'98 Q Coolant Leak?

[duck3986]

Hi,

I have a '98Q that I've worked on a fair amount but I'm stumped. I just today noticed green drops of antifreeze in the snow running up my driveway. So I know it's from my Q and it's leaking as the car is running.

Why I'm stumped is that my coolant is red. I also checked my coolant level in my overflow tank and at the top hose cap and it's full.

Is there a transmission fluid cooler on my Q? Does the transmission cooler have different coolant?

If not, is there anything else on my Q that could have antifreeze?

Thanks,Don

[DrewQ45]

Hi,

I have a '98Q that I've worked on a fair amount but I'm stumped. I just today noticed green drops of antifreeze in the snow running up my driveway. So I know it's from my Q and it's leaking as the car is running.

Why I'm stumped is that my coolant is red. I also checked my coolant level in my overflow tank and at the top hose cap and it's full.

Is there a transmission fluid cooler on my Q? Does the transmission cooler have different coolant?

If not, is there anything else on my Q that could have antifreeze?

Thanks,Don

Maybe the Grinch got shot in your driveway and escaped while wounded?

Yes there is a transmission fluid cooler incorporated into your radiator unless an external transmission cooler was installed. Either way, it uses the same coolant. The coolant is circulated by the water pump...it runs through radiator, through pockets in the engine and through your heater line extending into the passenger compartment....it's all the same coolant.

Seriously though, if your'e worried that it's your car. Warm it up and get under it to see if you can detect any drips. Mechanics also have a pressure pump that they attach to your radiator then pressurize to detect leakage. Just stop by any shop and have them diagnose it that way.... should be pretty cheap.

Maybe someone with a leaky rad turned around using your driveway?

...Drew..

[duck3986]

Unfotunately I'm positive the leak was coming from my car.

I will get under it, but with the snow storm we just got, everything's cold and wet so I was hoping someone had an idea.

I just can't figure out how i can be leaking pure green coolant, while having the red stuff in my radiator and in my overflow.

If the car originally had green stuff, is there somewhere it could hide.....heater core or a part of the engine where there's some kind of thermostat or valve that could have failed and kept the green stuff separate from the newer coolant?

[DrewQ45]

It would mix everywhere except the overflow bottle. It's constantly circulating except when the engine is cold and the thermostat is closed.


Modified by DrewQ45 at 9:38 PM 12/9/2005

[3Q Jay]

windshiled washer juice?

[maxnix]

windshiled washer juice?

Now that's a good guess if the resevoir froze and cracked. And from California, too!

[duck3986]

My washer fluid is blue.

I was under the car for a half hour and can't find a leak. I'm totally stumped, but I am absolutely positive the green stuff was coming from my car. We had a fresh snow storm yesterday and my car was the first to drive over it in my driveway.

The only thing different today is that the car was idleing for the half hour. Yesterday the transmission must have been much hotter because I was doing a lot of driving in heavy snow and got stuck trying to get up my driveway.

I was doing some tire spinning and reverse/drive rocking to get unstuck.

[qship96]

are you,by any chance using castrol synthetic 0w-30 oil,which is green?

[duck3986]

No Castrol oil.