The setup : 250 straight six, the previous owner replaced radiator and was running without thermostat :16suspect I bought the car, I swapped out the cracked head (he probably overheated the engine), installed thermostat. Just recently, I changed upper and lower hoses and refilled the system. The Problem, I only drive the car 5-6 miles a day for classes and doing so the motor barely has a chance to get warm...but on days I drive it far enough to get hot the coolant shoots out of the overflow tube and the entire system is gurgling from radiator to heater core like its angry My idea, I thought it was way overfilled but whenever it forces coolant out theres none visible in the radiator. The rad cap is 13lbs, should I get a higher lbs rating? Should I swap thermostats? Any idea's?
Sounds like an air pocket. If air pockets mysteriously appear after purging them on a regular basis, either the head gasket is leaking when hot, or the head is cracked. A block tester will tell the tale if you think that might be the case.
ditto Here is how I bleed, given that some people might not agree: Remove radiator cap. Fill radiator with coolant. Fill coolant overflow reservoir to Full Hot (if equipped). Start engine (yes, leave radiator cap off). Turn on the heat. Continue to top off as the engine runs. Eventually, the thermostat will begin to open (you will feel the upper radiator hose get hot). Radiator coolant level will drop. Top off radiator one last time and install the radiator cap. Let engine get up to operating temperature (go for a ride). After it cools back down, re-check the level. These steps significantly reduce the chance of air pockets. I rarely, if ever, get them.
I'm having a similar problem on my 302 that I replaced the hoses on. I used a universal hose for the lower connection instead of the molded hose. Now it looks like it's kinked at the bend where it turns upwards towards the water pump. One of the members suggested this is restricting flow to the water pump and that the water is boiling in the radiator, which is causing enough pressure to overcome the resistance of the radiator cap spring, which then causes the coolant to shoot out the overflow hose. So I'll be replacing my lower hose to see if this helps. Hopefully both of our problems are just this simple.
This works well on either a V8 or 6cyl. I just remove the heater hose that goes to the head ( on the 6cyl ) or to the intake manifold ( on the V8 ). Add coolant to the radiator and as soon as coolant starts to come out of the port the heater hose goes on, slip the hose back on and clamp it. This method assures the block and head(s) are filled. Continue to fill your system. There will be a teense of air left, but it will purge out with normal use. Just check your level again once the engine has cooled off.
thanks for the suggestions. Would removing the cap and letting the system cycle through clear the air in the system I have a factory 18lbs rad cap I plan to install tomorrow as well. As for head possibly being cracked, the new head was machined, pressure tested, flow tested, and I rebuilt myself before install. I'm not hard on my engines and I believe/hope the head is fine.
I wouldn't leave the cap off once it reaches temp. But you can leave it off while it warms up, just cap it soon after the thermostat starts to open. Be careful, don't get burped on with 180 degree coolant. It helps if you take it slightly off idle once the thermostat opens, then top it off, cap it, then release the throttle. You will feel that the upper hose gets tight as the pressure begins to build (and lowers the boiling point). Once the pressure starts to build, never remove the cap. You could lower the boiling point quickly and as soon as it drops below the temp of the coolant, the coolant will boil very rapidly. Once it starts to boil, it will be a painful finish.
Ok earlier this morning I removed the 13lbs cap (theres no coolant visible in the radiator) and started the car and... The level began to rise I the put on my 15-18lbs cap. I let the car run for about 20 minutes with heater running and checking it out now and again. I could still hear the gurgling through the heater core from the inside once it began cycling some more. I drove the car around the neighborhood (with the go pedal down ) and got the motor real good and hot. All the while listening to gurgling inside the car. I parked it in the driveway and let it run some more, it never forced any coolant out of the overflow just some hot steam, so I think its just trying to clear air from the system. but...I think I'll just continue driving as is, we plan to swap to a windsor when we start work on this car. As long as it doesn't blow up I think I'm fine
get a pressure check done on whole system, most auto parts stores can do this for you, they put a small hand pump in place of raditor cap and pressure up,sounds like you still have a leak from motor to cooling system. I have when replacing thermostat fill block with coolant before installing thermostat will help get air out of block and should raise level in radiator thru lower hose .
Yea, I am going to go on by autozone here after class probably and get a new thermostat and fill block like you said, see if I can clear the air
Some company makes a kit. It has a funnel with different adapters for different size caps. also has a plunger with it. Install it and fill the radiator with coolant in the funnel. When thermostal opens let it run and the air will work out.If you have over filled it stick the plunger in the hole in the funnel. this catches the extra coolant and you can put it bac in the antifreeze jug. I wish I knew who makes it. I got mine from the Mac tool man years ago. One of the best investment I ever made. I worked on heavy equipment for about 37 years and used it many times. You might google and find one.
I googled it. Try Summit. Kit is an lisle Li24610 $19.95 plus tax and shipping. It is well worth the money as you can use it on many different cars, trucks, equipment.
have them do a pressure check only takes 5 minutes, can do in parking lot, you can do it yourselve if they let you use little hand pump, take off cap and put on pump -pump up to 5-10 psi see if holds pressure on gauge, that way your sure it not lesking into motor,check color of oil if milky might have antifreeze in it.
alright, yea I'm off tomorrow I'll swing by and get pressure test done and try and get problem squared away. It started spraying antifreeze this afternoon again from overflow after heading from bodyshop to class . & Yea I check oil level often ever since I was having trouble with the last head which was dumping ALL the antifreeze into the oil pan in no time. Took me 3 head gasket swaps and tinkering to finally ditch the head and get another. @Ronald, thats not a bad deal and would come in handy down the road
