LongestMilk

Hello all,
This is my official first on here, but I always come here to look for answers before I post. I have searched and I cannot seem to find someone with the same problem. I have an 02 with 130k that I have owned for over a year and a half with basically no issues until now. I was driving to the store when I noticed white steam coming from the hood and it smelt like coolant. Before I started checking anything I went into the store I did my shopping for around 20 minutes to let everything cool down a bit. I came back and noticed coolant in the overflow was empty and about 2 1/2 water bottles full of coolant was gone. I then topped off the radiator and half way of the overflow and then started it to let it idle with the radiator cap off to get any bubbles out until the thermostat opened, then I put the radiator cap back on. My brother poured water around the radiator because when he was filling it he missed a little. We assumed the steam was from the water so I then drove it home (which was about 10 minutes). The temp never went past 3 bars, I also checked the oil and it seemed good. When I got it back home we popped the hood and we noticed it was steaming from the lower part of the radiator still. Could it be a leak from the lower radiator? I couldn't see any leaks from any hoses but I could be wrong. I want to start small and not just throw parts at it. I'm also hoping my head gasket is fine, but I don't really know for certain.

HarryD

Glad your temp gauge did not go over 3 bars. Do not drive it, for risk of overheating.

Use a flashlight and look for leaks around your radiator, hoses, etc. At this point, you should probably also see drips on the ground.

Check your coolant level in the radiator itself, not the expansion tank by opening the radiator cap when the engine is cold -- you should see coolant level up to the neck of the radiator.

Report back. Photos are helpful

LongestMilk

hoobastnk90

You should do a pressure test, a lot of times the plastic on the radiators develop hairline cracks that will leak so i would look for that as well!

Slowcrash_101

^this first thing you should do is pressure test the cooling system, it should hold 16 psi, if it doesn't you have a leak. Pressure test will also force any coolant out of the leak making it safe and easy to see where it's leaking. I'm willing to guess it's the radiator itself or the cap. Based on your symptoms if the system holds pressure then you know it's the cap.

LongestMilk

Slowcrash_101

Under the IM is the lower rad hose, and I believe there is a coolant line for the IAC, and under the throttle body over the alternator, behind the IM ie the firewall is the heater coolant circuit.

By chance do you have an aftermarket intake?

LongestMilk

Slowcrash_101

All the coolant lines are under the hood, none of them can be reached from underneath except the lower rad hose and only at the rad. For the record you don't have to remove the IM to remove any hose, it just makes it much much easier to do so. But removing the IM is itself a pain in the butt, I think removing the alternator and belt tensioner will give you all the room you need to see what needs replacing.

You mentioned a k&n exhaust look for any hose that doesn't look OEM, I bet that's probably the culprit. It's usually the hose over the alternator.

LongestMilk