Odd problem

[k6kicker]

Ok guys, here's the deal. Somehow my S14 is losing about a gallon of coolant a day (yet i don't see any green anywhere nor a pool where i park)... I hear a ticking (think like a slightly softer blinker sound) from behind the dash at about one sec. intervals, the heat gauge will take forever to get into normal operating range and now and then will heat up (not overheat tho) but once it gets up it falls VERY fast back to normal (which makes me wonder if it is actually a short in the dash or not, but that doesn't explain the massive coolant loss). Guess one, themostat....Guess two, heater core (would explain the ticking and loss of coolant along with the ticking)....Guess three, I'm boned and am better off with a red top ....If any of this sounds like something common that i missed (couldn't find anything much akin with searches for coolant loss).....The coolant in the radiator looks pretty clean, not like milky or metal shavings or anything

[574-240sx]

If you don't see any puddles its buring out the exhaust which means headgasket most likely. You might get a better answer out of the Online Mechanic section.

[k6kicker]

Nope, compresion is great across the board (175~ish) and theres no white smoke or anything.....I'll try bleeding out the system to see about air pockets but thats not going to explain the insane amount of coolant lost while running