How much it costs to check a coolant leak?

It seems that the coolant is leaking on my Forester 2001. The coolant level is around low. I filled it up to half full, but two days later it came back to the low line again. The weird thing is that it seems to stay at the low line since then and doesn't drop off anymore. What might be wrong?

I called subaru dealer but they charge $125 simply for a checking. Isn't it too high?

I remember people talked about Subaru's head gasket problem and I think I did add subaru's coolant conditioner about a year ago. If it is the cause, is my Forester still under warranty?

Reply to
swzhao
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Could your coolant bottle be cracked an area of where the coolant level settles out?

Reply to
Weaponer

Call a car shop and ask what they charge to do a pressure test. If the pressure decreases, there is a leak which removes some of the fluid and allows the air to expand which reduces its pressure.

By low, were you using the line on the overflow tank? If so, how do you know the fluid inside the radiator was low or not? Could be the radiator was low, you added coolant to the overflow tank instead of the radiator, so the fluid got sucked back into the radiator when it cooled. When peering down past the opening after removing the radiator cap, can you see the top of the fins? The cooland should be higher than that. In fact, when cool, the coolant should be dripping from the cap when you remove it because the coolant should be that high inside the radiator (i.e., the radiator should be completely filled with some overflow in the overflow tank - you really don't want any air inside the cooling system).

A good pressure testing kit will run $100, or more

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however, the shop should only be charging a slight fraction of that cost because obviously the tool is resuable over many tests and customers. Unless you are going to work on several cars, it doesn't make sense to spend the money to get one unless the cost to have someone else pretty much pays for the tool and you know how to use it and do the diagnosis if a leak is detected by the tool. I think you also need to get a bypass hose for the water pump. The Subie shop seems to be charging a high price. I think Tires Plus charged me $20 a couple years ago. Since it is that time of year, you might just want to check around for the cost of a coolant flush and make sure they include a pressure test in the quoted price (or using that as a premise then manage to weasel out of them the price that they charge for a pressure test).

Reply to
VanguardLH

Many thanks! Very helpful information including some I cannot understand yet :) It doesn't sound so bad. Maybe it's just the winter cold which makes coolant level down in the overflow tank? Is it normal if it's the radiator which sucks off coolant? I'll check the radiator cap tomorrow.

Reply to
swzhao

The next time you get the oil changed, see if someone will look under the car for you. The coolant leak that cincerns the heads useally drips onto the engine crossmember and could be seen from the bottom. Also check around the thermostat for leaks and sometimes the upper rad hose at the engine

Reply to
StephenW

Coolant expands when heated hence the overflow tank. When it cools, it contracts which would create a vacuum and suck the coolant back in from the overflow tank. You need some extra fluid in the overflow tank to ensure siphoning continues to work.

With the engine cold, take off the radiator cap and fill the coolant to the bottom of the neck for the filler throat (where the cap screws in). Make sure you have some fluid (up to the low mark) in the overflow tank. Run the engine until it gets to operating temperature. Let it get cold again. Remove the cap and check the fluid level. It should be right up to the bottom of the cap. Then check how much fluid is in the overflow tank. Should be the same (if the engine is at the same temperature as before when you checked).

You never mentioned if you saw wet spots under the car when parked overnight when you get home from work and then go back out to the car in the morning, or when you go back out to your car at the end of work. Hard to tell if the coolant wasn't low and you simply topped it off since you didn't mention if the level went low again after the top off (except for the one time you mentioned to find it low again - but looks like you are measuring only by the overflow tank).

Reply to
VanguardLH

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