VS s2 slowly losing coolant

[immortality]

My 97 V6 berlina is slowly loosing coolant, i fill the overflow tank every couple of months etc. i've tightened all my hose connections etc, their isn't any wet spots inside the car either so i don't think it's a leaking heater core. i've checked the plugs afew times and theres no sign of contamination there, got a compression test when i bought it and alls good there, checked and changed the oil and theres no sign of any coolant in there either it's got me stumped and it's only got 112,000km on the clock. my local wrecker (commodore specialists only)reckons it's a common problem for the ecotec engine to crack heads and slowly use coolant but i find this hard to believe

any ideas

[Tree cutter]

Check your overflow tank to see if it is cracked. It could be slowly leaking out of there.

[immortality]

i'll check that but i don't think thats the prob as i originally noticed there was non in the overflow tank and when i checked the radiator it also needed some coolant after doing a coolant system flush etc. ever since i've always made sure there was coolant in the overflow tank to make sure theres no air getting into the system. imade sure when i filled it to warm the car up and let the thermostat open, keeping the radiator topped up whilst having the bleed screw open and waited until i only got coolant out of it before closing it and the radiator.

think i might try bleeding the system again??

[DeiCide]

My cars been losing coolant, mainly after driving. I turn engine off and slow driping of coolant underneath car near the back of the engine. I have to top it up every 4 or so weeks. so you might wanna check if yours is doing the same.

[maginoodle]

mine slowly leaks from the hole in the water pump. i only top up about every 2500 kays. it was hard to track down. you could get your local radiater place to pressure test your cooling system for you

[quiksilver1]

if i fill my overflow bottle up my car pisses it out at the top of the radiator,it drops down about 1/2 inch from radiator cap and then stays at this level,i have no over heating problems but effectivley my car doesnt use the overflow bottle as is just sucks it out.has anyone else had this problem?? cheers

[Struma]

Mine does the same thing - forget about filling it at the overflow, as all that happens is it blows out from under the cap - all over the engine bay.

But when I check the level under the cap the radiator is (almost) always full.
Then as soon as I try to lift the level in the overflow tank it will empty out of the cap again once it has been for a run.

Doesn't overheat nor does there appear to be any head/gasket problems...

[immortality]

mine doesn't appear to overheat so i'm not to concerned at the mo, just been tryingto track this one down for about a year now with no success

[sixshooter]

if i fill my overflow bottle up my car ****es it out at the top of the radiator,it drops down about 1/2 inch from radiator cap and then stays at this level,i have no over heating problems but effectivley my car doesnt use the overflow bottle as is just sucks it out.has anyone else had this problem?? cheers

Your radiator cap could be stuffed !!!

My 97 V6 berlina is slowly loosing coolant, i fill the overflow tank every couple of months etc. i've tightened all my hose connections etc, their isn't any wet spots inside the car either so i don't think it's a leaking heater core. i've checked the plugs afew times and theres no sign of contamination there, got a compression test when i bought it and alls good there, checked and changed the oil and theres no sign of any coolant in there either it's got me stumped and it's only got 112,000km on the clock. my local wrecker (commodore specialists only)reckons it's a common problem for the ecotec engine to crack heads and slowly use coolant but i find this hard to believe

any ideas

Yes early ecotecs are know to crack heads

[quiksilver1]

ive replaced radiator cap,thermostat and replaced coolant with a flush. ive put on 2 different caps still same problem,as me stuffed.might have to pay someone to look at it

[hako]

Check under the waterpump for a trace of dried coolant...maybe look from underneath and it will look like a chalky deposit - when the pump fails it usually is difficult to detect until it fails totally. Your mileage is about right for the life of a Ecotec waterpump.

[DJ Ice]

I had similar problems after replacing a leaking radiator....turned out to be a corroded heater tap. They are cheap but a bitch to fit

[Raging Bull]

Had this problem on my old Ecotec, valley gasket covers were leaking, a bit of a job cost about $300 to fix. Never had to top up anymore coolant after that.

[holden007]

While the cars running with the radiator cap off (while cold), check to see if the water is bubbling in the neck of the radiator, this could indicate you might have a cracked head.

[immortality]

i've replaced the radiator cap and i've had the car running without the radiator cap watching for bubles to indicate a blown headgasket or cracked head but nothing there. i'll have a good look at the water pump this weekend. might have to get it tested properly

[holden007]

immortality

Have you checked the welsh plugs, they maybe leaking.

[hako]

i've replaced the radiator cap and i've had the car running without the radiator cap watching for bubles to indicate a blown headgasket or cracked head but nothing there. i'll have a good look at the water pump this weekend. might have to get it tested properly

Mine failed at 100K and was hard to detect except for that trace of dried coolant under the waterpump pulley - after a while it started to drop onto the front bit of the sump.

[digisol]

Too many different questions, I think one was a welch plug leaking ?

[Hytes]

Hako, this is exactly what is happening to mine at the moment, chalky deposits on top right hand side of sump (looking front on). Tried to see exactly where this is coming from. Have to top radiator up every 3 or so days, would this definately be a water pump problem? Is the water pump hard to replace?

[Philthy]

i had this problem fixed in my vs last week.
they told me it was leaking from the radiator cap and since they replaced it i havent had any problems

[hako]

Hako, this is exactly what is happening to mine at the moment, chalky deposits on top right hand side of sump (looking front on). Tried to see exactly where this is coming from. Have to top radiator up every 3 or so days, would this definately be a water pump problem? Is the water pump hard to replace?

Sounds like it for sure (well, 99%). Try to get a small mirror under and around the pump - where the shaft goes into the pump body and underneath where there is a 'weep hole'. Look for the dried deposits.

To change the pump is simple. Loosen the 4 bolts holding W/P pulley to W/P, remove the serpentine belt, undo W/P pulley bolts to enable access to 6 or so bolts hoding W/P to engine block. Remove pump, scrape old gasket away, instal new pump/gasket with no sealant and bolt her up. You may want to replace the coolant at the same time and maybe the thermostat but if the coolant is fairly new just catch it in a bucket and reuse. Same with the thermostat if fairly new although they can last the life of the car. Remember to bleed air from the cooling system via the bleed screw on the thermostat housing. Take your time doing it and you will have no hassles.
Good Luck.
ps....The series 1 VS has a different W/P to the series 2 so make sure they sell you the correct W/P....cost is about $110

[auc05l]

My cars been losing coolant, mainly after driving. I turn engine off and slow driping of coolant underneath car near the back of the engine. I have to top it up every 4 or so weeks. so you might wanna check if yours is doing the same.

I just repaired this same problem on my GF's VR V6. on the back of the inlet manafold there is a little push in fitting for your heater hose to go on held in with a small 6mm bolt. When removed it was broken around the "o"ring groove. Holden had one in stock, $15 and $7 for the oring. They said they keep them in stock as they are quite popular. Hope this helps.