Heat ...Well, Sometimes Anyways...

[eastcoastcam]

I am having a problem with the heating system (more like cooling right now ) on our '03 Grand Prix with the 3.1L. The heat works intermittantly. The coolant level seems to fall as well, as I seem to be losing it, but there is no puddles of coolant after being parked or anything (at least that I have noticed.). Does the heater core have an external drain, so coolant would go outside the car (rather than on the pass. side floor like in my old Chev truck)? Is there a weep hole on the waterpump that would leak if it is gone?

The rad cap holds pressure, the hoses are not leaking, but fluid level keeps dropping, so where could it be going? The oil is clean too, so it's not going in there either (at least THAT is a good thing.)

Thanks in advance for any advice

James

 

[Fivefingerdeathpunch]

It's probably eating the coolant through the intake gaskets.

If you are over 100k miles and they havent been done, you will want them done.

 

[eastcoastcam]

So where is it going then? Into the firing chamber and out the tailpipe? If I pulled a spark plug would there be any visible sign?

 

[Scottydoggs]

the 3100 engine is notorious for lim and head gasket failure. yes it eats it and spits it out the tail pipe.

 

[Fivefingerdeathpunch]

You likely wouldnt notice a color change on the spark plug tip unless it was really really bad, it just burns it along with the fuel and won't leave a trace.