The low coolant level light came on on my 2000 GMC tonight on the way home
from work.
When I checked, the coolant reserve tank was empty, however, the temp gage
was right at 195 degrees where it should be. This truck has never leaked or
needed a drop of coolant added since it was new! I added some coolant and
could see no visible leaks underneath tonight. Will check again in the AM.
If I see leaks...........it looks like it goes in the shop tomorrow AM.

Darn, there goes the money for that new Orvis fly rod I was saving for.

Fredo

only 53 days left to go.

needed a drop of coolant added since it was new! I added some coolant and
could see no visible leaks underneath tonight. Will check again in the AM.
If I see leaks...........it looks like it goes in the shop tomorrow AM.

On many vehicles the coolant tank also acts as an expansion reservoir that
accepts coolant that is pushed out of the radiator when it is heated up.
Coolant may also be sucked back into the radiator when the engine cools.
It is possible that your radiator may only be half full....after you fill
the reservoir, so a heat cycle may pull coolant from the reservoir and make
it look like you still have a problem. A few heat cycles, and keeping the
reservoir topped off, will let you know if you still have a leak somewhere.
Not seeing any coolant leaking or driping from the engine is good, but if
you have a head gasket leak or cracked head/block the coolant could be going
out the tailpipe. Maybe if there is a coolant leak into a cylinder, that
sparkplug will look different.

Thanks for the info.
The coolant tank on my GMC is pressurized and is the only access point to
add coolant to the cooling system. So far no leaks are visible. This may be
good news!
"Floyd" wrote in message
...
needed a drop of coolant added since it was new! I added some coolant and
could see no visible leaks underneath tonight. Will check again in the
AM. If I see leaks...........it looks like it goes in the shop tomorrow
AM.

On many vehicles the coolant tank also acts as an expansion reservoir that
accepts coolant that is pushed out of the radiator when it is heated up.
Coolant may also be sucked back into the radiator when the engine cools.
It is possible that your radiator may only be half full....after you fill
the reservoir, so a heat cycle may pull coolant from the reservoir and
make it look like you still have a problem. A few heat cycles, and
keeping the reservoir topped off, will let you know if you still have a
leak somewhere.
Not seeing any coolant leaking or driping from the engine is good, but if
you have a head gasket leak or cracked head/block the coolant could be
going out the tailpipe. Maybe if there is a coolant leak into a
cylinder, that sparkplug will look different.

On Fri, 06 Jan 2006 08:18:16 GMT, "FREDO" wrote:

The low coolant level light came on on my 2000 GMC tonight on the way home
from work.
When I checked, the coolant reserve tank was empty, however, the temp gage
was right at 195 degrees where it should be. This truck has never leaked or
needed a drop of coolant added since it was new! I added some coolant and
could see no visible leaks underneath tonight. Will check again in the AM.
If I see leaks...........it looks like it goes in the shop tomorrow AM.

Darn, there goes the money for that new Orvis fly rod I was saving for.

Fredo

only 53 days left to go.


Look carefully around your intake manifold. My gasket had to be replaced last month.
It shows up as a whitish, powdery looking residue.

--
John H.

"Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary to resolve it."
Rene Descartes

John,
Do you have one of the 5.3 vortec motors?


"JohnH" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 06 Jan 2006 08:18:16 GMT, "FREDO" wrote:

The low coolant level light came on on my 2000 GMC tonight on the way home
from work.
When I checked, the coolant reserve tank was empty, however, the temp gage
was right at 195 degrees where it should be. This truck has never leaked
or
needed a drop of coolant added since it was new! I added some coolant and
could see no visible leaks underneath tonight. Will check again in the AM.
If I see leaks...........it looks like it goes in the shop tomorrow AM.

Darn, there goes the money for that new Orvis fly rod I was saving for.

Fredo

only 53 days left to go.


Look carefully around your intake manifold. My gasket had to be replaced
last month.
It shows up as a whitish, powdery looking residue.

--
John H.

"Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary to
resolve it."
Rene Descartes

No, mine's a '95 5.7L. Your symptoms sounded like mine though. Water leaving the
reservoir and no observable leak.



On Sat, 07 Jan 2006 07:58:35 GMT, "FREDO" wrote:

John,
Do you have one of the 5.3 vortec motors?


