1984 6.9 non-turbo blew coolant all over engine

[Oleblue84]

HELO NEEDED ASAP!

I have a 1984 6.9idi non-turbo. I'm up in Alaska (current temp is -5), I started the truck as normal this morning. I let it warm up, then drove about 3 miles down the road. Drove back home after about 15 mins. As I was pulling in my driveway, a bunch of steam came pouring out of the hood. I shut the truck off, and popped the hood. I had coolant all over the motor. I have it about 20 mins to cool down, popped the rad cap off and I couldn't see any coolant.

So I checked the water pump pulley, there is no play in that. The fan had normal resistance when trying to turn it by hand.

I could really use some help, I'm supposed to start a new job that's 40 miles north, in 2 days. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[79jasper]

I would be looking at coolant hoses. Possibly the thermostat gasket.
Or pressurize the system.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

 

[Oleblue84]

Ok, I'll check that out. By pressurize the system you mean refill the coolant, and see what it does?

 

[OLDBULL8]

Surely check the upper radiator hose. Old hoses sure can do what your having.

 

[Oleblue84]

I checked as best as I could while it was dark. I'll check again when it gets brighter and a bit warmer. I'm a Florida boy, this -5 is cooking my but. You would think I'd get used to it after 5 years up here.

 

[79jasper]

Either by filling it, or using a coolant system pressure tester.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

 

[icanfixall]

Best way to "find a leak" without a tester is refill the system and run the engine. Most of the time the top radiator hose breaks down because that hose sees more heat that other hoses. Same with the heater hose coming off the passenger side head going to the heater core.

 

[rhkcommander]

On my uhaul engine there was a ball bearing on the upper radiator hose mount, it was clogged up from sitting in a warehouse for a while. I had air in the system and this bearing helps bleed it, being clogged up I took the new engine for a spin and blew the radiator hose off after a short trip.

Did it again the next day so I took the thermostat out for a new one at the IH shop nearby, and cleaned the bearing thing which I had found out was to bleed the system and prevent that from happening.

Not saying its what is happening to you, but if you have borderline failing hoses and the bleeder isnt working, it *could* be where the coolant is coming from.

 

[Oleblue84]

From looking at the radiator. It looks like the fluid shot out from under the cap. The little overflow rubber line was almost completely off the barb. The radiator cap was locked down, what would cause that to release? I understand that it would be pressure that made it release, what would the cause most likely be?

 

[Oleblue84]

After the coolant dried, you can see the green color mostly around the rad cap.

 

[79jasper]

Could have gone low and burped from a air pocket.
See if it's pressuring like from combustion.
So fill it and look for bubbles with it running.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

 

[rhkcommander]

is the radiator cap old? mine would leak when the rubber ring was tore

 

[Oleblue84]

Ok so I filled it up, and it seems to holding. I haven't had anymore fluid blow out. However I do have a decent amount of blueish/ white smoke out of the exhaust. Maybe because it's so cold out. Not sure.

 

[rhkcommander]

Blue is oil consumption, white is usually cold. Coolant won't blow either until up to temp, take it for a run