My Buick V6 SC 3800 engine is losing coolant but I can't figure out where--- no puddles when sitting,no overflow,no visible leaks, but every time I fill the overflow bottle it's empty after a few days drivingo No: Starting to really bug me--any thoughts? Pete
Pete, could be a leaking intake gasket. Common problem on these. Is a lifter ticking when you first start it? Sometimes the coolant will leak down into the lifter gallery onto the lifter and displace the oil in it....thus the ticking. You should get it looked after asap. Jim
Pete, before you do any thing run a good compression test, then do what Jim says, take a good look at the oil color, level ect. if the oil is a gray, milky color and the oil level is rising, you are getting coolant into the oil system. the compression test will tell you if you have popped a head gasket. Another test is to take it to a shop and get them to run a 'sniffer test' on the cooling system to see if there is combustion gas in the cooling system.
Good thread---I have checked a lot of this---I have a scanner for the V6 3800 engine and all my vital signs are still good---my engine oil level stays full between oil changes and it is clean---ONLY oil--I do question my coolant mixture:af: gonna drain it and put back a 50/50 mix--right now it is very diluted.:af: I might also get a new radiator cap--a slow leak could just cause EVAPORATION on a low level not showing real easily. I'll check back after I do this---I just removed my coolant bottle to be sure it wasn't cracked or leaking slightly. Removing this bottle is a very complicated job on the supercharged V6 and it took awhile to remove it and put back. Pete
leaky intake gasket,the black cover on top of intake leaks,does car run bad,and what year is it.my 2002 impala had same problem,3.8 motor.the black covers were bad,needs to be replaced.usallly car will run bad though,you didnt say. ________ black Webcams
UPDATE---I drained all the DEXCOOL put new stuff in bought a NEW radiator cap---PROBLEM SOLVED---apparently the cap was worn enough to allow some seepage and that's all it was---Ive been driving in some pretty warm weather---(over 80) and the coolant level is staying where it should be,no loss. Sometimes it is just the simple things--like a $5 dollar cap!!!
