Cause of coolant leak in 1970 440 roadrunner?

Answer 1

First, where is it leaking. If you smell coolant inside the car, the windows mist up with a "slimy" film, or the front carpet/floorboards are wet, you likely have a bad heater core-the "mini-radiator" under the dash that provides heat and defrost. Does the car leave green puddles where it is parked? It could be leaking from the radiator, hoses, or water pump-you have to look for green (or orange, depending on the type of coolant used) drops or dried residue-a healthy car should have none. If there are no drips or puddles, the car could be leaking coolant into the cylinders via a leaking head gasket. Usually this is accompanied by poor performance and white "puffing" from the tailpipe when the engine idles. Another common cause is a bad radiator cap, if the coolant bottle shows signs of cooland coming out of the overflow drain, a cap with a weak spring could be allowing coolant out of the engine when it shouldn''t. Finally, ensure the engine isn't overheating, as this can cause the overflow condition just mentioned.