2000 Chrysler Voyager losing coolant

Maintenance/Repairs
1

I keep loosing coolant via the overflow.
It has new radiator, water pump, hose and thermostat.
I did bleed the system of air.
cant think of why it would be doing this.
​​​​​​​anyone have any idea?

2

Yup, maybe blown head gasket letting pressure into the coolant and forcing overflow.

1 Like
3

how old is your radiator cap?
and what does the dash temp gauge show?

4

When the engine is cold, remove the radiator cap and then start the engine.

Let the engine idle while watching the coolant in the radiator.

If bubbles begin to form in the coolant as the engine idles, that’s an indication of a breached head gasket.

Tester

2 Likes
5

hmmm … well a blown head gasket is certainly a possibility. But what else? Here’s two ideas:

  • Could still be some air trapped in the system I guess. I have one of those insulated coffee containers, and if there’s even a slight air space at the top when I fill it with fresh hot coffee, the air heats up and pressurizes, then it sprays coffee quite vigorously from the sip opening as soon as I try to take my first sip. There doesn’t seem to be anything overly complicated to bleed the air out of the cooling system w/the 3L V6 engine, one of the options for this vehicle. Don’t know about the other engines, but I presume whatever engine you have the air has been properly bled out by this point. Are you losing any coolant? Check both the overflow bottle and the radiator just to be sure, and top off as required. It’s normal to have to top off of both after a few drives when a service is done to the cooling system. If you don’t air bubbles can develop.

  • If the radiator pressure cap is opening at the wrong pressure this could happen. Might want to try a new cap, not overly expensive.

6

I now a guy that swears by this

Drain some coolant out if its at the TOP of radiator, you want an inch or more of air at the top of radiator for the test
Get a latex glove or balloon
remove rad cap
Remove overflow hose and block that port in radiator with: gum, putty, vacuum cap…whatever
Put glove or balloon over rad cap opening and seal it in place with a zip tie or rubber band;

Disable Coil pack, unplug it’s 4 wire connector, you want a No Start

Crank engine over and watch the “glove”, if you have a head gasket leak or cracked head then glove will bounce each time that cylinder is on it’s compression stroke(150psi)
100% accurate
If “glove” just lays there then all is well

If “glove” bounces then remove 1 spark plug at a time and crank engine again, when glove stops bouncing last spark plug removed was from the cylinder with the leak, put it back in to confirm.

7

Slick! I like it!

8

A year old but it’s the standard one, should I look for a higher pressure one?

9

Had all cylinders checked. All are rt around 150 +/-5

10

Seems to me it would be better to just head to napa and buy a block tester

It’s a genuine tool, and the results will be more clear cut, versus using the glove or balloon

plus a block tester isn’t expensive