What is the reason for engine water shortage but no visible leakage?
2 Answers
Engine water shortage but no visible leakage can be attributed to the following reasons: High operating temperature: The reason why the radiator is short of water but no leakage is visible is that the engine operates at high temperatures. When the water temperature is high, the radiator pressure is also very high, making it prone to seepage which immediately evaporates due to the high temperature, thus making it difficult to detect. Possible causes include an unsealed radiator cap allowing coolant to enter the expansion tank but not return, leading to water shortage, or a deteriorated thermostat seal causing leakage. Reasons for radiator water shortage: Unsealed radiator cap; loose or leaking hose connections; engine block cracks or cylinder head gasket damage causing leakage and water mixing; damaged oil cooler seal or sand holes leading to water mixing; leakage in the heater core.
Buddy, after decades of driving, I've seen plenty of low coolant issues. Sometimes it's not a leak, but internal problems like cracked cylinder blocks or blown head gaskets that let coolant sneak into the engine oil. Check your oil cap - if it's milky white or looks like coffee with cream, that's bad news. Also, worn water pump seals can cause slow leaks during operation that aren't visible on the ground. Thermal expansion might show low levels when hot that normalize when cold. The real headache is evaporation loss - running AC in summer raises engine temps and boils off some coolant. Inspect your radiator cap's rubber seal; worn ones vent steam subtly. My advice? Don't just top it up - get a professional pressure test to pinpoint leaks before overheating ruins your engine.
