My truck is just about to 24,000 miles 18months.

A few months back I noticed the coolant overflow was below the "low" mark so I topped it back to "full". Yesterday I saw it was low again, so I topped it off again. It just dawned on me... is this bad? Where is my coolant going? I'm thinking oil analysis is in my future? What else should I be wondering about. Truck seems to run fine. Power and fuel economy no change. Is there some innocent reason a few pints of coolant may go away?

 

Leak in heater core maybe?? That's how I found mine. Noticed that coolant level started dropping before I could smell it in the truck or had windows fogging when using the heater. At first, I thought mine was getting into the oil, but no rise in level and not "milky" when changed.

Just a thought.

 

You may have the same problem that I have on mine. I have never figured it out. I have checked the tank for leaks and so on. What it does.... If I fill it the level will drop to near the low line in a day or so. If I leave it there, it does not move for months. In other words I don't have a leak but the system will kick it out to the low line and then stay there. Mine is maybe 1/2 inch above the low line. Now I just leave it there.

 

Are you checking the level when it's hot or cold? If I remember correctly, you're supposed to check it when it's hot. If you check it when it's cold...and then add coolant to it....then when it gets hot it could be flowing out the overflow.

 

Check your coolant hose that goes over from your radiatior to your fill bottle,mine was loose from the factory.I took a small hose clamp put it on the hose,this cured my small leak.coobie

 

a sure fire way to find out is to take it back to the dealer and have them do a pressure test on the cooling system, it will take alot of the guessing game out of this, good luck and this should do the trick.

 

make sure its not ozzing at the plugs on the pass.side of the cyl.head and at the block heater,

 

That has to be what it is for me since I got the head gasket leak stopped.

 

Good, good, thanks for the places to look!
I will do a lot to avoid dealing with the dealer... it's just such a hassle.

btw - even without this concern, is oil analysis on a relatively new engine using dino oil on 7500mile intervals worth the effort? Can I order oil analysis on line? How much?