Hello all, I have always had good luck getting help up here and this is honestly the first time I can say I vitally need it.

Since I've had my 97 disco (just shy of 64k miles), one of the only actual serious mechanical issues I've suspected has been related to the A/C. Whenever I have it on full blast or even on the lower ones, the cars RPMs fluctuates a few times before it downshifts causing the engine to slightly rev up and down when I'm slowing down quickly. I thought it was my spark plugs and wires, but since replacing them, that has stopped EXCEPT when the A/C is on.

Fast forward to today, I get back from a store, and as I park and turn the car off I hear a strange noise from near the front/underneath of the car (doesn't sound like the engine) and then what I thought was a splash of water. Thinking it was the neighbors fountain I didn't do anything until about 40 minutes later when I went to go out and drive and as I start to reverse I see a pool of water/greenish water that I'm assuming is some of my coolant, but my coolant housing is fine and it appears as though all the cables are secure at first glance.

The only lead I have is that the A/C definitely sounds noticeably different now, there's a slight whirring or something of the sort. No Check engine lights, no white smoke from the exhaust, and it appears as though I still do have some coolant left, but when I heard the splash sound it sounded as if alot of liquid had come out at once. I'm currently trying to figure this out and a cost for it as I need my car desperately over the next few weeks and then I'll be out of the country. I'm looking through the RAVE wondering what this could be, I'm assuming it's something with my A/C but it doesn't sound like my core or O rings, but I could be wrong. Anyone that can help out there?

 

Did you look in the coolant reservoir to verify you did not lose any coolant?

But judging from your description, sounds like you dumped your refrigerant out of the a/c system. The stuff is sticky, so try to find where it leaked out at. Probably between the condensor(part in the cab) and the evaporator(part by the radiator). Between those two should be the accumulator-dryer. Could be your compressor, but that is not on the liquid side.

 

Do you use green coolant? I doubt you lost the A/C refridgerant as that boils at a low temp and would not leave a residue in the driveway, plus it would sound like an air leak. Check your coolant level and look for residue in the engine compartment for where it may have leaked from.

 

Yes thos, I had topped it off with green coolant when I first bought her a few months back and haven't had time to drain the engine block completely and replace with dex cool this semester yet.


just checked my coolant level again, couldn't see well before because it's definitely alot lower, almost empty it looks like. Still can't trace the leak, but I see residue drops on my bottom right passenger light, and with the coolant tank being empty i've been looking around there, but the weird thing is nothing in like the engine bay is too wet, and like I said when I first heard he noise (assuming it was my neighbors), it was more like a quick drop of liquid that hit the ground at once, like something literally came apart or something but I don't see anything.

I'm still looking in there chris, the problem is its a hot day and I'm thinking that the liquid may have evaporated really quickly or something because I don't notice too many traces of it anywhere, and even the puddle in the driveway is drying up relatively quickly. I may just dump cold water in the reservoir in a bit if I can't find it anywhere and we can't come to a conclusion on the boards and see where it comes out of.

 

Forget about the A/C for now. You can just leave it off until you figure out where the coolant's gone.
First question is, did it ever overheat? And have you been driving it since the mystery water leak? Before you do anything, fill up that coolant reservoir. Then just run the motor in the driveway for a little while, looking for leaks and making sure it doesn't overheat. Keep in mind that when you're looking for the leaks, the engine will be very warm, and if the leak is dripping right onto a hot exhaust manifold or engine block, it may be boiling off which will make it harder to find. Pull the cooling system diagram out of the RAVE, and just start by checking all the hose connections. Make sure the motor runs long enough to open the thermostat and really circulate the coolant through the whole system. You'll know when this has happened when the top radiator hose gets hot. Not so hot that you can't touch it, but hot enough that you won't want to hold on to it.

 

I put some water in yesterday, didn't notice Any immediate leaks and I ran the car for a few minutes but still no leaks. No overheating or check engine light has occurred throughout this process yet (I've never had any warning lights). Haven't been driving since it happened. I think you are right though, I'm gonna need to top her off and run it for a bit, but inthe rave I still haven't found anything that this could be. Something that makes me think letting it run longer might present the problem:

1. It was pretty hot yesterday, and the first time I drove with the -a/c on in that heat like that. As it didn't happen immediately, this suggests something with pressure buildup.

2. It happened once I parked and I believe the engine was off, almost as if the sudden depressurization within the coolant reservoir from the cars engine stopping had something to do with it.

3. Upon putting water in it afterwards, there are no immediate leaks, so I believe that if it is a hose, it hasn't been fully breached or detached, and I'm pretty sure it's not a hole inthe reservoir itself.

4. Finally, I'm pretty sure it has somthing to do with the a/c. Now after this, when the a/c is on it makes this noticeable strange whining / whirring noise from the engine bay, not from within the car, and the air still blows cold (actually seems colder than usual)


Will do what you said and run it longer chuck. Hopefully these extra details can help someone help me identify it. A couple of us here (some just generally good with cars) are at a loss, and I'm not sure whether it's something me and my personal mechanic can fix here, or if I'm gonna have to take her to the shop (and if it's even safe enough to drive there without risking engine damage.)

 

Is there ever a good time for a breakdown?

What was the location of the "spill" in comparison to the truck?
Was it under the front axle? Under the drivers seat? Under the rear axle? What?

 

I'm glad you said that because I meant to make a mention of it to you all before. I noticed that there's like a puddle near the front axle, more towards the passengers wheel tha the drivers side (and looking under I saw some residue on the bottom of the front bumper), but it looked like it had come down some on the side of the passengers side too. I don't have a slanted driveway so while it could've just been a result of a large splash, I'm kind of curious if that location has anything to do with it either. Hope I've been clear in my explanation

 

It has to be engine coolant.

 

Damn. Does that mean a head gasket replacement?

Edit: I'm gonna take it down to the shop and see if they can test this for me, this one may be a bit over my head at my skill level.