How to eliminate antifreeze leakage: reasons and possible solutions

• Another reason for the increased consumption of antifreeze can be pipes and joints. In this case, it is easier to detect the leak. Many motorists use the easy way, which is, that you need to put a sheet of paper under the car. If the car has engine protection, then the letter is put on defense. Then the car is parked. The appearance of coolant stains is a reason to inspect the pipes, hoses, as well as the places of their connection to the radiator of the cooling system. The gasket of the thermostat also deserves special attention, since the flow of antifreeze from under the thermostat is quite common. The thermostat housing may also be defective. In this situation, the device is changed.

Rubber pipes should be inspected first, as access to them is often not difficult. Also in case of detection of a problem with a branch pipe this element can be replaced without special efforts. The main problem of pipes is their cracking, as the rubber product is exposed to high temperatures, and also works in the conditions of constant heating and cooling. Cracks in rubber pipes are usually not the cause of severe leaks, antifreeze seeps through the defects slowly. You need to consider during the inspection, that a crack may appear on different sides of the pipe. For this reason, the pipes should be carefully felt, and a mirror can be used to inspect hard-to-reach areas.

It should also be added, that the problem may not be in the rubber pipes themselves, and at their junctions. In other words, it is necessary to check up reliability of tightening of clamps in a place of connection of a branch pipe with unions. Often it helps to tighten them.

By the way, many motorists are interested, than to eliminate leaks of antifreeze from a radiator or branch pipes, how to remove leaks at the junction of the pipe and fitting. In the case of a cooling radiator or heater radiator, the item must be replaced or repaired. Repair of a radiator provides its soldering. As a last resort, you can use a sealant for the cooling system. As for that, how to eliminate antifreeze leaks from the pipes, element replacement is required. Note, that it is also possible to use a special sealant, but this is only a temporary measure. After applying the sealant at the joints, taking into account temperature differences (expansion on heating and contraction on cooling) this method is also not reliable. It turns out, sealant is suitable for the radiator, but for the nozzles are no more.

We also recommend reading the article about it, how to choose a sealant for the engine cooling system. In this article you will learn about the features of selection and effectiveness of popular formulations.

• If everything is fine with the pipes and the tank, then the next step is to check the pump (water cooling system pump). In practice, cases, when antifreeze flows from the pump, are quite common. Coolant leakage occurs due to this, that the stuffing box seal of the coolant pump loses its properties. Antifreeze flows on the pump rod, after which it is sprayed. This is clearly visible on visual inspection, as adjacent parts will have traces of coolant on the surface. In the situation, when antifreeze flows from under the pump, it is better to diagnose immediately and replace the water pump. The point is, that on many cars the pump is driven by a timing belt. Pump jamming can cause the belt to break, resulting in a high probability of valve failure.
• The hidden reason for the leakage of antifreeze or antifreeze can also be the radiator of the oven. The specified radiator may not leak much, as a result, the coolant begins to evaporate from the system. Explicit signs can be considered strong fogging of the windshield, as well as the sweet smell of antifreeze in the cabin. More serious leaks are manifested in the form of, that underfoot (most often, under the front passenger seat) coolant appears.
• Also in the list of faults of cooling system it is necessary to allocate leaks of antifreeze from under a head of the block of cylinders. Such leaks can be a sign of cracks in the BC or cylinder head, and also indicate the breakdown of the gasket of the head of the unit.

The most common problem with the gasket, burnout or breakdown occurs on machines, whose mileage often exceeds about 100 thousand. Mileage. The point is, that the gasket is experiencing severe loads. The service life of the element is also affected by the material of manufacture (paronite or metal product).

A more serious problem is cracks in the block or block head. It should be noted, that the leakage of antifreeze in the presence of cracks or problems with the gasket does not always mean, that the coolant comes out. If the defect affects the channels of the lubrication and cooling system, then it is possible to get coolant into the cylinders of the internal combustion engine, the coolant is mixed with the engine oil. As a result, not only the level of antifreeze falls, but the lubricant loses its properties. This can have serious consequences for the engine, the power unit wears out badly, jams and fails.

To rule out or confirm the diagnosis it is enough to believe the oil level, and to inspect the emulsion. If the level has risen, and a characteristic brownish-white foam is visible on the probe, this will indicate that the coolant has entered the engine lubrication system. Even in the process of testing, you can unscrew the candles and inspect them. If white spots are noticed, then it is also a sign of antifreeze in oil. Another sign is a white exhaust, which indicates the ingress of fluid from the cooling system into the cylinders.

As a result

In that case, if the driver noted a leak of antifreeze, but it is not possible to find out the reason independently, then you can visit the service station. Service check is usually an increase in pressure in the cooling system using special equipment, after which the system is thoroughly checked.

Also note, that search for inconspicuous leaks, example, slight leakage of antifreeze from under the intake manifold, can be facilitated by the use of antifreeze, which contain special fluorescent dyes. Let's add, that these dyes are sold separately, so they can be added to the tank with existing antifreeze.

Finally, it should be reminded once again, that in the cold season it is highly recommended not to add ordinary or distilled water to the antifreeze in case of lowering the level in the tank. The point is, that topped up the water, especially frequent, can lead to that, that the recommended ratio of water and concentrate will be violated, The coolant will start to freeze in the system. As a result, the risk of serious damage to the cooling system or even the engine itself is significantly increased.