Water disappearing - need some help !

[TobyArnot]

Finally isolated and cured this crazy problem. After weeks of frustration, I finally found and stopped the water loss. O.K. I admit, I should have found this before, but....
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The villian was a pinched hose at the inlet/outlet. The PO had 3/4" hose on both runs. The fittings on the engine were both 3/4". Both hoses were also 3/4".
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I had temporarily painted the bottom side of the toeboard, below the heater box, with a light grey primer. I added some red cloth dye to the rad. and keep looking. I spotted some hint of red over the gray primer, so I really went looking. The PO had also sealed the box around the connections. I took a chance and drilled a 1/4" hole in the bottom of the box and about 3 oz. of slightly red water ran out. O.K. Heater core leaking
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WRAP-UP: when the PO put the 3/4" hose on the smaller inlet on the core, there was a very small, but noticeable pinch down the length of the hose. Under pressure, the water was actually spraying across the face of the heater core. The core was starting to turn red. Apparently, at road speed, the water was slowly draining out or evaporating. I really suprised that with the amount of water I was losing, that it was not more noticeable.
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I replaced the heater core with the proper hoses and fittings, and now the water level is very consistently about 1" below the neck.

THANKS TO ALL WHO TOOK TIME TO READ AND COMMENT. This one's been a bear.

[domeier]

I love a mystery that get's solved.

[treveiger]

Glad to see you figured it out!
Posted via Mobile Device
Posted via Mobile Device

[TobyArnot]

Now I think I can safely add some antifreeze. It's starting to get cold at night and I park outside!