Sword

Got all my fluids changed about a week ago and topped my radiator fluid reservoir completely off. I drove a 2 hour trip and decided to see how everything was doing. I pop the hood and my rad fluid overflow is almost completely empty. I look at the typical spots like the upper hoses, the cap etc and dont see anything. I fill it back up and last night after only a 15 min drive I see I've lost a quarter of it.

It does NOT leak when parked.
No evidence of leaks on the upper hoses/cap etc.
I see what might be a little leak on the bottom left of the radiator proper (by the drain plug but NOT the drain plug) but I will have to look closer.

Any idea? I commute a lot for my job.

OldTires

So how was the fluid change done and who did it?

Possible the coolant system was not filled when you first drove it and the engine took the coolant from the reservoir when the thermostat opened.

Or there is a tiny crack in a hose or a clamp is not seated right and the coolant is going bye bye. Pressure test the system to find this.

Also possible there is a crack in the engine and the coolant is going to the oil or the exhaust. Check your oil, look at your exhaust.

gat

Follow the instructions from Oldtire. It wouldn't seem that it is leaking from the plastic reservoir because you would see the results from that in cooler weather.

tjwalker

Agree with others.

If you can find no evidence of any leaks and it wasn't using coolant before you had the coolant changed, you likely have some "air pockets" in the engine that are, over time, burping themselves and filling the cooling system with coolant from the coolant reservoir.

Keep a close eye on it. It's likely that it will very soon complete the burping process at which time the coolant level in the reservoir will remain at the correct level.

third coast

The easiest place to drain coolant it usually at the lower hose so if a drain was done check for leaks there also. If you continue to need coolant and can't find a leak an oil analysis will confirm if any coolant is present in the oil or not. Antifreeze in oil can do fatal damage to an engine so don't delay in resolving a situation where there is a need to continue to add coolant.

Sword

So at lunch I went outside and i see drips of coolant on thr right side near thr tire/frame. I didnt have time to dig into it but what would be right above there? Both heater core hoses looked good on a quick inspection this morning.

PatHenry

Upper hose, radiator itself.

PatHenry

As mentioned by OldTires - hit your local parts retailer and get a coolant pressure tester tool (via the loaner tool program) and pressure test the system. It will be very obvious where the leak is when coolant is spraying out of it.

Sword

Is that something I can just do in the parking lot?

It looks like the only area right above where it was leaking is the coolant bottle. The hose appears solid and no obvivous leaks. Not to say it may have been cracked when Big O tires did the fluid change.

What was odd was this morning I left, it was 3/4 full. I stopped at a rest stop and the bottle was now 4/4 full, I get to work, still 4/4 full, after work I check and its done to 3/4. Any chance somehow driving burped out extra fluid which then merely leaked out?

PatHenry

Sure you can do it in the parking lot. It's just a pump that connects where the radiator cap goes and you pump it up like Hans and Franz - once there's pressure in the system, coolant will be forced out through the leaking spot(s) like a freakin' cartoon.

If you have a leak in the overflow tank it's totally possible that the system pressurized (as it does when it's warmed up), forced coolant into the tank which then leaked out.

PatHenry

I wouldn't mention to the store that you intend to use the tester in their parking lot though - they may frown on improper "disposal" of chemicals.

Also, be careful that nobody brings their pets around there as it is poisonous and tasty.

OldTires

awg

on mine, the radiator seam was split at the top of front, coolant evaporated and scarcely any made it to the ground

cant see the leak till the radiator is removed

pressure tester, and I could hear air hissing out

Sword

So I was about 3/4 this morning and it dropped a little during thr night. I got to work and it was full agaon. In a hour Iblost about 1/4th of my radiator resorvoir onto the ground. I jammed somw towels around the reservoir and they are soaked it appears it flowed out of the overflow tube.

What would this suggest? Why is it overflowing there so bad after I stop driving? Just replace that whole thing?

third coast

I don't recall info on what year your Jeep is. You might add that to your profile. Around 1990 and older the cooling system was what is called a closed cooling system. There is not a cap on the radiator, it is located on the coolent tank by the passanger firewall. Knowing what configuration you have might help provide ideas.

It is normal for the level in the tank to rise a bit when hot and drop some when cold. However you seem to be getting a lot more change than I would expect. Can you tell if the fluid is coming out the overflow or is it possible there is a crack in the tank?