Hey guys,

Hope someone can offer a suggestion about why I'm loosing antifreeze in our 89 Chrysler LeBaron, 2.5.
With 150.000 miles, it has started to loose antifreeze and I can't see where it's going. I have replaced the radiator, head gasket and thermostat. When the engine cools down, I need to add a couple quarts of antifreeze to top off.
Any help would be greately appreciated.
Thanks, George

was the head checked for straightness and cracks?

If it's not leaking it, it has to be getting into a cylinder, which causes white smoke....or, into the oil, which makes it all milky, There is nowhere else for it to go. Can you smell coolant while driving?

__________________
Home Handyman Forum I Shade Tree Mechanic Forum

Read the sparkplugs, if one plugs color is drastically different than the others, you are probably leaking it into that cylinder and burning it.

This could be a crack in the block or head. Or a leak due to warped head or block.

Hi Guys,
Thanks for such a quick response. I didn't have the head checked for cracks, but it did look good. While removing the head gasket, I noticed that #1 cyl was clean from antifreeze and the others weren't. All plugs look like they're firing correctly.
I have never noticed any white smoke from the tail pipe. This enging has never been heated up and doesn't use oil.
Thanks again for your help. George

You shoulda had that head rebiult or replaced. Those heads are notorious for cracking. Most times you won't see the crack without a MAG but grows alot with heat. Pull the No one plug and look for it being steamed cleaned from the water entering the system.

You can drive it with the Rad cap loose and see if it still loses the same amount. Reducing the pressure inside the system will often slow the leak.

Replace the cap too. They do go bad and push coolant out the gasket.

If you have an issue with the head being warped and letting coolant into the exhaust, fill the cooling system full again and watch for bubbles in the overflow tank. Lots of bubbles means exhaust is getting into the cooling system.

We were told the 2.5 in my girlfriend's '94 Sundance had a cracked head by the dealer. After pulling the head off it looked more like a blown head gasket.

But I did replace the head and head gasket.

Also WHICH head gasket you use makes a huge difference. Go with the Mopar version you have to buy at a dealer. Even the Felpro's aren't worth using on the Mopar 2.2, and 2.5 engines.

yes, those 2.2 & 2.5 mopar's are notoriouse for cracking heads and warping. at my autoshop class, we pulled a motor that was tired but running 2.2 out of a minivan that was junk, donated for parts. being the blocks are easy to find, but the heads are not in, in good shape anyway. we pulled and cleaned the head, and checked it for str8ness ( machined flat bar and feeler gauges and cracks even b4 we considered keeping it, it was fine so we put it in the store room

Doc here,

Check your oil, Is it Milky or Green?

Pull the plugs...Crank it over, does it "Spit" water out the plug holes?

Does the Starter spin fast when trying to start, a few revolutions, and then kinda lock?

All signs of a blown gasket or damaged casting material. Do a compression test..are a few low next to each other? Bad gasket..

ODD, though, That is is , as you say, not heating up and still using that much coolant.

Doc

__________________
Aftermarket Solutions
Electronic & Electrical
Innovations