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bigevil1000
Joined: 30 Dec 2006
Posts: 3
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| Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 7:07 am Post subject: Missing Anitfreeze |
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Hey all,
I have got a good one. I have an '07 F/L Columbia with a CAT C-13 motor. The motor is strong.
I am, however, a bit stumped about some missing antifreeze/coolant.
Rolling down the road and idling, everything is fine. However, if the truck sits for a day or 2, the level in the coolant resevoir goes down an inch or 2...it goes down further if the truck sits longer. Where the heck is it going?
Am I missing something? The truck only has about 16,000 miles on it. I am wondering if this sort of thing is normal for a new motor while in the break-in period.
BTW, there are NO drips or puddles under the truck, no smell of coolant, and no discharge or smoke at the exhaust stack!
Any ideas |
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bob h
Joined: 15 Oct 2006
Posts: 675
Location: Nb
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| Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 11:05 am Post subject: Re: Missing Anitfreeze |
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bigevil1000 wrote: Hey all,
I have got a good one. I have an '07 F/L Columbia with a CAT C-13 motor. The motor is strong.
I am, however, a bit stumped about some missing antifreeze/coolant.
Rolling down the road and idling, everything is fine. However, if the truck sits for a day or 2, the level in the coolant resevoir goes down an inch or 2...it goes down further if the truck sits longer. Where the heck is it going?
Am I missing something? The truck only has about 16,000 miles on it. I am wondering if this sort of thing is normal for a new motor while in the break-in period.
BTW, there are NO drips or puddles under the truck, no smell of coolant, and no discharge or smoke at the exhaust stack!
Any ideas
NO
if there is no external leakage, then it is leaking internally; into the oil (oil would turn to sludge or milky in appearance), or into the combustion chamber (white smoke on start up, missing on a cylinder, etc.). also, could be going into fuel system... ouch!
verify the leak with a leak-down test
how much have you added?... it's possible that it is de-aerating the cooling system (least likely), but typically the first top-up would cure it.
it's under warranty... go find out, and let us know!!! |
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Birken Vogt
Joined: 29 Nov 2006
Posts: 102
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| Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 10:09 pm Post subject: |
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A lot of coolant can leak into the oil before it gives any visual indication of what is wrong, however, it starts to damage the engine almost immediately.
It can also go into the fuel but the fuel water separator should show this.
I would drain the fuel water separator and do a laboratory oil analysis on the oil (and coolant for good measure) to see what is going on for starters.
Birken |
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bob h
Joined: 15 Oct 2006
Posts: 675
Location: Nb
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| Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 6:42 am Post subject: |
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A lot of coolant can leak into the oil before it gives any visual indication of what is wrong, however, it starts to damage the engine almost immediately.
It can also go into the fuel but the fuel water separator should show this.
if it has one...
I would drain the fuel water separator and do a laboratory oil analysis on the oil (and coolant for good measure) to see what is going on for starters.
it has 16K & warranty, i wouldn't do anything beyond checking the oil, coolant and fuel for contamination... then, dropping it off at the dealer i bought it from........
.........despite how cool the term laboratory oil analysis sounds when spoken smoothly ;0)
engine oil consumption can be normal... cooalnt consumption is not
...p.s. - why would you recommend testing the coolant? |
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Birken Vogt
Joined: 29 Nov 2006
Posts: 102
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| Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 7:59 am Post subject: |
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I was too stupid to notice that it was new so yes I would indeed take it back if any such problem was discovered.
Testing the coolant is the reverse of testing the oil, should indicate if anything is leaking back to the coolant although of course oil floats to the top of the coolant pretty quickly if it gets in there.
Birken |
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bob h
Joined: 15 Oct 2006
Posts: 675
Location: Nb
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| Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 8:06 am Post subject: |
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I was too stupid to notice that it was new so yes I would indeed take it back if any such problem was discovered.
i wouldn't say that ... i'm assuming that the poster is wondering what to expect when he shows up at the dealer with his issue..., as opposed to what he should do himself to repair the problem
Testing the coolant is the reverse of testing the oil, should indicate if anything is leaking back to the coolant although of course oil floats to the top of the coolant pretty quickly if it gets in there.
don't forget the fuel...
Birken |
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Dejanh
Joined: 04 Nov 2006
Posts: 503
Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
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| Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 1:38 pm Post subject: Re: Missing Anitfreeze |
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bigevil1000 wrote: Hey all,
I have got a good one. I have an '07 F/L Columbia with a CAT C-13 motor. The motor is strong.
