Coolant leak on my 2012 LR4

[Robbouchard]

Hi

I just topped up my coolant, it took one litre to top up, the expansion tank was empty. I have been checking regularly and haven’t seen this much of a drop before. I was surprised that the coolant level warning light wasn’t on. Is the coolant sensor on the outlet to the expansion tank? I can’t see any visible leak indications, any suggestions on where to look?

 

[GreatNorthern]

I’m seeing the exact same conditions on my 2014 SC6, 65K miles/105 Km. About one liter every 1-2 months. I carry a complete set of hoses and fittings, plus a spare water pump whenever I overland, BUT there is no overt sign of leakage. System was pressure tested by the dealer at 64K miles and no loss of pressure after 24 hours. Considering a preemptive replacement of the crossover connection. Thoughts?

 

[DaytonaRS7]

Hi

I just topped up my coolant, it took one litre to top up, the expansion tank was empty. I have been checking regularly and haven’t seen this much of a drop before. I was surprised that the coolant level warning light wasn’t on. Is the coolant sensor on the outlet to the expansion tank? I can’t see any visible leak indications, any suggestions on where to look?

how often is "regularly"?
water pumps will generally slowly leak when failing. the leak is slow enough that it evaoprates before hitting the ground.
one liter is nearly a dry reservoir. So it either wasnt checked often enough, or you have a fast leak. A fast leak with no sign of coolant would be odd. burning coolant?

I’m seeing the exact same conditions on my 2014 SC6, 65K miles/105 Km. About one liter every 1-2 months. I carry a complete set of hoses and fittings, plus a spare water pump whenever I overland, BUT there is no overt sign of leakage. System was pressure tested by the dealer at 64K miles and no loss of pressure after 24 hours. Considering a preemptive replacement of the crossover connection. Thoughts?

64k miles isnt premature for crossover pipes. its on the early end, but within the time frame of failure. see my comment above about waterpumps. coincidentally 60k is their estimated lifespan.

 

[Robbouchard]

DaytonaRS7. Thanks for the info, I may have been over a month since I checked. I’m now keeping a log to track losses.

 

[ktm525]

If you see a 1L drop (expansion tank empty) then quit driving until you get it sorted. Otherwise you risk having a very expensive paperweight.

 

[Robbouchard]

In what circumstance would you “burn coolant”?

 

[Robbouchard]

ktm525. Although I had lost a litre I did not get any warnings or engine running temperature change. I had assumed that the coolant level sensor must be at the outlet to the tank and wouldn’t alarm until the coolant was below the sensor? I had also assumed that with a 10 litre system then it could handle a 1 litre drop, not ideal but not fatal. I refilled and haven’t seen any further drop. I am waiting to see if my mechanic can perform a pressure test.

 

[ryanjl]

You burn coolant when your coolant starts leaking into the cylinder head and gets "burned" off through combustion. That's not good.

The issue with these aluminum blocks is that if you ever see any signs of overheating, you need to pull off to the side of the road immediately and shut down the engine.

 

[greiswig]

In what circumstance would you “burn coolant”?

Cylinder head gasket leak or cracked head, for example. Look for white smoke out of exhaust when you first start up.

 

[ktm525]

ktm525. Although I had lost a litre I did not get any warnings or engine running temperature change. I had assumed that the coolant level sensor must be at the outlet to the tank and wouldn’t alarm until the coolant was below the sensor? I had also assumed that with a 10 litre system then it could handle a 1 litre drop, not ideal but not fatal. I refilled and haven’t seen any further drop. I am waiting to see if my mechanic can perform a pressure test.

A litre of coolant is a lot. Hope for a visible leak...