Fan Testing?

[cmm47172]

No white smoke. The tail pipe is black and dry inside. I just changed the oil and filter today. The oil had no water in it. It looked like your regular old dirty oil. I went out and bought a UV leak detection kit and some coolant dye. I plan to pour that in tomorrow and let it go for a could days and then see if I can see a leak anywhere.

[Aveo5_boy]

Well that's great to hear....hopefully you can track that leak!

[Pickles]

Well that's great to hear....hopefully you can track that leak!

What leak?
Nothing in the OP or any other posts in this thread point to any sort of leak...

[Aveo5_boy]

I went out and bought a UV leak detection kit and some coolant dye. I plan to pour that in tomorrow and let it go for a could days and then see if I can see a leak anywhere.

Pickles....This is the post about the leak that i was referring to.

[Pickles]

Pickles....This is the post about the leak that i was referring to.

But you mentioned a leak earlier on too. Honestly I don't even know why a leak is being discussed. A car was bought with the coolant not completely full. So the first thoughts are a coolant leak or blown head gasket? I mean come on, that's just grasping at straws

[Thymeclock]

I just ran the car for 1 hour thru heavy stop and go traffic. The temp outside today is 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The fan never came on during or after the drive. The temp gauge reached the half way mark and went no further.
When I stopped the car I noticed two things that concern me.
First, as soon as I got out of the car, I could smell the sweet smell of DEX-COOL coolant. Looking under the hood, I could see no coolant leakage.
Second, I noticed that the level of coolant in the surge tank never moved. It’s was the same level as when the car was cold.
It makes me wonder if the thermostat is operating properly. I did notice that both the upper and lower radiator hose were hot to the touch and so was the surge tank so I would think that the thermostat did have to open even if ever so slightly. I checked all hose clamps and all are tight.
I have yet to test the relays. If they are not extremely expensive, I think I will by some to test with and just to have some on hand if ever needed.
At this point, my main concern is that I can smell coolant.
Any thoughts anyone?

If you can smell coolant, then you do have a leak. However, it may be a very minor leak, one that is not worth worrying about at this time.

I had a similar situation with my old '89 Celica. When I had a timing belt changed at 120K the mechanic told me my head gasket was leaking a bit at the very edge of it. I never did find the leak (and eventually sold the car many years later), but I could smell coolant when the car was hot, from under the hood. I lost about a pint of coolant every few months. I never had any drips or puddles - just the slow drop in the reservoir and the occasional smell of coolant. When coolant hits the hot engine block it will evaporate but leave an odor. A bad thermostat gasket might also cause it. A slow leak in a heater core could also, but then you'd smell it inside the car, coming from the vents, when cold.

As long as you don't run low on coolant, it's no big deal. Just check on it monthly to make sure it doesn't get any worse. Watchful waiting and adding coolant is much cheaper than than a motor tear down - as long as it's only a very slow leak.

[Pickles]

Is it possible that coolant you smell is because you just filled it? You might've dripped a little on the block. Or am I the only one that thinks this while thing is irrational...

[2010AveoLT]

Is it possible that coolant you smell is because you just filled it? You might've dripped a little on the block. Or am I the only one that thinks this while thing is irrational...

this MIGHT be a Long Shot, but is the Surge Tank cap damaged in any way? if you don't see any Physical Damage, have the cap Pressure Tested because caps CAN fail and cause the smell.

[cmm47172]

OK, now I think I'm getting somewhere.
I took the car out for a nice long drive then parked the car in my garage overnight.
The next morning I noticed a small puddle (about a shot glass full) of coolant on the floor next to the left front tire.
The coolant level in the surge tank was at the half-way mark just below the seam in the tank.

Next, I jacked up the car and put it on stands.
Looking from underneath, I could see drops of coolant on the bottom of the surge tank although I could see no indication that coolant had escaped around the pressure cap.
So I got to thinking that the surge tank may be leaking around the seam rather than from the cap.
Then I got to thinking, what if the cap did release coolant because it reached its pressure point?
If that were the case then I would be back to square one wondering if the fan is operating properly so I bench tested both fan relays and the fuses.
All tested good. I know testing relays thoroughly requires testing under a load however; I’m not quite sure how to do that.

So, unless anyone has any better ideas, I plan to borrow a cooling system pressure tester pump from AutoZone and test the entire cooling system as well as the cap.
I inquired about a replacement cap at AutoZone. They said it was rated for 20 psi. My surge cap has 17 psi stamped on it.
I’m also not sure if my cap is original to the car.
Can anyone tell me the correct PSI for this system; is it 17, 20 or something else?
If my cap is the original, am I taking a chance by using AutoZone's 20 psi replacement cap?

[2010AveoLT]

OK, now I think I'm getting somewhere.
I took the car out for a nice long drive then parked the car in my garage overnight.
The next morning I noticed a small puddle (about a shot glass full) of coolant on the floor next to the left front tire.
The coolant level in the surge tank was at the half-way mark just below the seam in the tank.

Next, I jacked up the car and put it on stands.
Looking from underneath, I could see drops of coolant on the bottom of the surge tank although I could see no indication that coolant had escaped around the pressure cap.
So I got to thinking that the surge tank may be leaking around the seam rather than from the cap.
Then I got to thinking, what if the cap did release coolant because it reached its pressure point?
If that were the case then I would be back to square one wondering if the fan is operating properly so I bench tested both fan relays and the fuses.
All tested good. I know testing relays thoroughly requires testing under a load however; I’m not quite sure how to do that.

So, unless anyone has any better ideas, I plan to borrow a cooling system pressure tester pump from AutoZone and test the entire cooling system as well as the cap.
I inquired about a replacement cap at AutoZone. They said it was rated for 20 psi. My surge cap has 17 psi stamped on it.
I’m also not sure if my cap is original to the car.
Can anyone tell me the correct PSI for this system; is it 17, 20 or something else?
If my cap is the original, am I taking a chance by using AutoZone's 20 psi replacement cap?

I check the Pressure cap on Scoot's Surge Tank, and it had 17 PSI (120 KPa) proudly stamped on it. and I Know FOR A FACT that the cap on it is the Factory Original (she's only 3 Years old, and led a Hard Early Life as an Enterprise Rental Car) so If i were you, I would try to stick with the 17 PSI cap If you can.