Hyundai Forums banner

Periodical sprays of coolant

736 views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  Circuitsmith 
#1 ·
I can smell the coolant, see that the coolant level in the reservoir gets low, but not by much, but I can't see where it's leaking from. I do see the residue of a spray pattern on the upper portion of motor cover between the radiator cap and the top hose, but it's already dry and only can see the residual pattern left. It holds pressure and it's leaking only what small burst of spray once or twice daily as I drive. I'm thinking it's a bad cap or a hose clamp from the radiator because of the spray patterns. What else can it be?
 
#3 ·
Had the same issue recently with my 05 Sonata stock radiator. When I parked I would smelled coolant, but saw none leaking on the ground, however it was on the underside of my hood and around the radiator cap area.

First check that your radiator cap is in good condition and that it is seating well -- they are relatively cheap to replace -- $8-10 for an OEM one. If your radiatior is a plastic top design look for any horizontal crack (they can be hard to see if they aren't seeping coolant) usually around the front side opposite the upper radiator hose. You can try spraying some soapy water around the suspected areas and look for bubbles to help you zero in on the location. Coolant also dries white so look for a powdery residue and trace it back to those areas.

I used a plastic welder to reinforce the crack with some mesh and filled it in. It got me by for a few weeks, but I ended up replacing it because a new radiator was so inexpensive and I didn't want to keep worrying about any other problems with it.
 
#5 ·
First, I change rad cap and thermostat every 10 years as preventive maintenance.
Second I have seen a water pump briefly leak and fling coolant as an engine warms up.
Once it gets hot the leak stops.
So try starting the engine from cold with the hood open.
Then watch closely as it warms up.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top