Losing coolant

[akhowell]

Ive got a 2012 SHO with 111000 miles Has anyone else had this problem? Over the last several months I've had to add coolant. I don't have any apparent leaks and I'm not seeing anything in the oil. It got hot last night and when I checked there was no coolant visible in the tank.  Really thinking about trading.

 

[SHOdded]

Well, hate to say it, but could be a water pump seal going.  Most likely scenario.  If no visible smoke out the exhaust, it is not likely the turbos.  So yeah, water pump.  Recommend timing chains & tensioners & VCT solenoids be done at the same time.  Not really advisable to drive it anymore either.

 

[akhowell]

If that's t he case where is the coolant because I don't see it on the ground or in the oil and don't smell it while driving

 

[pmezo33]

Pressure test the system with the car off.  The coolant may be burning up somewhere hot before it's hitting the ground.  See if the system is able to hold pressure.  If it can't, see if you can spot the leak.  Much easier to do with the car off.

Now if it can't hold and you can't spot the leak anywhere, it may be water pump time.  And like shodded mentioned, a leaking water pump is not something you want to hold off on and drive around.  You'll destroy your engine.

 

[SHOdded]

I think the weephole is visible with the bellypan off.  Checking that will tell you if the water pump is at issue.  A leaking head gasket, or cracked cylinder would be internal leakage, but you should still see puffs of smoke since the level dropped so quickly.  Every thing is fair game at this point.  Even the heater core.

 

[pmezo33]

I think the weephole is visible with the bellypan off.  Checking that will tell you if the water pump is at issue.  A leaking head gasket, or cracked cylinder would be internal leakage, but you should still see puffs of smoke since the level dropped so quickly.  Every thing is fair game at this point.  Even the heater core.

Which pan are you referring to?  Don't you have to take off the entire engine cover just to see that water pump?  And by then, you might as well just replace the pump.

I really hate timing chain driven water pumps.  It's really the only thing I hate about these cars. 

 

[SHOdded]

I am talking about the plastic cover underneath the engine bay, the bellypan.  I think you are referring to the timing cover.  The weephole is visible from underneath the car on the NA 3.5, so I am in hopes the situation is similar on the EB, unless the view is blocked by another component.
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[akhowell]

Thanks for all the replies I'm going to look at it this weekend and see what I can find

 

[pmezo33]

I am talking about the plastic cover underneath the engine bay, the bellypan.  I think you are referring to the timing cover.  The weephole is visible from underneath the car on the NA 3.5, so I am in hopes the situation is similar on the EB, unless the view is blocked by another component.
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So if the weephole is visible, that means a bad pump would leak externally?  I was always under the impression that the whole thing was internal inside that timing cover and there's no way to see any kind of weephole leak.  Where exactly can you see the weephole?

I'm changing the ptu fluid for the first time on someone's NA 3.7 mks tomorrow with 180k miles.  Can't wait to smell that.  I'll take a look and see if anything is different.  I never noticed any weephole on my car in that area.

 

[SHOdded]

The video I linked to shows you where the weephole SHOULD be.  Hopefully it is not completely hidden by other parts like block extrusions or exhaust pipes, but who knows.  Might be topside, not under the engine, will have to hunt for it either way.

 

[ZSHO]

I recall a member a while back having similar issues and wonder if the weep holes are visible on this thread.
The pics are on the middle of the page. Z
I'm actually on my phone and don't have access to any PDF @ the very moment.
    https://www.ecoboostperformanceforum.com/index.php/topic,5363.0.html

 

[pmezo33]

Thanks for that weephole info.  Did not know that, but i'm glad there's something visible to see when the water pump is starting to go.  I kind of just figured when the weephole started to leak, it just leaked right into the oil under the timing cover.  Glad to hear that's not the case.

Side note and nothing to do with this thread, but something i mentioned before in an earlier post.  Just did a ptu oil change on a mks with 180k miles for the first time in it's life.  Believe it or not, the gear oil was not bad at all.  No sludge and came out pretty easy.  You'd think it was the oil from a fairly low mile car.  Didn't smell and the plug wasn't gunked up at all.  I was really surprised.