The crew cab's beltching coolant issue.....

[Jbevs]

On a somewhat related note, is there a difference between an oem cap and one from the local parts store, assuming the correct pressure of course.

 

[hesutton]

Well, I left the cooling system pressurized for over 48 hours and there was no drop in pressure! That's good news. The cap tested fine. It doesn't leak and it opens just above 13 psi like it should.

So, I'm not sure what happend, but I think it was a combination of too much coolant in the rad and overflow tank, coupled with trapped air/steam from draining/filling the system several time before the trip.

Heath

 

[towtruckdave]

Maybe there was a piece of debris or something under the rubber seal on the cap.

The trapped air theory seems pretty sound at this point also.

So how does that unit run?

 

[Fordsandguns]

That sounds good Heath! Now you have peace of mind that it isn't a head gasket or cracked head at least.
But dang it sure sounded like it was gonna be that cap! I kinda wish it was, not so I'd be right, but so that you'd have found the issue and could be absolutely certain.

 

[towcat]

heath-
maybe it's time to take a look at this service kit.

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...=12500&supersede=&store=snapon-store&tool=all

you can leak check your system before filling and eliminate air pockets at the same time.
i know. very pricey, but it beats burning down a motor.

 

[hesutton]

heath-
maybe it's time to take a look at this service kit.

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...=12500&supersede=&store=snapon-store&tool=all

you can leak check your system before filling and eliminate air pockets at the same time.
i know. very pricey, but it beats burning down a motor.

Heath

 

[Brimmstone]

heath-
maybe it's time to take a look at this service kit.

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...=12500&supersede=&store=snapon-store&tool=all

you can leak check your system before filling and eliminate air pockets at the same time.
i know. very pricey, but it beats burning down a motor.

It works awesome. I love mine and can fill anything without air pockets. Everyone usually has problems with the dodges but using this kit I've never had a problem.

 

[towcat]

It works awesome. I love mine and can fill anything without air pockets. Everyone usually has problems with the dodges but using this kit I've never had a problem.

I sprang for this kit due to the fact I have to work on "everything"

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...group_ID=12500&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

the irritating part is I paid more two years ago than what it is selling for now

 

[Brimmstone]

I can feel your pain. Mine was the same way. I bought the very first one that was made by Mityvac for 350 dollars years ago. Bought the junior kit from snapon to replace the mityvac after it wore out. Then bought the deluxe kit because I got tired of how the junior kit sealed to the neck.

 

[typ4]

My truck will not keep the rad full, about half of a top tank and it stays there forever, and the cap, hose and reservoir are leak free.

But it runs up to 230 loaded on hills so there is a lot of expansion.

These engines dont trap air easy, I leave the top hose loose or the heater hose off the pump then I know the heads are full.

 

[towcat]

These engines dont trap air easy, I leave the top hose loose or the heater hose off the pump then I know the heads are full.

the fact the thermostat sits below the cylinder head water level worries the **** out of me. ever since I melted down the motor on my Pontiac Fiero, I have been creative in burping the air out of cooling systems.

 

[Brimmstone]

Did that when I put the engine in my 87before I moved to Texas. Used two sections of heater hose tied about a foot above the radiator neck and filled it till the radiator was full. Popped the one off at the heater core then installed the hose from the head to the heater core. That truck runs just fine with the 13 psi cap. But like I said some of these engines for some reason just don't like to work right with a 13psi cap. My 91 doesn't like it for some reason and pukes into the overflow bottle. My friends 85 does the same for some reason. We changed both of them to 16psi caps and have never had a problem since.

By the way I like the pic of your rail. I used to be big into the VW seen up in Ohio. Built several buggies over the years. My favorite was a rail I built myself from the ground up. Learned the hard way that a sway-axle unit doesn't like an engine with the power I was running at the time. Had a custom made 3.0 liter air-cooled that was downright evil. Would still have it if a friend hadn't used it without my permission and lost all the oil after knocking a hole in the lower sump from hitting a pothole.

 

[typ4]

Some friend, and thanks. I will put some pics of our group in t he lounge. From the last trip.

 

[hesutton]

Brimmstone, if it still pukes after all this, I will certainly try a 16 psi cap.

Heath

 

[icanfixall]

Heath.... About running a higher pressure cap. Your radiator needs to be in great shape to do that. Look closely at the tank seals. If any shows signs of weakness you will blow the seam. But thats not a bad thing really either... Its a great excuse for an aluminum radiator replacement. When some of these fly by nite radiator shop repair these radiators they don't get all the solder out of the tank to core seam. Then they set the tanks in and seal them up. That reduces the area of the seam to tank connection by sometimes half. Then the heat cycles will cause a seam leak. Its diffucult to just look at the seams and be able to know for sure if the tanks are set properly without first removing them. But if you see and feel the lip you may be able to figure this out. Higher pressure means your able to run higher temps before you boil and its pushing the coolant into the tiny areas in the heads and block better. But there is a limit too what your system can handle...