Where's My Engine coolant going??

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31 kohler agesis, < 200 hours, I have added 3-4 ounces 2 different times, this normal? Dont see any signs in oil or exhaust,

normal evaporation out of resovoir?

 

[Jim Martin]

31 kohler agesis, < 200 hours, I have added 3-4 ounces 2 different times, this normal? Dont see any signs in oil or exhaust,

normal evaporation out of resovoir?

anti-freeze does not evaporate......where are you adding it....in the radiator or the overflow.......

 

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to the overflow bottle

 

[Jim Martin]

to the overflow bottle

if your not seeing moister in oil and there is no drips anywhere...it could be normal....on my thermalwave...one job the overflow will be half full and then another job it will be almost empty....just the way it cycles......fill over flow about 1/4 full and just keep an eye on it.......

 

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Thanks Jim.

 

[Dan]

May also want to check hose clamp connections too. Sometimes a tiny leak will basically mist out and you really don't see muck. Look for any moisture around any water fittings.

 

[Kevin B]

Antifreeze can leave via exhaust in minor head gasket failure. It eventually leads to major head gasket failure. I'd look for obvious leaks first.

 

[SMRBAP]

What kind of TM?

Does it have a heat exchanger that draws heat from the engine's coolant?

 

[Shane T]

Like Dan said. My 31 had one of those spring type clamps break on the water pump, caused a small leak. Cheap little clamp cost Kohler a bunch.

 

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No liquid hx yet. Want to diganose why first

I use inspection light and poke around

If I pull plug, is there any way to tell if head gasket?

 

[Jim Martin]

No liquid hx yet. Want to diganose why first

I use inspection light and poke around

If I pull plug, is there any way to tell if head gasket?

if it is a head gasket....then you oil is going to start turning a milky white/and you should see moister on the bottom of the oil cap......

if it is coming out of the exhaust.....then you should smell it.........hot anti-freeze has a very noticeable smell....

but if all you noticing is the level in the overflow fluctuating....and you are not seeing no signs of seepage anywhere....then do what I mentioned above and just keep a good eye on it........

 

[Shane T]

You may not see wet trails of coolant, so look for dried residue.

 

[Dan]

In short what everyone is saying is if your fluid is fluctuating between tanks that's considered normal. If your having to regularly ad fluid to the system you have a leak. External leaks are fairly easy to find. Internal leaks are more difficult which would be head gasket.

 

[Newman]

A simple compression test will sometimes reveal a degenerated head gasket or a cracked cylinder head. An internal leak in its early stages will often only be evident when the engine is fully warmed allowing for maximum expansion of the metal.

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[Kevin B]

if it is a head gasket....then you oil is going to start turning a milky white/and you should see moister on the bottom of the oil cap......

if it is coming out of the exhaust.....then you should smell it.........hot anti-freeze has a very noticeable smell....

Those can be true, but not necessarily true. A head gasket can fail leaking water into exhaust, and it can be small and subtle and not noticeable at all. Just because you have head gasket failure resulting in coolant loss DOES NOT mean that it will turn oil milky.

I personally had head gasket fail on one of my units and the machine had no signs other than it went through coolant more than normal. Eventually the loss of compression caused running issues. Not once could I smell antifreeze or did I have water on the oil via milky color.

Compression test is the only way to know for sure

 

[Dan]

Those can be true, but not necessarily true. A head gasket can fail leaking water into exhaust, and it can be small and subtle and not noticeable at all. Just because you have head gasket failure resulting in coolant loss DOES NOT mean that it will turn oil milky.

I personally had head gasket fail on one of my units and the machine had no signs other than it went through coolant more than normal. Eventually the loss of compression caused running issues. Not once could I smell antifreeze or did I have water on the oil via milky color.

Compression test is the only way to know for sure

Uhhh...... Oil in water with circulation will turn milky/frothy... It will also show up in the oil. As far as out the exhaust.... Maybe he won't smell it because its so tiny or doesn't know what to smell for but... Jim's advice is solid...

 

[Kevin B]

Uhhh...... Oil in water with circulation will turn milky/frothy... It will also show up in the oil. As far as out the exhaust.... Maybe he won't smell it because its so tiny or doesn't know what to smell for but... Jim's advice is solid...

Yah. IF the coolant goes into the oil. The failure can happen 3 ways and go each direction 3 ways. Water to oil, oil to water; water to exhaust, exhaust into water, exhaust into oil, oil into exhaust. Coolant into oil will turn it milky, however Jim said "if its a head gasket failure, oil will be milky" and that is simply not accurate. If your oil is milky, you have head gasket failure but not vice versa.