@Keith would that prove it definitively?
I concur w/TSM that the tests done are pretty conclusive the cause is not likely a blown head gasket. Assuming the tests were done correctly. If exhaust gas gets into the coolant, that should easily show up w/the chemical test. The chemical test would possibly give bogus results if you added fresh coolant before the test was done, assuming you didnāt do that.
Given what youāve done, my guess the problem is among the following: clogged radiator, water pump on the fritz, some other clog in the cooling system.
Hereās a couple of things a person could try as experiments
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Work with an assistant to make sure the radiator doesnāt accidentally go dry during this experiment. Remove the top hose to the radiator. Idle the engine until the coolant approaches its normal operating temp. Is there a very big stream of water starting to pour out of that hose? Not a trickle, not spurts of water, but a big stream, like a garden hose on close to full force? If so, the water pump is probably ok. In which case the problem is probably due to a clogged radiator. All that water is going into the radiator, but it canāt get through to the bottom, so it forces its way out the top.
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Use one of those science test strips to test the pH of the coolant. Is it alkaline or close to neutral? If so, highly unlikely significant amounts of exhaust gas is getting into the coolant. If it is quite low (acidic), that could mean there is indeed exhaust gas getting into the coolant, and the prior chemical test gave an inaccurate result for some reason.
Your belts are squealing because you are blowing coolant all over them.
If one or more of the spark plug tips have that freshly sandblasted look, then you definitely have a coolant leak to the combustion chamber. Most likely a head gasket, but there are other possibilities, cracked block, cracked head or on some vehicles a leaking intake manifold gasket.
Lack of the sandblasted look does not rule out a head gasket, but combined with all the other evidence, Iād say it supports the other evidence.
Edit: on some models, it could also be the throttle body gasket or a cracked throttle body. If you get a leak here, the coolant goes through the combustion chamber and out the exhaust but because there are no exhaust gasses in the throttle body, the pH test or other tests for exhaust gasses in the coolant will not detect any. Same for a crack in one of the intake ports.
@Keith with whatās been provided what do you think is most likely wrong with it? I canāt keep dumping antifreeze into. When I get my W2 I am taking it straight to a mechanic. This car has driven me mad but itās unfortunately my only means of transportation. Is there any other sure fire ways to determine if itās head gasket rather than other parts of the car? Can a car eat up 2gals of antifreeze a day and not give white pummels of smoke and no milky oil fail a chemical test and still have a blown head gasket?
I think the timing belt is messed up as well, makes those terrible squealing noise. If my understanding is right the timing belt is what makes the impellers turn and thus allows the water to circulate. Therefore, if thatās messed up along with the timing belt this would all sort of fall into place and why there isnāt any other signs of a bad gasket. I am taking it possibly tomorrow to see if they can diagnose if I have a bad water-pump/timing belt.
Umm . . . timing belts are not like accessory drive belts
They donāt squeal
Maybe the water pump is squealing?
A timing belt is a cogged beltā¦it has rubber/fiber reinforced teethā¦If itās squeakingā¦then youāve got real problems. Actually it only squeak for a secondā¦then the engine would stop running.
http://www.gates.com/products/industrial/industrial-belts/synchronous-belts
I had to agree with the air dam / deflector because it has happened before. Will happen again. Itās usually right under the radiator.
@db4690 I know Iāve seen videos on squealing belts before thatās why they have that terrible stuff called belt dressing.
@auto-owner wnerWater pumps make squealing noises? what inside of them would cause that. And this is a high pitch sound like someone screaming bloody murder!
@pleasedodgevan2 I see the picture of but I am trying to determine if I have one or not. Itās sort of like a bottom plate?
@JimFrost Even though I havenāt seen the videos, I can say with almost 100% certainty they were talking about accessory drive belts, not timing belts
No mechanic in his right mind would ever use belt dressing on a timing belt
@db4690 yes, I know itās garbage. Maybe I am wrong but the timing belt is whatās adjacent to the water pump. Iāve never heard of an accessory drive belt before.
Ah nevermind I looked it up. Timing belt is associated with driving the camshafts. Whereas the accessory driving belt is associated with the water pump, power steering, air conditioning, alternator. Yeah, that was what I was talking about!
Water pump is driven by the timing belt, not an accessory drive belt.
Oh I see, so the squealing probably isnāt coming the timing belt but from the visible accessory belt?
X2 again to Uncle Turboās Jan 28 post. Failed head gaskets happened to both of us.
So today when the car overheated I pulled it off to the side popped the hood while the car was still on and saw that the fans werenāt movingā¦
And earlier I tested it by letting it idle for an hour or so nothing from the fans, even turned the a/c on and still nothing.
The fans are not the cause of your coolant loss. They can cause the vehicle to overheat, but they donāt leak coolant. You have to address the coolant leak first. Have you pulled the sparkplugs and inspected them yet? Until you do that and let us know the results, I canāt advise you any further.
BTW, at 2 gallons of coolant a day, you have paid for this repair a couple of times already, you just havenāt had it done.
Even though the fans are not the cause of the coolant loss, Iād still want to make sure their power and ground are good. if they are getting a signal to engage, and nothingās happening, they need to be replaced. Itās actually a very common repair
Several years ago, my brotherās Mazda was running really hot, because one of the electric fans died
After replacing the fan and nothing else, it was back to normal operating temperature
But he didnāt overheat it and lose coolant