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Another Exciting Coolant Leak - Guess Where

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coolant coolant leak radiator
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boricua

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I've read a few threads of guys having low coolant that lasts a few days to a month and I really appreciate the updates I've been seeing that detail what the problem was. I'm going to add to the knowledge bank with my own leak that I noticed a few months ago.

See attached photos.

What's interesting is one guy's problem was the water pump. Another had a cracked hose. I thought mine would be an easy radiator cap fix because I could see the leak. No mystery, pressure test, dye test, needed here. BUT... there's a complication. I've never used the name of this part before. Is it a T-junction? Cap adapter? Or like Autozone thought a "Coolant filler neck"?

Maybe the issue is none of those. Maybe its a hairline crack in the hose that's travelling down the piece below the radiator cap. Either way i'm going to get a better look at it tomorrow.

Do you guys have any guesses as to where the leak might be based on the photos or perhaps one of you had this exact same issue? Any DIY links you guys care to share?
I'm thinking it's the hose that's trying to trick me into replacing the coolant filler neck for no reason.

Jeep is a 2016 with 80k miles and the leak empties rhe reservoir every 3 to 4 weeks. No smell in the cabin with AC or Heater on. I'll get to the bottom of it and I'll update this thread once the leak has been stopped.

Thanks everyone


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#2 ·
That is just part of the upper radiator hose, so a new hose would include it, however places like Summit racing or Jegs do carry them for street rod builders, you'd just have to match up the hose size. You might need a different rad cap size though and match the stock pressure rating.
 
Discussion starter · #3 ·
todde702 said:
That is just part of the upper radiator hose, so a new hose would include it, however places like Summit racing or Jegs do carry them for street rod builders, you'd just have to match up the hose size. You might need a different rad cap size though and match the stock pressure rating.
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Sounds like fun. I'd probably try to see if it can be sealed first and then buy a new hose. A few guys swear by the Aluminum sealant Bar's but others dont. We shall see...
 
Discussion starter · #4 ·
Update --- The reservoir is slowly leaking out as expected but I did notice that the heat temperatures still hovered past 50% even with coolant. This means that it wasnt low coolant causing my issues. Sort of a which came first the chicken or the egg situation. In this case it appears there's an over heating issue causing the leak by increasing the pressure or there are two issues instead of one.

I'm current testing some theories to see if im dealing with 2 issues or one. The test involves me keeping a close eye on my coolant level. When I drive I keep the heater on and this is good enough to keep the temperature of the motor normal at 50%. Im going to see if a week of this changes the Coolant level. If coolant stays the same then I know the coolant issue is being caused by the excess heat on the motor.

Ultimately the real issue will be finding out what would cause my engine to over heat to about the 65% mark but not be so bad that turning the heater on alone fixes the issue completely.

Im not thrilled about trouble shooting this and tempted to just run the heater when on long drive or driving uphill until something breaks and makes itself more obvious. These small mystery issues can feel worse than the known major issues because at least the big stuff you know what needs to be fixed.
 
Discussion starter · #5 ·
Easter Update - I've been doing some tests and ruled out the ac or the heater being on or off as having anything to do with the leaks. Both work just fine and when the heater stays on it keeps the engine temperature normal. It also leaks regardless of the added pressure from a higher temperature engine. I drove with the heater on for a week and temperatures never went past normal but the leak was still there so its likely not a pressure related leak.

I checked to make sure the thermostats are opening up and allowing coolant to flow by checking the temps of the hoses and I confirmed that coolant is flowing just fine.

It would seem like a clear cut case of a broken upper radiator hose or filler neck. My next step is to replace that hose but I still have doubts about that being the only issue because why would a leaking upper radiator hose cause my temperatures to rise? The leak doesn't appear to be affecting any of the other components. I would imagine the car would run normal but just be loosing coolant. Even with a full radiator and coolant reservoir and thermostats flowing everything just fine just that leak alone will over heat my engine? I need to look up how that could be the case because if I have to replace anything else I want to do it all at once. If anyone can confirm that it would be great but I'll try to update this threat once the car is fixed.

Last thing I'll add is I was tricked into thinking I was done after I inspected the radiator cap and saw the gasket was broken. I thought maybe that's where the leak was and it was losing pressure. I replaced the radiator cap with a new one but found out it didnt stop the leak and that the leak is in fack the filler neck and hose area. I added photos of the broken radiator cap. At least I have a new cap I guess.



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#6 ·
For my 2014 Patriot, I had to replace the radiator hose adapter at around 67K miles in 2020. It is a common point of failure for a coolant leak to occur. The photos leave me to believe this is your culprit. Pro-tip: Spraying soapy water on the suspected leaks may be useful for pinpointing the leak.
 
#7 ·
boricua said:
Easter Update - I've been doing some tests and ruled out the ac or the heater being on or off as having anything to do with the leaks. Both work just fine and when the heater stays on it keeps the engine temperature normal. It also leaks regardless of the added pressure from a higher temperature engine. I drove with the heater on for a week and temperatures never went past normal but the leak was still there so its likely not a pressure related leak. I checked to make sure the thermostats are opening up and allowing coolant to flow by checking the temps of the hoses and I confirmed that coolant is flowing just fine. It would seem like a clear cut case of a broken upper radiator hose or filler neck. My next step is to replace that hose but I still have doubts about that being the only issue because why would a leaking upper radiator hose cause my temperatures to rise? The leak doesn't appear to be affecting any of the other components. I would imagine the car would run normal but just be loosing coolant. Even with a full radiator and coolant reservoir and thermostats flowing everything just fine just that leak alone will over heat my engine? I need to look up how that could be the case because if I have to replace anything else I want to do it all at once. If anyone can confirm that it would be great but I'll try to update this threat once the car is fixed. Last thing I'll add is I was tricked into thinking I was done after I inspected the radiator cap and saw the gasket was broken. I thought maybe that's where the leak was and it was losing pressure. I replaced the radiator cap with a new one but found out it didnt stop the leak and that the leak is in fack the filler neck and hose area. I added photos of the broken radiator cap. At least I have a new cap I guess. View attachment 98618 View attachment 98617
Click to expand...
A small leak in the engine coolant system can cause engine temperature to rise. The pressurized environment actually helps keep the coolant temperature down. I'm dealing with the same issue on a Jeep Patriot, It's either a loose or damaged coolant hose or coolant filler neck. I wonder why hose clamps were not used out of the factory.
 
#8 · (Edited)
New here but wanted to share some knowledge. 2015 Patriot, 2.4. Was loosing a small bit of coolant 1” over a week in the reservoir. Engine running fine, no overheating, smoke, etc. Small drips under passenger side engine when parked overnight. Traced back to overflow tube from reservoir. Coolant not boiling over, so what gives?

After I unbolted the one bolt securing the plastic reservoir and inspecting the reservoir I noticed stress fracture in the plastic where the reservoir meets the support plastic.

I assume from vibration over 133k miles. Slapped some JB Weld on it and hopefully problem is solved. Practically free fix!

Hopefully this helps someone out there.
 
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