2003 Chevy Impala loosing a little coolant, wont get very h

FERGADOIOUS

MEMBER
2003 CHEVROLET IMPALA
6 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
100,000 MILES

My impala runs well, blower works good but doesn't get very hot if any heat only about one cup of coolant is getting lost when we run the car but it is not being, lost from the engine compartment and no coolant on the passenger floorboard. Even after short trips I have to refill coolant reservoir then heater will work for a short bit. Can someone help? Please

1 Reply

RENAUDTN

MECHANIC
636 POSTS

Hello there,

Have you check for leaks with engine on or off? It's better to check with engine on, or with cooling system under pressure because small/slow leaks become more apparent.
Pressure check your cooling system. Pay special attention to your intake manifold; GM 3.4L engines are known for leaky intake manifold gasket.
I would also suggest you have your radiator cap pressure tested. If the cap doesn't hold the pressure, some coolant will come out. Actually, a new cap costs around $5 so simply replacing it may be the better option.
If you can't find any external leak, you may have an internal one. Your engine may be burning coolant (usually when this happens you can see white smoke coming out of your tail pipe), or some coolant is finding its way to your oil (check your oil fill cap: does it have a gray-ish gooey substance in it? Also check the level on your oil dipstick for higher than normal level and discolored oil). An internal leak will require expensive repair.

It's also possible that some coolant is leaking into your transmission cooler/lines inside the radiator (check coolant for brown/red-ish spots). A new radiator is the only fix in this case.