- #12 of 21
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Re: Coolant level is going down slowly [igr]
by 210delray
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Nov 19, 2007 (7:55 pm)
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Replying to: igr (Nov 19, 2007 6:00 pm)
I have 2 Camrys, an '04 and an '05. Both are 4-cylinders and both use a little coolant over time. I just top up every so often (once a year or so). Use distilled water with the concentrated coolant (50-50 mixture).
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- #13 of 21
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Re: Coolant level is going down slowly [210delray]
by igr
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Nov 20, 2007 (5:15 pm)
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Replying to: 210delray (Nov 19, 2007 7:55 pm)
Thank you, 210delray. I don't have distilled water, so I'll top with concentrate for now and watch the level for a month. I'll post my findings, if any. 
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- #14 of 21
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Re: Coolant level is going down slowly [igr]
by matt15
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Jan 27, 2008 (1:06 pm)
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Replying to: igr (Nov 20, 2007 5:15 pm)
210 delray, how much coolant do you need to add yearly? I have a 2005 and 2007 Camry, both 4 cylinder, and on both I need to add almost the full overflow tank once a year. I had the dealer do a pressure test on the 2005 and found no leaks and I also had an oil analysis done with no coolant in the oil. I'm at a loss as to why the coolant level goes down with no signs of a leak. Is it evaporation?
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- #15 of 21
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Re: Coolant level is going down slowly [matt15]
by 210delray
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Jan 27, 2008 (5:18 pm)
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Replying to: matt15 (Jan 27, 2008 1:06 pm)
I add much less than that; the level may drop only slightly below the "cold fill" line. But my Camrys only go about 8000 miles per year, so that could be part of the reason. Also, do you live in a very hot climate (like Phoenix or Las Vegas)?
I doubt evaporation would occur, as the system is closed. I'd recommend checking the level when the engine is cold, such as first thing in the morning.
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- #16 of 21
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Re: Coolant level is going down slowly [igr]
by igr
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Jan 27, 2008 (7:24 pm)
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Replying to: igr (Nov 19, 2007 6:00 pm)
I've topped my overflow tank well above FULL mark on Nov 21, 07 and now 2 months later coolant level is below LOW mark again. I still don't see any obvious signs of leaks.  I'm in Toronto, Canada, so no high temperatures here this time of year.
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- #17 of 21
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Re: Coolant level is going down slowly [210delray]
by matt15
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Jan 28, 2008 (1:43 pm)
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Replying to: 210delray (Jan 27, 2008 5:18 pm)
I'm in Maryland, so not the heat all year like in Phoenix. I do check the coolant when the engine is cold. The 2005 is driven more, around 9000 per year. The coolant level will get close to the low mark on the overflow tank and that is when I refill to the full mark.
I check the level weekly. The '07 has dropped about to just above midway on the overflow tank and the car has 7,800 miles, purchased in April 2006, so this car is less used and the coolant loss from the tank is less than the '05. I'm beginning to believe this is just normal for these vehicles as the coolant loss is not dramatic and happens over an extended period of time.
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- #18 of 21
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Re: Coolant level is going down slowly [igr]
by igr
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Feb 10, 2008 (8:27 am)
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Replying to: igr (Jan 27, 2008 7:24 pm)
I've been driving with an empty overflow tank for a week now (I have ready coolant in my trunk just in case). Every morning when engine is cold, I check under the radiator cap and see that coolant is there, engine doesn't overheat during driving, so radiator seems not to be leaking. There are no leaks under the overflow tank either. So, it seems, that I'm loosing full overflow tank in 2 months due to evaporation only
I've checked the cap of the overflow tank for resin insert and it looks good to me (no crack, no deformations).
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- #19 of 21
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Re: Coolant level is going down slowly [igr]
by igr
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Jun 17, 2008 (5:06 pm)
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Replying to: igr (Nov 19, 2007 6:00 pm)
I finally found signs of a coolant leak, besides slow level drop in the overflow coolant tank. Lot's of pink crystals in the area of a water pump, on the left side of engine, right under the belt. After visual inspection at Toyota dealership, service adviser told me that water pump has to be replaced. But when mechanic got to the the leak, it was found that some plastic plug on the left side of the engine block was leaking and not the water pump. Adviser told me that plastic plug can't be ordered as a part(not supplied by Toyota) and he has to order the "short block" assembly. I asked for more details and it appears that the whole engine block has to be ordered and replaced, because of the leaking plastic plug
It's hard to believe, but I can't blame dealership for blowing repair volume, because warranty covers all the costs. Apparently, that plastic plug was so reliable leakwise, that there was never a need to supply it as a part, therefore the only way to get it is together with the engine block.
I'm worried about such significant change. I asked adviser if I have to go through break-in period, because of new engine block and he said, that engine doesn't need break-in even if new, transmission does. Sounds weird to me
Anybody went through engine block replacement?
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- #20 of 21
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Re: Coolant level is going down slowly [igr]
by 210delray
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Jun 22, 2008 (6:24 pm)
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Replying to: igr (Jun 17, 2008 5:06 pm)
I've never had an engine replaced, but you will have to repeat the break-in process with the new engine per your owner's manual.
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- #21 of 21
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Re: Coolant level is going down slowly [igr]
by igr
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Nov 10, 2008 (6:34 pm)
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Replying to: igr (Jun 17, 2008 5:06 pm)
Engine short block has been replaced sometime at the end of June 2008 and coolant level has been stable since then.  So, if your coolant slowly "evaporates", start looking for the leak. If you need to top it off more than once a year, it's leaking somewhere for sure. 
By the way, I couldn't find any break-in instructions in my Camry 2004 manual. So, I was just taking it easy for 2,000 kilometers.
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