warm up is that correct?
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Friday, April 1st, 2011 AT 11:19 PM
Tiny
MERLIN2021
  • MECHANIC
  • 17,250 POSTS
What did you try? If tsyat stays closed thr engine will overheat. If its stuck open it won't operate ay the correct temp, too cold
especially on the higjway. If ypu ran both tests what was the results? The whitish goo in the oil filler can be condensation due to bad pcv.
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Friday, April 1st, 2011 AT 11:34 PM
Tiny
TMAC12304
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  • 19 POSTS
The engine does not overheat but it does stay you can put your finger in the coolant after it runs for awhile. The goo is actually yellow not white. Well I have looked everywhere and see no leaks so the coolant is either leaking internally or is burnning up. The radiator stays cool it never warms up. The upper radiator hose gets a little warm but not hot. So what should I do should I change the tstat could that make the coolant stay cool and also dissapear?
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Saturday, April 2nd, 2011 AT 7:09 PM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,761 POSTS
Sounds like a bad intake gasket.
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Saturday, April 2nd, 2011 AT 7:22 PM
Tiny
TMAC12304
  • MEMBER
  • 19 POSTS
So its not the tstat? I am not a mechanic so I did the best I could with the tstat. Maybe I put it on wrong. How do I find out if the intake gasket is bad?
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Saturday, April 2nd, 2011 AT 7:25 PM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,761 POSTS
Take it to a mechanic
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Saturday, April 2nd, 2011 AT 7:28 PM
Tiny
TMAC12304
  • MEMBER
  • 19 POSTS
I am trying to avoid that. Why did the other person merlin2021 say it was a bad tstat and your saying its a intake gasket? Which is it and how sure are you? The coolant does not get hot the heat only works for a little while. I see no leaks onto the ground I changed the tstat and when I did the place where the bolt goes in on top of the housing broke so its only held on by the bottom bolt. So the housing is lose and moves up and down pretty easy. Could that be the problem?
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Saturday, April 2nd, 2011 AT 7:36 PM
Tiny
TMAC12304
  • MEMBER
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Did you get my message?
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Saturday, April 2nd, 2011 AT 8:44 PM
Tiny
TMAC12304
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  • 19 POSTS
Why do you guys ask for donations and then dont help people? I thought you were (car pros)?
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Sunday, April 3rd, 2011 AT 3:44 PM

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