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99 Grand Am Coolant Problems
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theoryjunky
New User
Jul 3, 2009, 7:14 AM
Post #1 of 7
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99 Grand Am Coolant Problems
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Hello I'm having some problems with a 99 Grand Am GT1. A few days ago i was on the highway and the car overheated. I pulled over and noticed the coolant bottle was totally dry (first time this has ever happened). I filled it up and drove home and the temp was normal all the way. I went out of town for the next few days and returned and checked the coolant and it was completely empty. So I filled it up a looked for leaks with the car running in the driveway. I found nothing. I drove through town to pick up some coolant and noticed no change in coolant levels when i got to the store. I got my things and drove home and noticed while sitting at a red light the temp slowly increased. When i returned home I stayed in my driveway with the car in drive and my foot on the break and saw that the temp slowly increased, I then put it in park and saw that it would cool. When I turned the car off I saw that it was leaking a lot of coolant from the overflow hose at the top of the bottle. Again while in park the car runs fine at normal temp and has no problem, when I put it in drive and hold my foot on the break the temp slowly increases and when I shut the car off the coolant spills from the overflow. What could this be and what should I do next?
Also the low coolant light never came on, even during my episode on the highway when the bottle was completely dry, and the this morning when I started it up to move it into the driveway to check for leaks. Both times there was no coolant in the bottle.
Thanks
(This post was edited by theoryjunky on Jul 3, 2009, 7:30 AM)
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jul 3, 2009, 8:28 AM
Post #2 of 7
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Re: 99 Grand Am Coolant Problems
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What you need to do is pressure test the cooling system to locate your leak before you do serious engine damage. These engines are very sensitive to heat and will blow a head gasket or crack a head very easily
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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theoryjunky
New User
Jul 3, 2009, 8:37 AM
Post #3 of 7
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Re: 99 Grand Am Coolant Problems
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Well that's the thing. As far as I know there is no leak. The only place I'm losing fluid from is the overflow hose. I'm wondering what could be causing the back pressure when the car is in gear and not moving.
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jul 3, 2009, 8:40 AM
Post #4 of 7
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Re: 99 Grand Am Coolant Problems
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You can't know if there is a leak because you haven't pressure tested it yet. You may already have head gasket damage also.
Your first step is to pressure test the system.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Loren Champlain Sr
Veteran
/ Moderator
Jul 3, 2009, 11:57 AM
Post #5 of 7
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Re: 99 Grand Am Coolant Problems
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theoryjunky; As Hammer stated, you need to find out where the coolant is going. In theory, you should never have to add coolant to the reservoir. When the engine reaches temperature, the cooling system will pressurize. Any excess pressure will go into the reservoir. As the engine cools, the coolant that was pushed into the reservoir will be 'sucked' back, into the engine. Back and forth. The coolant temperature sensor, which 'tells' your guage what to read, must be immersed in water for it to work. If the coolant level is low, you won't get a correct reading. You can't depend on 'idiot' lights or, really, guages to be accurate. The 'low coolant' lamps are totally unreliable as far as I'm concerned.
In park, or neutral, the engine speed is faster which will help coolant distribution. The cooling fans should be coming on when the engine reaches a pre-determined temp (around 225F), but if the coolant temp sensor isn't immersed in coolant, that may not happen, causing a domino effect. This could be as simple as a faulty thermostat, but, as Hammer stated, it may be too late. Hopefully, not. Good luck.
Loren
SW Washington
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lwright
Anonymous Poster
writeindy@yahoo.com
Jul 10, 2009, 2:13 PM
Post #6 of 7
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Re: 99 Grand Am Coolant Problems
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I am having the exact same problem, when the car kept overheating it was thought to be a thermostat problem, so we put a new one on, and its wasnt even 24hrs later and there is a leak somewhere, when we check the car you can see the fluid come right out the overflow tube
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jul 10, 2009, 2:27 PM
Post #7 of 7
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Re: 99 Grand Am Coolant Problems
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Please start a new question for a different vehicle.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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