My car is over heating when at idle but only after driving it for a little while? and I keep having to to put small amounts of coolant in every few days and it's not leaking anywhere what's wrong I was thinking head gasket????

 

A few things you might want to check.

When the car is running and it starts to over heat (temp gauge around half or just a bit higher) are BOTH cooling fans coming on?

 

My fan always stays on and I have to pull the relay or fuse to get it to stop I was thinking that's why I'm heating up I don't know what wrong with that I bought new relay still runs all the time but the issue I am really wanting to know is why I have to put coolant in every other day it's not a lot but still should not have to and I'm not leaking it

 

My fan always stays on and I have to pull the relay or fuse to get it to stop I was thinking that's why I'm heating up I don't know what wrong with that I bought new relay still runs all the time but the issue I am really wanting to know is why I have to put coolant in every other day it's not a lot but still should not have to and I'm not leaking it thank u for replying the temp gage stays a little below half all the time tel we are idle but not at stop lights only waiting in line for food has it happened so far

 

If you are having to add coolant there is a leak somewhere.

There are a few methods you can try/use to find the source. Many stores will loan out pressure testers for the cooling system. There is also the dye method where you can add some dye to the cooling system and then use a "UV Light" to look for the leak.

Also be sure the rad cap is working properly, they use to also test rad caps but I haven't seen those in a few years as I guess most people just buy a new one as they are only ~$10.

Be sure to bleed the air from the cooling system once the leak is repaired.

We can get back to the fan(s) after finding/fixing the leak.

 

Thank you I was thinking it was a head gasket and the coolant was leaking in to engine but I don't smoke but if it's really mild case then I might not we smoke? I really hope that it's something easy

 

It might be a head gasket but IMHO that is the rare thing - unless there is a history of overheating without taking caution.

So again before going "doom and gloom" on a head gasket, look for other places. The checks I laid out are pretty simple to do and don't cost much if anything. If I had to pin point a place to pay special attention to when looking for the leak it would be on the pass side of the car - under the dist to the head there is a hose that will fail. Also on the same side of the car back between the engine and firewall there are some other hoses.

And yes, I'm old and "old school" - inspect the neck of the rad where the cap goes and be sure there are not traces of leaking coolant - kind of white "crusty" stuff growing there.....I know that was real technical talk there