Coolant drippage

I'm confused. When it is warm out, the Jeep doesn't drip and antifreeze. If I overfill it and drive around, it will "puke" out a little bit, but then is just fine. The last two times that it has got cold out, I saw that I have a cute little puddle of antifreeze under the front of the Jeep. I haven't driven it (or even started it) in over two weeks. Each time I get below freezing, I see antifreeze on the ground. When it is above freezing, nothing. Shouldn't it be just the opposite? When cold, doesn't the antifreeze "shrink up" and expand when warm? I'm using 50/50.

Hmm, well, just thinking, water expands when it freeze's....wonder if that is my problem? Hasn't been much below freezing though. I think it has dropped below 32 twice in the last month. That is when I notice the puddle though.

Ideas? And, before you ask, no, I haven't checked the level since I replaced the water pump earlier this fall. Guess I should do that.

 

Only thing I can think of is that water starts to expand when it reaches 34* F. maybe the coolant while it is not freezing is expanding enough to puke out a little?

 

Bad o-ring maybe or gasket?
Get some coolant die and a black light.

 

This happens fairly regularly on my other two classic cars. When it's cold out, it's not the coolant that's the issue, it's the hoses. The rubber isn't as pliable, and doesn't conform as well to the metal parts. Plus...the rubber contracts. Net, it creates leaks. Check all of your clamps, and I'd be surprised (given your comments) if you don't find a few loose ones.

Not driving a car every day makes this worse.

Hope that's all it is!!

 

You should check your water pump, I've seen this happen when they are about to go bad.

 

Yeah...we used to call it a "cold leak". Stuff that would leak until the parts got warm enough to seal correctly.

 

Could be the water pump weep (sp?).
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Uh.... Rubber is a cross-linked polymer. It expands when it gets cold.

If your hoses are natural rubber they expand in the cold.

Maybe this opens a gap for seepage.

Edit: You know like a herniated rubber wall.

 

Sounds like you have what's called a COLD WATER LEAK.
I work for a company that has 500 vechicles. We have lots of cold water leaks.
You can try drfferent hoses made of different compounds. You can try different types of hose clamps.
You can remove your hoses and put Number two Permatex in the ends of the hoses and put then back on.
You could just have clamps that need to be retightened.
Or you can just live with it.
You could also pray to the cold water leak gods to stop.
Just kidding they won"t listen. atriot:

Happy motoring.....

 

I have a similar problem. For a while I was filling my radiator every time I drove. I believe it to be the radiator leaking from the, tho I couldn't see where. Then it just stopped leaking for a month or so. (Damn jeeps. Always fix themselves.) Now it leaks sometimes and dosn't others. Then the hoses started going nuts, making sounds and expanding and contracting rappidly. The jeep was overheating (I think the radiator was plugged), Then a few minutes later it fixed its self again! I don't know what the deal is with the I6 motor, but I've had damn close to no water, and the thing still won't overheat. I always keep a gallon on me just incase. Now am filling it every few weeks, but have still had no overheating.