coolant leaking

95 passport- how many places could coolant be leaking from? what
possible damage? at 25-30mph, gauge went to 'hot', in 3 mins, pulled in
to station. refill tank was down to 1 cm of liq w/sediment. refilled
/topped off w/ fresh 50-50.
parking stain on pavement was dinner plate size, 4 hours later.
stain was centered, and slightly in front of front tire axle.

cc replies to me at
mensabrains [at] webtv [dot] net

 

It could be in many place. Start with radiator, move to hoses, and last
check engine parts. Refill it, put something on the bottom of the car, and
try to note the location it's dripping from. It won't take too long to
notice if it's going out that fast. If it's a hose, it's an easy fix. Tape
the hose somehow until you get to the shop to get a new replacement hose. If
it's a radiator and it needs replacement, might cost you anywhere from $150
to $300, depending on where you purchase it. Might even run you for more at
some places. It could be the head leaking in which case there's a lot of
damage done to the engine and might need to replace the whole engine.

--Viktor