Cooling issues

Topic: Cooling issues (Read 1443 times) previous topic - next topic

Cooling issues

April 03, 2006, 03:25:32 PM

I'll try not to tell a long story with this one.

The '86 T-bird (3.

is having some issues preventing my aunt from driving it to work. Every time she does, about a 6 mile round trip, it loses enough coolant to expose the top of the automatic transmission cooler inside the radiator's tank. I've been trying to figure out what's going on. Here's what I know/have done so far:

- Thermostat (195, I think) was replaced about a year ago.
- Clutch fan was put in it, from the '88 T-bird. No apparent problems.
- Main radiator hoses were replaced a few weeks ago, system was flushed and refilled w/ new coolant and distilled water.
- Radiator cap was replaced at the same time w/ a brand new lever-cap.
- All hose clamps I could find have been given a re-tightening.
- Warmed it up and did the heater core test, did not smell coolant inside the car.
- Cooling system usually holds pressure pretty well. Friend of mine squeezed the hoses on it after running it up to operating temperature and shutting it off for awhile.. held pressure for some time.
- No leaks visible or audible anywhere, except one time I thought the back of the head on the driver's side looked wet and didn't look just oily. Hasn't looked that way since. Other exception as noted next:
- Last time she drove it, I happened to catch the car soon after she got back, and the overflow tank was full and coolant was sprayed all over the area around the overflow tank's little vent hole.
- Small amount of white smoke on every startup.. but of all the times I've started it, stabbed the pedal, etc.. it has only let out one small puff of white smoke the whole time.

Am I overlooking something stupid here? Or is it what I sorta fear it is? (head gasket going) I say "sorta fear" because if it DOES go, I'll just pull the 3.8 out of there and put something else in its place.. so I'm not terribly upset at the thought of the 3.8s days being numbered. Hell, I think I'm more annoyed that the 95A alt I put on it will be wasted.. :p

Cooling issues

Reply #1 – April 03, 2006, 03:47:02 PM

Given the symptoms you describe, my first though is of a blown heat gasket. The overflowing catch-can suggests that something is pressurizing the cooling system.

What happens if you remove the radiator cap and let the car warm up?

Cooling issues

Reply #2 – April 03, 2006, 03:47:33 PM

It would seem that your thermostat took a dump and is not opening properly or at all. Either that or you have a clog in the cooling system somewhere. None of that Stop Leak stuff has been used on this radiator or heater core has it? The HG is a possibilty....

Cooling issues

Reply #3 – April 03, 2006, 03:48:04 PM

Usually it just pukes out coolant slowly but surely until it warms up.

Cooling issues

Reply #4 – April 03, 2006, 03:50:26 PM

Is it overheating?

Cooling issues

Reply #5 – April 03, 2006, 03:51:09 PM

Quote from: Paul Flockhart

It would seem that you thermostat took a dump and is not opening properly or at all. Either that or you have a clog in the cooling system somewhere. None of that Stop Leak stuff has been used on this radiator or heater core has it?

Not that I know of, on the stop-leak.

I also don't recall seeing anything unusual when looking into the radiator tank with the cap open. I know on my Lincoln, it had tons of corrosion built up around the individual tube outlets. None of that on the T-bird, though.

I tried fast-warming it one time by holding it around fast idle or a little faster until it hit operating temperature. It crept up to about 150, sped up towards 190-ish, and then at around 200 it fell back to operating temperature.

Cooling issues

Reply #6 – April 03, 2006, 03:52:40 PM

Quote from: JeremyB

Is it overheating?

Not that I have been aware of. It runs between 190 and 210 for however long I test it, once it's warmed up. I can fill it up again and test it again, if needed.

Cooling issues

Reply #7 – April 03, 2006, 03:55:43 PM

Quote

I tried fast-warming it one time by holding it around fast idle or a little faster until it hit operating temperature. It crept up to about 150, sped up towards 190-ish, and then at around 200 it fell back to operating temperature.

Pretty much rules out the Stat. When exactly did this start? Could even be a small hole in one of your coolant lines sucking air in (yes, I've seen this happen, quite rare I would assume though)

Cooling issues

Reply #8 – April 03, 2006, 04:05:32 PM

Well, it's been going on for some time now.. couple months at least.. but she has mostly stopped driving the car and I've had to let it sit. My health hasn't been so great lately.. frequent dizzy spells make me wary of going out there for long when I'm often completely alone and could end up passed out in a fire ant pile for awhile.. but now that I've been to a doctor and got on some blood pressure medication that doesn't seem to make it any worse, I'm looking into it some more. So in actual days of use, I'd say it's happened at least a dozen times now.. with the initial refills, testing of a couple different radiator caps, (one used one I had laying around, then one new) flush and fill and hose/clamp replacement and clamp tightening, heater core check, etc.

Note that it actually held water for one or two tests, a few days ago.. my aunt took it out again to work, and when she brought it back it was the same old problem. She's a rather timid driver, so I doubt she's going out and trying to fry the tires off it every chance she gets or just generally driving it hard.. and like I said, hers is about a 3 mile trip one-way to work. If she ever takes it shopping or to the bank or whatever, it's all stuff that's between work and home.

Cooling issues

Reply #9 – April 03, 2006, 05:43:40 PM

Have you warmed it up w/o the radiator cap on? Suck out some of the fluid before you crank it so it doesn't overflow.

This should give you some idea of what is going on. You might try driving around the block sans cap to see what happens.

Cooling issues

Reply #10 – April 03, 2006, 06:10:27 PM

I'll try that in a few minutes.

Cooling issues

Reply #11 – April 03, 2006, 06:43:05 PM

Alright.. didn't even get all the way to warm. Even at 120 degrees, it starts puking coolant. Mind you, when I started it up, the coolant level was below the top of the AT cooler core. What coolant is in there became very cloudy, too.. although I suppose that could just be the water pump stirring it up and such. (this is new coolant)

If you think I should continue, I can.. but I'll need to pick up another bottle of anti-freeze soon. Down to my last one, and my truck also drinks a little coolant now and again and needs a supply handy.

Cooling issues

Reply #12 – April 03, 2006, 06:50:33 PM

Just a thought but when the head gasket started leaking on the motor in my car you could find antifreeze in the engine oil. If it isn't smoking alot when running I would think that rules out the option that it's going into the cylinder alot. In my experience with them which isn't much, If the coolant isn't going into the cylinder when it leaks there's only one other place it goes. As far as anything else Im stumped if it isn't the HG or a leak.

Cooling issues

Reply #13 – April 03, 2006, 06:51:59 PM

I haven't checked the oil this week, but every other time I've checked it while having this problem, the oil has not been milky or bubbly or anything like that.

I should've mentioned this in the original post.

Cooling issues

Reply #14 – April 03, 2006, 06:57:28 PM

Well that rules out that its going into the oil then mine was left setting for a few months before I picked it up from the lady and I checked the oil before starting it and the dipstick was actually rusted. I would think a leak that bad would be noticable though