PLEASE HELP 89 Buick

[mwfdolphin]

Hello everyone! I am new here and new to asking advice. I was married to a mechanic and well he usually handled all this stuff and well lets not get into all that. I recently got a donated car (paid a cheap amount, and runs pretty good and not in paid shape) BUT it is now having an issue of leaking Antifreeze pretty bad (the reserve tank runs almost empty in a couple days that's how bad), and the lower hose is hard.. Please any advice on what it would be and how much it would cost. Money is really tight at the moment, won't get into details... Just need to know if there is something I can do to hold me over til pay day, am I really screwed. Is it the Waterpump? I am pretty sure the Radiator is in good shape.... I am just not sure if I am going to be okay driving it another week.. It has not overheated yet or anything just leaking and have to put Antifreeze in every couple days and the lower hose is hard... PLEASE HELP..

Thanks, Christine

[Schurkey]

EXTERNAL Leak: Puddles of coolant on the ground, dripping off whatever parts are below the actual leak point. Could be hoses, could be water pump, could be gaskets, could be a cracked casting, could be radiator cap...could be, could be.

 

INTERNAL Leak: Coolant doesn't show up on the ground--trapped inside the oil pan instead. Contaminates the oil. Leads promptly to engine failure. A variation involves a leak from radiator into the transmission cooler; trans fluid contaminates the coolant, coolant contaminates the trans fluid. Coolant in the automatic trans fluid will destroy the transmission. ATF in the coolant leads to overheating.

 

There is no way to know from your description what is wrong, or how many leaks you have.

 

More diagnosis needed. Probably professional diagnosis. Sorry.

 

START with: Run the vehicle til it's fully warmed-up. Shut off engine, pull engine oil dipstick. Does oil look clear or black? Does it look like a sloppy milkshake? Beyond that...WHERE are you? Maybe there's a member here near you that can take a look.

[1988PhantomFE3]

It might have a stuck thermostat (closed) and it's not letting the coolant circulate well. My FORD did that and the coolant was only flowing to the Heater Core and back. That was NOT enough to keep the temp down, so it would kinda overheat a little, just enough to boil over all the anti-freeze in the overflow. It was real easy to fix cuz eveything was right in front of the motor and on top for the most part.

 

If you're near Seattle, I'd check it out for you. I know how things can get, and when 1 thing isn't working right, it messes up almost everything else.