i drive a 96 ex and after running on the hwy and my car is at normal temp, if i let the car run without moving for a while (ie: traffic) i'll notice the temp gauge begin to rise. when the car is moving the temp gauge drops back down. but when i get home i can see the engine used up quite a bit of coolant from the reservior (maximum fill to almost empty). after i refill the problem is solved for a week or two depending if i drive on the hwy or not.

what could be causing me to lose coolant? there is no sign of coolant in the oil. there is a leak on top of the radiator (from a small crack) but that leak should not be able to drain that much coolant, and plus i ghetto sealed it but it still leaks a little. the fan should be working because it turns on when i turn on the a/c. any help is appreciated?

 

Your statement that the fans are cooling properly because they run with the A/C turned on is incorrect.
The cooling fans are turned on by a thermal switch at the T-stat housing when the A/C is not being used.