Ok I have a 98 GSR with 85,xxx.

Yesterday I drove it very hard getting onto the freeway; shift around 7800 in 1,2,3. Then when I start to get off the highway about 10min later I smelled coolant. I just dismissed it as I did not notice anything else; like smoke, car running slow, pinging, etc.
Well today I get off the highway and notice the coolant smell again. So when I get home I pop the hood and it looks like all the coolant from the other day came back up and overflowed from somewhere; im guessing reservoir. There is a big wet spot under the hood where that is, there is coolant sitting in the clips of the radiator, and there is dried specs of coolant all over the block. The reservoir was empty as well with no coolant and it wasn’t topped off in the radiator.

I don’t think the head gasket is blown; no oil in radiator, no smoking, isn’t sluggish, still got 33mpg on the tank today, idles perfect, car heat is normal as always.

I am just wondering is it known for the pressure to build up under high stress then come out of the reservoir. That is what I think happened and I don’t think there is any ill effects on the car, what do you guys think?




Modified by mike5809 at 4:31 PM 9/11/2007

 

Ive had that happen on a really hot day before(90+ here is hot), filled it back up and let it be and nothing has gone wrong since.

 

it could be air in the system or a bad radiator cap or a bad head gasket...

when mine was doing that... it was the head gasket.

 

Well it was about 90 and humid, but I wouldnt say it was real hot haha.

I just thought it was a freak incident as I was getting on it hard and I think a ton of pressure just built up. I have heard it is head gasket alot of the time. But like i said I have no other symptoms of a bad head gasket, again leading me to believe it is just an isolated incident. Just am trying to find other opinions.

I filled up the coolant, and will watch it over the next few days.
Also dunno if this matters but I drove the car an hour on the highway right before this happened when I was getting back on.

 

Well found out what it is
It appears my radiatior is leaking. It appears it leaks at the top where the clips connect the plastic top to the body of rad. Also maybe in the middle section as well. When I open my hood it smokes lightly from the radiatior and you can see coolant leaking from the clips at the top and the seals

looks like new one is in order.