I am, however, a bit stumped about some missing antifreeze/coolant.
Rolling down the road and idling, everything is fine. However, if the truck sits for a day or 2, the level in the coolant resevoir goes down an inch or 2...it goes down further if the truck sits longer. Where the heck is it going?
Am I missing something? The truck only has about 16,000 miles on it. I am wondering if this sort of thing is normal for a new motor while in the break-in period.
BTW, there are NO drips or puddles under the truck, no smell of coolant, and no discharge or smoke at the exhaust stack!
Any ideas
I have 07 Columbia with DD and it does not go down 2+ inches but it does go down about half, i think it has something to do with the circulation of the antifreeze, if the pressure isnt there the liquid withdraws some and when pressure reappears it goes up....BUT 2+ inches i dont know about :?: |
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ssoutlaw
Joined: 06 Sep 2006
Posts: 793
Location: Indianapolis,In
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| Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 4:52 pm Post subject: Re: Missing Anitfreeze |
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Dejanh wrote: bigevil1000 wrote: Hey all,
I have got a good one. I have an '07 F/L Columbia with a CAT C-13 motor. The motor is strong.
I am, however, a bit stumped about some missing antifreeze/coolant.
Rolling down the road and idling, everything is fine. However, if the truck sits for a day or 2, the level in the coolant resevoir goes down an inch or 2...it goes down further if the truck sits longer. Where the heck is it going?
Am I missing something? The truck only has about 16,000 miles on it. I am wondering if this sort of thing is normal for a new motor while in the break-in period.
BTW, there are NO drips or puddles under the truck, no smell of coolant, and no discharge or smoke at the exhaust stack!
Any ideas
I have 07 Columbia with DD and it does not go down 2+ inches but it does go down about half, i think it has something to do with the circulation of the antifreeze, if the pressure isnt there the liquid withdraws some and when pressure reappears it goes up....BUT 2+ inches i dont know about :?:
I would be looking for a cold water leak somewhere. When the truck heats up parts expand and no more leak, till it gets worse. |
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jorlee
Joined: 26 Jan 2007
Posts: 109
Location: Scranton, North Dakota
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| Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:39 pm Post subject: |
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Has it been doing this since new?
Have you ever added any to it when cold?
Have you checked the tightness of the hose clamps?
Is there max cold, and hot lines on the coolant tank?
A Theory
It kind of sounds like there is an air pocket in the system somewhere. When the truck is running air is put in the place and doesn't affect they system. When it sits the air is allowed to escape allowing coolant to enter that space. |
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JoeyB
Joined: 03 Dec 2006
Posts: 85
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| Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007 9:03 pm Post subject: |
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It hasn't been stated but I gather the missing coolant returns when the eng heats up? yes? In other words, you're not having to top this thing off all the time.
If I'm assuming correctly, then that's normal. When the system heats up the coolant expands and so it's level rises. Does the level stay between the cold/hot lines that are molded into the tank? |
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Dejanh
Joined: 04 Nov 2006
Posts: 503
Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
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| Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 8:43 am Post subject: |
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| If youre asking me i never topped off my coolant reservoir, i just didnt need to.My truck has been parked second week now and i went to check it out and saw that my coolant level is above minimum, about half inch and has been like that since i bought it..i think that every 30,000 miles or so its normal that some of it would evaporate, not much but it should go down about half an inch or so...kind of like the oil.. |
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allan5oh
Joined: 26 Aug 2005
Posts: 2233
Location: jackassville (winnipeg, mb)
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| Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 2:50 pm Post subject: |
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| No it shouldn't go down whatsoever. It's a sealed system. Nothing can escape. |
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bob h
Joined: 15 Oct 2006
Posts: 675
Location: Nb
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| Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 5:34 pm Post subject: |
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allan5oh wrote: No it shouldn't go down whatsoever. It's a sealed system. Nothing can escape.
agreed... |
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JoeyB
Joined: 03 Dec 2006
Posts: 85
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| Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 5:10 pm Post subject: |
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| But I was asking bigevil if he has to top off. |
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Dejanh
Joined: 04 Nov 2006
Posts: 503
Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
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| Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 9:27 pm Post subject: |
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| How come oil evaporates, its system is sealed as well? |
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