Coolant

[Billabong02]

Lately I have been having trouble keeping my coolant level up. I have seen no puddles or any signs that the radiator is leaking. I went to the oil spot about 2 weeks ago and the guy had to fill it. Today when i got home from class i noticed that the car filled my garage with smoke and the smell of burnt rubber. I first looked at the plastic container and there is no coolant in it. I opened the radiator cap and I couldn't seen any coolant. I noticed that around some of the screw heads on the 4.0 plastic cover on top of the engine were wet. I hasn't rained in awhile. I am guessing maybe it is coolant. If its not leaking out then where is it going. The car never over heats. I have this smell once in awhile but not often. I know that the cap is on tight and i can't see anything that has caught my attention. Any ideas what might be happening?
thanks

 

[00XLS]

Sounds like the coolant is being burned off, I think its happening in mine as well. No puddle, or anything but the coolant level keeps dropping. I believe mines a head gasket problem.

 

[DannyDynamite]

I have the same problem as u both on my 96 ohv. but i have noticed that when im on the gas cruising my temp level seems to rise a little above the normal. its weird and the car sometimes smells like burnt celery after driving.

 

[Heavymentill]

I have the same deal 96 OHV. I notice the temp level went up only when I was low on coolant. I don't notice any milky stuff in oil or smell anything or whitness smoke or have excessive water out tail pipe. I kinda think its leaking from the water pump gasket as the oil pan always looks like somethings leaking and my oil level isn't dropping. I'm definately loosing coolant though.

 

[Billabong02]

I took my car to get looked at today and the guy just called and said he couldn't find anything wrong. He is going to let it run awhile and check for steam or leaks. I wonder if he is going to pay for all that gas he is using :fire:

 

[00XLS]

Weird thing is, after I pulled the rad. out to get tested, refilled with coolant and a new tstat, truck heats up real quick now and stays right in the middle of the gauge. Before I'd have to keep the OD off and have decent outside temps to get it up that hot.

 

[DannyDynamite]

how hard was it to change the thermostat?

 

[00XLS]

I have an OHV which I assume you do to, once the coolant is out its not hard at all. Three bolts that hold on the radiator hard lines and its off. I'm not sure if this applies to yours or not being mines a '00. keep the collection container under the truck until you take the tstat out, mine acted like a vaccuum and wouldn't let all of it out until I pull the tstat out, the I got a gush of fluid.