"JohnH" wrote in message
.. .
On Fri, 06 Jan 2006 08:18:16 GMT, "FREDO" wrote:

The low coolant level light came on on my 2000 GMC tonight on the way home
from work.
When I checked, the coolant reserve tank was empty, however, the temp gage
was right at 195 degrees where it should be. This truck has never leaked
or
needed a drop of coolant added since it was new! I added some coolant and
could see no visible leaks underneath tonight. Will check again in the AM.
If I see leaks...........it looks like it goes in the shop tomorrow AM.

Darn, there goes the money for that new Orvis fly rod I was saving for.

Fredo

only 53 days left to go.


Look carefully around your intake manifold. My gasket had to be replaced
last month.
It shows up as a whitish, powdery looking residue.

--
John H.

"Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary to
resolve it."
Rene Descartes



--
John H.

"Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary to resolve it."
Rene Descartes

Yeah it could be! I've only got 167,000 miles on it.
"JohnH" wrote in message
...
No, mine's a '95 5.7L. Your symptoms sounded like mine though. Water
leaving the
reservoir and no observable leak.



On Sat, 07 Jan 2006 07:58:35 GMT, "FREDO" wrote:

John,
Do you have one of the 5.3 vortec motors?


"JohnH" wrote in message
. ..
On Fri, 06 Jan 2006 08:18:16 GMT, "FREDO" wrote:

The low coolant level light came on on my 2000 GMC tonight on the way
home
from work.
When I checked, the coolant reserve tank was empty, however, the temp
gage
was right at 195 degrees where it should be. This truck has never leaked
or
needed a drop of coolant added since it was new! I added some coolant
and
could see no visible leaks underneath tonight. Will check again in the
AM.
If I see leaks...........it looks like it goes in the shop tomorrow AM.

Darn, there goes the money for that new Orvis fly rod I was saving for.

Fredo

only 53 days left to go.


Look carefully around your intake manifold. My gasket had to be replaced
last month.
It shows up as a whitish, powdery looking residue.

--
John H.

"Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary
to
resolve it."
Rene Descartes



--
John H.

"Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary to
resolve it."
Rene Descartes

On Sat, 07 Jan 2006 19:22:42 GMT, "FREDO" wrote:

Yeah it could be! I've only got 167,000 miles on it.
"JohnH" wrote in message
.. .
No, mine's a '95 5.7L. Your symptoms sounded like mine though. Water
leaving the
reservoir and no observable leak.

Mine went bad with 114,000 on it.

--
John H.

"Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary to resolve it."
Rene Descartes

I am going outside to look now. I will let you know what I find.

ONLY 52 days left!!

"JohnH" wrote in message
news
On Sat, 07 Jan 2006 19:22:42 GMT, "FREDO" wrote:

Yeah it could be! I've only got 167,000 miles on it.
"JohnH" wrote in message
. ..
No, mine's a '95 5.7L. Your symptoms sounded like mine though. Water
leaving the
reservoir and no observable leak.

Mine went bad with 114,000 on it.

--
John H.

"Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary to
resolve it."
Rene Descartes

Well,
I let my truck (Babe) run at idle for 1 1/2 hours at operating temp 195
degrees and no leaks!!
I guess the old girl was just telling me she was a little thirsty ;-) Still,
I'd better keep my eye on her.
It might be time to replace all the hoses this spring. She might as well get
her first tune-up while I'm at it. 167,000 on the original spark plugs and
wires, Wow, who would have thought that back in the late 60's. Heck, most of
the cars were lucky to go that far back then; let alone the plugs, points,
condensers, rotors and caps!
She still gets 16.5 -17.2 MPG just like she did when she was new.
The auto industry really has come a long way in 40 years!
Now, if they could just make a profit :-(

"FREDO" wrote in message
...
I am going outside to look now. I will let you know what I find.

ONLY 52 days left!!

"JohnH" wrote in message
news
On Sat, 07 Jan 2006 19:22:42 GMT, "FREDO" wrote:

Yeah it could be! I've only got 167,000 miles on it.
"JohnH" wrote in message
...
No, mine's a '95 5.7L. Your symptoms sounded like mine though. Water
leaving the
reservoir and no observable leak.

Mine went bad with 114,000 on it.

--
John H.

"Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary
to resolve it."
Rene Descartes