Radiator Issue?

-
pacuda59

pacuda59

pacuda59
Joined
Sep 20, 2005
Messages
5,790
Reaction score
813
Location
Pennsylvania
Have an issue that's poped up twice on me. Whenever I take a long ride of an hour or more I start to smell coolant. By the time I got home today the overflow hose was blown off and the radiator was dry. I flushed the system a few years ago with CLR and replaced the thermostat. Not sure what's causing this. Any guesses?
 
pacuda59 said:
the time I got home today the overflow hose was blown off and the radiator was dry.
Click to expand...


What engine, rad, modifications, did it ever work correctly, heater hoses connected, bypass hose connected?

When you say the rad was dry, you mean coolant below the core, or if you open the petcock on the rad nothing would come out.

Does your overflow have a vent? If not it would preasurize and could blow the overflow hose off.

how often since you flushed has the engine reached full operating temp?

Are you sure the thermostat is installed correctly?
 
I had to buy three thermostats before I found a good one, did you test it be installing it? Does it have a bleeder hole?
 
Flushing a radiator with CLR "a few years ago" doesn't mean it hasn't clogged itself back up. My experience with a CLR flush is it buys me about a year on the radiator.


Car Nut said:
I had to buy three thermostats before I found a good one, did you test it be installing it? Does it have a bleeder hole?
Click to expand...

And check this. I had a brand new thermostat that only opened about 1/8 inch. The temp would be fine for 20 minutes or so and then start climbing and never come back down. I put the old t-stat back in (it tested fine) and haven't had a problem since.
 
Do you have a temp gauge that is accurate? If the overflow hose is blown off, then that would seem to indicate the af is coming out the radiator overflow. Two causes for that, overheating or weak radiator cap. Buy a new cap. Cheap troubleshooting first shot. Lot of chinesium crap out today.
 
Pin hole in a hose..............
 
Dana67Dart said:
What engine, rad, modifications, did it ever work correctly, heater hoses connected, bypass hose connected?
It's a /6 with the using the radiator it was born with I assume. I should have mentioned that last year around this time I bypassed the heater coil and looped the heater hose.

When you say the rad was dry, you mean coolant below the core, or if you open the petcock on the rad nothing would come out.
Yes, the coolant was below the core. Not sure if there would be anything draining if I opened the petcock.
Does your overflow have a vent? If not it would preasurize and could blow the overflow hose off.
The only vent I'm familiar with is the one on the neck which the overflow hose connects with.
how often since you flushed has the engine reached full operating temp?
I would say a couple dozen times.
Are you sure the thermostat is installed correctly?
Click to expand...
I'm pretty sure, but I guess anything is possible. The picture is of the thermostat I removed.

Fall 1012 Soccer 017.jpg
 
flingdingo said:
Flushing a radiator with CLR "a few years ago" doesn't mean it hasn't clogged itself back up. My experience with a CLR flush is it buys me about a year on the radiator.




And check this. I had a brand new thermostat that only opened about 1/8 inch. The temp would be fine for 20 minutes or so and then start climbing and never come back down. I put the old t-stat back in (it tested fine) and haven't had a problem since.
Click to expand...
What's the best product to flush with?
 
Mike69cuda said:
Do you have a temp gauge that is accurate? If the overflow hose is blown off, then that would seem to indicate the af is coming out the radiator overflow. Two causes for that, overheating or weak radiator cap. Buy a new cap. Cheap troubleshooting first shot. Lot of chinesium crap out today.
Click to expand...
My temp gauge is broken. I'lll try a new cap and thermostat.
 
pacuda59 said:
Does your overflow have a vent? If not it would preasurize and could blow the overflow hose off.
The only vent I'm familiar with is the one on the neck which the overflow hose connects with....

The picture is of the thermostat I removed
Click to expand...
An overflow bottle needs to be open to the atmosphere. Tube on rad neck allows expanding rad fluid to go into overflow bottle. If overflow bottle does not have a vent it will presureize.

Was that thermostat from before or after the clr?
 
512Stroker said:
First thing you need is a new coolant temp gauge.
I never leave home without one.
Hope you did not cook an engine.
Click to expand...
The temp gauge on my dash doesn't work along with fuel. That's part of the rest i've haven't gotten to yet. I hope not either.
 
Dana67Dart said:
An overflow bottle needs to be open to the atmosphere. Tube on rad neck allows expanding rad fluid to go into overflow bottle. If overflow bottle does not have a vent it will presureize.

Was that thermostat from before or after the clr?
Click to expand...
I don't have an overflow bottle. Was that an option in 1969?

Before CLR.
 
pacuda59 said:
have an overflow bottle. Was that an option in 1969?
Click to expand...
My mistake. I thought you had added an overflow bottle.

Is overflow hose open?

IMHO if the brass t-stat was that bad I can't imagine what the rest of the cooling system looks like. I would pull rad, waterpump, timing cover and see what's going on in there.

Have rad professionally cleaned etc. Could be so much rust and gunk in the block.
 
The possibilities are endless. Cracked head,bad or wrong cap
Worn out water pump to name things not mentioned.
 
Last time i saw anything like that,well lets face it-i have never seen anything like that. The cooling system has to be pretty badly polluted to corrode a thermostat like that.
Bet water pump looks pretty bad too.
 
I don’t like flushing cooling systems in old cars. Freeze plugs & heater cores are the weakest links. Have had both of those happen.
 
Step 1. Get a temperature gauge. Fix existing or install an aftermarket.
Fill engine with proper ratio of coolant and go for a ride.
If engine heats up under load,likely its a pinhole in head gasket.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top