so I have a 1998 Buick Park Avenue with a coolant leak. It’s either slow enough that there is no pool or it’s leaking somewhere into another part. I’ve put in 3 full coolant containers since April (and didn’t drive it from May-early August). All the coolant leaks somewhere within a week (and that’s just when I decided to check it, it could be faster). Any suggestions?
You need to take it to a shop to have the cooling system pressure tested. It could be any number of things, but just the fact that the coolant is going somewhere is not sufficient information to make a diagnosis. Somewhere could be anywhere.
Check the oil to make sure it isn’t coolant contaminated. If it is, the problem most likely is the infamous GM intake manifold gasket leak.
Tester
Do you know how much this should cost? What is a good pressure to be at so I can prevent getting rolled?
What would the oil look like if there is coolant in it?
It would look sort of brown and milky - something in the family of a chocolate milk shake - perhaps one that’s gone sour. Look on the dipstick and the underside of the oil cap.
Let me preface this by saying I don’t know didly about cars or about your model, but I had a Nissan with a coolant leak about six years ago. Two shops looked at it. The first wanted to charge me $400 to replace the radiator, thus I went on to a second for another estimate. I think they did a pressure test and didn’t find anything. While still trying to decide what to do about the leak, one day the cooling system completely emptied (unbeknownst to me) while I was driving it, the engine overheated (my first clue), and the engine was ruined. What I then discovered is that there was a screw-in plug toward the bottom of the radiator, on the passenger side front, as I recall, and the plug had loosened. Neither radiator shop apparently checked this, didn’t find it, didn’t mention it.
Find out if your radiator has a plug like this, and if it does, make sure it’s seated property.
Paula