How to Handle a Coolant/AntiFreeze Leak

March 15th, 2022

It's easy to forget that your engine is essentially powered by a bunch of controlled explosions. These explosions help generate a ton of heat, which can warp and damage the metal in your engine even in modern vehicles. To keep the heat from damaging your engine, the cooling system steps in to help by pumping coolant or antifreeze throughout channels within the engine to absorb the heat. This process moves the heat away from the engine, and a coolant leak can cause issues if it is not helping to cool the engine. Without that cooling mechanism your engine could overheat, making your vehicle unsafe to drive. We've outlined below how coolant leaks can form and what to do to both prevent and repair them.

5. LEAKY THERMOSTAT

The thermostat helps regulate the temperature within your engine, controlling the flow of coolant to help it reach prime operating temperature faster. Coolant can leak from here if the housing around the thermostat becomes cracked. A repair like this typically requires a technician replacing both the thermostat and housing completely. Since the cooling system within your ride is pressurized, any fractures or cracks can form in the plastic or metal parts overtime. This is more likely if your engine is running hard and hot for an extended period of time.

4. DEGRADING HOSES & LOOSE FITTINGS

As coolant travels throughout the engine to the radiator, water pump, and everywhere in between its main transportation is through rubberized hoses. And like most anything, rubber breaks down over time. When there's exposure to direct sunlight, debris, extreme temperatures, or leaking automotive fluids the hoses can break down faster or spring a leak. While it's not completely unheard of for a coolant hose fitting to slip loose, the metal brackets that hold them can be easily replaced to ensure they are properly attached.

3. LEAKY RADIATOR

Your radiator helps with the flow of coolant. As coolant absorbs heat from your engine, it flows through to the radiator to allow heat to be exchanged with outside air. The radiator is a fin system located just behind the front grille of your vehicle. Pumping the heat from your engine to the front of your vehicle helps with airflow to keep the engine cool. Due to the location at the front of your vehicle, radiators can be easily damaged even in minor collisions. Available in both metal and plastic, there are drawbacks overtime with your radiator; metal can rust while plastic could crack, both resulting in leaks. You have the option to try pour-in products that claim to fix leaky radiators, but we've discovered that most customers do not experience good results with these products. Save yourself time and money in the long run and let a pro either completely replace the radiator or repair the damaged leaking area.

2. BLOWN HEAD GASKET

There are two main parts to your engine, consisting of the cylinder head and the engine block, and the head gasket helps to keep these parts sealed together. Although it is located at the heart of the engine where the heat is greatest, too much heat from the engine can cause it to warp and cause the gasket to leak. Many problems can arise due to this, but the most common is coolant leaking onto the engine where it burns and congeals. Larger leaks could cause smoke under the hood. The engine can even start burning coolant along with fuel if the blow is internal. An issue like that causes white smoke to billow from the tailpipe as you drive, and quickly uses up all the available coolant. When this happens, your engine will run too hot and needs to shut down. Replacing a head gasket is no small matter. Specific tools and parts, and special skill is required to properly get your vehicle running smoothly again. Due to the in-depth process, we always recommend having this service done right at a certified service center just like the one here at Capitol Chevy.

1. FAILED WATER PUMP

Your water pump plays another key part in your cooling system. Older vehicles used to only pump water back to cool car engines, but nowadays modern vehicles and technology take advantage of coolant instead that includes additions like rust inhibitors, corrosion, and freeze point lowering additives. These additions help the coolant in a wide variety of conditions to run longer in modern cars. The pump can be damaged overtime by "cavitation" when tiny bubbles formed in the coolant explode and collapse inside the pump. Seals on this component are known to start leaking overtime as well and it's not unheard of for the impeller bearing to go bad, causing the pump to leak. You should replace your coolant pump at the first signs of a leak to help keep the engine protected.