To leak or not to leak?

[Don4107]

Last fall when I put the 5B in the barn for winter everything was normal, no leaks.  A month and a half later son tells me there is a big puddle of antifreeze under it. 

Went out to find out where the problem was yesterday.  Poured in 1/2 a gallon expecting to see were it was leaking from.  Waited for a while.  Nothing.  Put the rest of the gallon in nothing.  6 1/2 gallons later the surge tank in running over and no leak.  Started it up to see if there was and air lock somewhere.  No Leak.  Went back 4 hours later, no leaks. 

So for now all I can do it tighten all the clamps.  Anyone ever had this sort of problem?

[luvrbus]

I never really ever found a clamp that would stop the cold weather leaks the iron on the engine is your problem shrinking from cold weather the constant torque clamps do help silicone hose is the worst about cold weather leaks fwiw

[TomC]

You can get a cold weather leak through the weap hole at the water pump. They put the weap hole there to keep the coolant from entering the engine if it leaks. It can leak, then when it warms up, it stops leaking. So long as it doesn't leak while running, you're all right. Good Luck, TomC

[HB of CJ]

First thing that formed in my feeble minds eye.  Maybe your son set it up for April 1st, but the joke did not spring until later?  Sounds like something we would do, only better, like multiple FAKE small fluid leaks, fake dead rubber snakes and rats stuck in logical places, fake decals and stuff like that.

Kinda like the very old trick of the boss who was so proud of his new Ford pickups gas mileage.  Seems he had no idea we made up a secret spare gas tank key and were adding small amounts of gas to his gas tank.  Then we reversed the process over months to great effect. Sucked some out.

HB of CJ (old coot)  (we found out years later he knew what we were doing and just went along with it embellishing all the gas mileage ups...and downs.  Much fun for all.  Fairly harmless) 

[bevans6]

The auto industry went to spring loaded clips instead of hose clamps for exactly this reason.   the hose material cold-flows, the iron or aluminium material shrinks with cold and leaks do start.  Hose clamps produce a static clamping force, and a spring or Oetiker type clamp is a constant pressure regardless of what the material does (within reason).  Those spring clamps look cheesy, but they are the better engineered solution.  Also, I find that high quality silicone hose is far worse at cold leaks than the old fashioned cheap rubber hose.  The old rubber hose didn't last near as long, and it could look horrible but it didn't cold leak at all.

Brian

[gumpy]

Yep. Happened to me the first 3 or 4 winters. Tightened all the clamps each time. less now, but I did notice my level is below the sight glass on
the surge tank this spring.

Since I've owned my bus, I've purchased more antifreeze than in my entire life before.

[gus]

Same here for my 4107. I have to add about a gallon every few months and can never find any on the ground??

Nothing on the oil dipstick either.

[Debo]

Same here for my 4107. I have to add about a gallon every few months and can never find any on the ground??

Nothing on the oil dipstick either.

Maybe it's leaking into the cylinder and going out the tailpipe when the engine is running? I had an old Mustang that did that once. Just trying to help...

[gus]

Maybe, but I don't see how it could keep from leaking into the crankcase too once the engine stops?

[wg4t50]

Talk about the April fools stuff, myself and a buddy would add half gal diesel fuel a day to another buddies pickup tank, he thought he was getting great mileage, of course then we started dipping and pull half a gal out for a few days, he was going nuts on his new Dodge 5.9 Cummins.
Was great fun, told him about it 6 months later, still a great friend.
Dave M