missing coolant
Platinum Member
Joined: 01-09-2007
Posts: 16,081
From: SE USA
One thing you could try, is pull the dipstick out of a hot motor.. Wipe it on the exhaust manifold. Oil will not bubble or sizzle. Coolant will..
Oil will only smoke & smell..
Deceased
Joined: 06-30-2010
Posts: 25,739
From: Kannapolis NC
Welcome to another meeting of the "I've got socks older than some members club". I was going to suggest just what you suggested sleeper, then I remembered that you need to be double jointed to get to the exhaust manifold on the HHR. Grandpa taught me that trick when I was maybe 8 years old and helping him with the Farmall tractor.
Platinum Member
Joined: 04-09-2006
Posts: 7,043
From: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Welcome to another meeting of the "I've got socks older than some members club". I was going to suggest just what you suggested sleeper, then I remembered that you need to be double jointed to get to the exhaust manifold on the HHR. Grandpa taught me that trick when I was maybe 8 years old and helping him with the Farmall tractor.
Senior Member
Joined: 07-15-2009
Posts: 2,070
From: Waterbury CT
I can understand you not wanting anyone else wrenching it.. But if Ur getting coolant in the oil. Time for a hand-off to the Dealer. It could be quite expensive, depending on the findings.
One thing you could try, is pull the dipstick out of a hot motor.. Wipe it on the exhaust manifold. Oil will not bubble or sizzle. Coolant will..
Oil will only smoke & smell..
One thing you could try, is pull the dipstick out of a hot motor.. Wipe it on the exhaust manifold. Oil will not bubble or sizzle. Coolant will..
Oil will only smoke & smell..
Welcome to another meeting of the "I've got socks older than some members club". I was going to suggest just what you suggested sleeper, then I remembered that you need to be double jointed to get to the exhaust manifold on the HHR. Grandpa taught me that trick when I was maybe 8 years old and helping him with the Farmall tractor.
Deceased
Joined: 06-30-2010
Posts: 25,739
From: Kannapolis NC
Anytime asanti, some of us here are full of useful info like how the set the magneto up on an Allis Chalmers tractor, or replacing the spring in a Victrola. All kidding aside, I'm a firm believer that the day you stop learning is the day you stop breathing, I pick up knowledge here all the time.
cause you weren't paying attention.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: 02-22-2011
Posts: 119
From: dunnville ont canada
I can understand you not wanting anyone else wrenching it.. But if Ur getting coolant in the oil. Time for a hand-off to the Dealer. It could be quite expensive, depending on the findings.
One thing you could try, is pull the dipstick out of a hot motor.. Wipe it on the exhaust manifold. Oil will not bubble or sizzle. Coolant will..
Oil will only smoke & smell..
One thing you could try, is pull the dipstick out of a hot motor.. Wipe it on the exhaust manifold. Oil will not bubble or sizzle. Coolant will..
Oil will only smoke & smell..
an appoinment is made at queenston chevy for fri afternoon. as far as cost, a head gasket job is not unreasonable , even if i were to do it myself. my main concern is how long its been leaking. weve had the car for 6 weeks and the coolant was low when we got it. how long has it been leaking into crankcase and what damage has the coolant done to rod and main brgs. coolant and bearing babbit dont play nice together. hopefully i can convince them to r&r a rod brg for inspection. i dont think the mains are accesible cause of the split crankcase design. me thinks that requires an engine r&r.
as far as dropping some on a hot exhaust, i dont think there's enough coolant in the oil to notice any sizzlin. the few drops i detected were pinhead sized. good idea though. just like dropping frozen fries into a deep frier.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: 02-22-2011
Posts: 119
From: dunnville ont canada
Anytime asanti, some of us here are full of useful info like how the set the magneto up on an Allis Chalmers tractor, or replacing the spring in a Victrola. All kidding aside, I'm a firm believer that the day you stop learning is the day you stop breathing, I pick up knowledge here all the time.
Platinum Member
Joined: 05-09-2006
Posts: 6,805
From: "Upland" Mesa, Arizona
hi sleeper
an appoinment is made at queenston chevy for fri afternoon. as far as cost, a head gasket job is not unreasonable , even if i were to do it myself. my main concern is how long its been leaking. weve had the car for 6 weeks and the coolant was low when we got it. how long has it been leaking into crankcase and what damage has the coolant done to rod and main brgs. coolant and bearing babbit dont play nice together. hopefully i can convince them to r&r a rod brg for inspection. i dont think the mains are accesible cause of the split crankcase design. me thinks that requires an engine r&r.
as far as dropping some on a hot exhaust, i dont think there's enough coolant in the oil to notice any sizzlin. the few drops i detected were pinhead sized. good idea though. just like dropping frozen fries into a deep frier.
an appoinment is made at queenston chevy for fri afternoon. as far as cost, a head gasket job is not unreasonable , even if i were to do it myself. my main concern is how long its been leaking. weve had the car for 6 weeks and the coolant was low when we got it. how long has it been leaking into crankcase and what damage has the coolant done to rod and main brgs. coolant and bearing babbit dont play nice together. hopefully i can convince them to r&r a rod brg for inspection. i dont think the mains are accesible cause of the split crankcase design. me thinks that requires an engine r&r.
as far as dropping some on a hot exhaust, i dont think there's enough coolant in the oil to notice any sizzlin. the few drops i detected were pinhead sized. good idea though. just like dropping frozen fries into a deep frier.
Not trying to rain on your parade. Just making you aware !!