radiator cap hissing

timguyli · 01-10-2005, 05:45 PM

The radiator cap on my 95 trans sport 3.1 is hissing, and starting to spit out anti freeze. I just bought this van having just 48k miles. Is this van supposed to have dexcool or reg because whats in it is green, but theres orange stains where the anti freeze has sprayed out. Theres new hoses on this thing and a sticker under the hood that says the system was just serviced. Im wondering if they mixed dexcool with reg antifreeze... arghhhhh

LMP · 01-11-2005, 05:55 PM

This is classic blown head gasket syndrome, these engine are reknown for that....RUn the engine with radiator cap removed....you should see exhaust bubbles popping from the surface of the liquid.
I just wish I were wrong

timguyli · 01-11-2005, 06:07 PM

I just got back form pep boys and Firestone. Pep boys said they checked and the head gasket is OK, but there might be a blockage. It appears that the cooling system was never flushed by the previous owner and kinda gooked up. I took it to Firestone because the dealer i bought it from does all his warranty work there. They did a power flush with some chemicals, and said to come back in a week for another flush because there was so much brown gunk in the system. I looked in the radiator before i took it, and it didnt look like there was any oil mixing with the water.

timguyli · 01-15-2005, 04:50 PM

ok, how do i check if it is a head gasket? It was power flushed by Firestone, and today its spraying all over the engine compartment again. is there any possiblity of the thermostat being stuck? thanks!

LMP · 01-15-2005, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timguyli

ok, how do i check if it is a head gasket? It was power flushed by Firestone, and today its spraying all over the engine compartment again. is there any possiblity of the thermostat being stuck? thanks!

Of course, In similar cases, I have almost always tried to escape the conclusion by simply REMOVING the thermostat and give it a try. (at least I do not pay for another thermostat if it is not the culprit). You can try it too and see what happens: take your time before announcing a win: without a thermostat, it might change the initial behaviour and let you think you solved the problem, but if you do have a blown gasket, signs like spraying will come back anyway, specially after you stop the engine.

There may be several tell tale signs.
- First is what you experience: sporadic heater performance, spraying coolant from radiator.....
- bubbles exiting from the surface of the liquid: remove radiator cap, make sure it is filled to the top, run the engine, have someone in the car rev up the engine in small bursts. Look at the liquid in radiator: bubble should pop up if leak is severe. With small leaks , it is not so obvious: exhaust will enter the cooling only when the engine is under heavy load
- overheating: this is obvious from the steaming coolant, but may show as variations of indication at temperature gauge
- foam in oil: may show as white foam on inner side of oil filling cap, but not necessarily: a leak from combustion chamber to coolant circuit usually means coolant can also enter a cylinder.
- THe spark plug of the cylinder that has the leak may show signs of rust (given the time).
- THE MOST OBVIOUS SIGN – this one is implacable and leaves no room for alternate interpretation- is this test: I use a tire valve SCREWED to a compressed air hose and I apply the tire valve to spark plug holes one after another: air bubbles immediately show from the radiator when the culprit is found. Easy with a 4 banger, but with a cramped V6, more easily said than done.....(you must position the crankshaft so valves are closed but with short start commands, you find easily the place where you feel the air is held in the cylinder).

timguyli · 01-16-2005, 10:52 AM

Thanks, It goes back to Firestone tomorrow to have them check it out.

timguyli · 01-20-2005, 09:58 PM

well a week now... and still they swear its not a head gasket. Today i test drove it after they replaced the Thermostat.. and 2 miles later it was pegging the guage.. and over heating... back it went... and now they swear its the radiator.... thank god this thing is under warranty!

LMP · 01-21-2005, 07:09 AM

Having a new radiator is not bad at all....and easily done. As I understand, it is under warranty under 3 months used car coverage I suppose, so I'd understand their reluctance even considering they might have to lift the heads, but nevertheless, I'd be more than happy with you if a new radiator settles the case..it did for me (some time ago...)with my '79 Ford Country Squire.

What kind of service do you have from your heater? If you make it blow full warm front and rear with windows opened if you can't stand it, do you have full warm air and does it help cool the engine?

timguyli · 01-21-2005, 07:57 PM

The heat is weird. I just got it back from getting a new radiator, and the guage now sometimes moves erraticaly, and at a stop sometimes the heat turns ice cold. Im thinking maybe air in the system. Im also noticed that when i stoped to check it tonight, it sounded like bubles from the overflow.. yet it wasnt over heating. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

LMP · 01-22-2005, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timguyli

The heat is weird..., and the guage now sometimes moves erraticaly, and at a stop sometimes the heat turns ice cold.. maybe air in the system..when i stoped to check it , it sounded like bubles from the overflow..grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Yeah..filling it can leave air in hte system but this clears rapidly if all else is normal. TO enhance air purge, I suggest this trick: block the one way valve of the radiator cap like this

www.avigex.ca/xport/cap.jpg

and maintain the overflow tank at normal level

This keeps the cooling system at atmospheric pressure and lets all trapped air that goes to the top escape easily to the overflow tank (instead of being kept compressed inside) and when cooling it sucks coolant from the overflow tank to fill up the void Within 2 or 3 heating/cooling cycles, there will be no air left in the circuit and return the radiator cap to normal. If it keeps doing "bubbling" and weird heating.......and if running the cooling system at atmospheric pressure (in winter temperature) causes increased boiling, there is a internal cause.

timguyli · 01-22-2005, 08:44 AM

Thanks... i will give it a try!

timguyli · 01-22-2005, 09:49 AM

ok.. Im right back at square 1.... new radiator, spraying out the cap.. bubbling through the overflow.... and almost no fluid in the radiator.. yet everyone says its not a head gasket.

LMP · 01-22-2005, 09:52 AM

Can you see bubbles popping out of the radiator when running engine with cap opened and liquid filled to the top?

timguyli · 01-22-2005, 12:32 PM

I will check when its done snowing! But im courious.. if its a head gasket, how come the exaust is fine and the oil has no water in it?

LMP · 01-22-2005, 02:24 PM

Well I would surely not want a blown gasket, but water is a normal byproduct of combustion anyway and is carried through the exhaust without no one noticing it..except when exhaust pipe is stil cold and some drops condense and drip down from the rear...so a few extra drops carried as a little more steam is unnoticeable. Oil contamination? Yeah, I'd expect that too, but I have carried blown gaskets for long period of times without noticing obvious signs in the oil....so I'm not sure how much leak is needed for that to show. ANd I can tell you I'd wait and wait before deciding to go for lifting the head....but after I'm really tired of blowing steam off and I finally play the big game with the air hose connected to the spark plug holes , then if it definitely shows...there are no questions left....if the air I force into the cylinders ends up bubbling out of the radiator, I'm convinced.

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