When is it time to change...

[goldenboy]

your radiator coolant?what are the visible signs that tell u its time to change it?? Its been 4 years since the last time the coolant was changes.

P.S. is it normal that a little bit a coolant evaporates over the years because i notice that the level is a little bit under the full line and last years it was on the full?

[rixGAphx]

Very little coolant will 'evaporate' within the closed-reservoir system.

BUT, every liquid-cooled engine has a water pump, and *most* waterpumps (including all our Pontiacs and every other american liquid-cooled car engine of the past 60 years) have a small 'weep' hole under the pulley drive shaft.

It is not only normal, but NECESSARY for the front seal of the waterpump to 'weep' a couple drops every 10-100 miles of operation. The seal cannot be 100% fluid-tight, due to the spinning shaft and the internal coolant pressure.
The lower part of the waterpump is hot enough that this weepage immediately dries, so you never notice a leak on the ground (until the seal actually fails).
There is *usually* a brown crusty 'tear stain' below this weep hole, kinda like the cheek of a cocker spaniel. :roll2:

So, yes, it is normal for the coolant level in a perfect coolant system to drop *a little*, enough to be noticed every 6-12 months.

Good luck.
-Rick

[RocketFast321]

It funny the only time our cars get the coolant change is when a hose breaks.