Coolant blowing out of radiator

[Crawdaddy]

A few days ago I took the deuce with hot water personnel heater out for a quick drive around town. It was night and I didn't notice a pool of coolant laying on the drivers fender until I shut the truck down. Once I saw the coolant on the fender, I tracked the coolant down to the filler neck. Since the engine was running for quite a while prior, I didn't open the radiator cap to check if it was low on coolant. A couple days later, I opened the cap and once I turned it some, coolant started gushing out. I pulled the cap off fully, and saw the coolant level was still full up in the neck of the radiator.

A couple times in the past when doing pre-checks I noticed the water was low and put nearly a gallon of water in both times. I filled it both times without thinking of checking where the water went. I have checked the oil and at least on the dipstick I don't detect any milkshake. My first thought is a potential blown head gasket, but I'm confused why the radiator would still be full of water after blowing some out. I haven't yet tried running the deuce up to temperature with the radiator cap off to see if bubbles showed up indicating a head gasket.

Any ideas?

 

[doghead]

Is your vent/blow-off tube clear(unobstructed)?

 

[Crawdaddy]

I can't say I know what you're referring to, unless you mean the slobber tube. I don't recall seeing a lot out of the slobber tube.

 

[FormerNewMVGuy]

The vent tube off the neck of the radiator... sometimes the mud wasp tend to plug them up.

 

[m-35tom]

classic sign of leaking head gaskets. sometimes don't leak until run under a load like a hill. get a chemical tester and the blue fluid will turn yellow if combustion is in radiator.

 

[zout]

You stated: water was low and put nearly a gallon of water in both times. I filled it both times - you are not filling it all the way to the top of the neck are you ????

 

[M35A2-AZ]

I had some coolant on the drivers side floor board some time back and I looked and looked and it turn out to be from the oil cooler hose on the left side of the motor. It was the little hose and a hose clamp had come lose and it was spraying back on the fire way.

 

[stampy]

1. Get a new radiator cap they are like 7 bucks That fixed my problem the seal was bad. 2 DON'T fill it all the way to the top of the radiator neck. You should be able to see it cold but remember it will expand when hot. Those are the "cheap" fixes. If coolant goes away and your oil turns a muddy brown then you need a new head gasket ...or head or you have a crack in the block..

 

[Crawdaddy]

I'll try to check the vent tube tomorrow. I do have lots of trouble with wasps and mud daubers around here. I'll also pick up a new radiator cap. That was on the list of cheap fixes.

I do fill the radiator all the way up the neck. I didn't realize I was supposed to run it lower, but it does make sense. The oil's stayed nice and clean for diesel oil and I've had the disappearing water issue for long enough that it should have shown up by now.

 

[Diecorpse]

I hope you find the issue. It could be a number of things. I would check all hoses and clamps. Makes sure they're tight. Run truck up to temp and look for leaks while its running. When my head gasket blew, no coolant got into the oil, I had smoke and compression shootin out the head gasket. If nothing turns up, then check for white exhaust as this indicates coolant getting into the combustion chamber, which means bad gasket or cracked sleeve. Best of luck to you and keep us updated.

 

[bigginstactical]

How much white exhaust?

 

[Diecorpse]

Usually a lot. Depends how much coolant seeps in. Sometimes it is very little so you'll never notice it, other times there is a lot and you know something isn't right, especially when the motor is warm, you should have clear or black, if white, not good. I would perform all your checks and inspect everything. But from your post, if you over fill it, you will keep losing coolant until it reached a level low enough after expansion that it wont overflow. My truck is like that, It seems to be best about a gallon low, otherwise, I will have coolant shootin out my overflow.