I have a 1997 4.6L. Blew an upper radiator hose. Replaced upper and lower hose, thermostat, waterpump, and degas bottle cap.

It runs really good, but I can hear a gurgling sound sometimes when accelerating. The truck never overheats, but sometimes it will puke coolant. Trying to diagnose how often it was puking coolant, I drove 222.2 miles (highway + town) with no apparent issues (other than the occasional gurgling) and then last night it pukes about a quart of coolant on my driveway. The truck was heated up, I drove from work to the store, then to the neighbors, then home, around 5-7 miles. I know it was puking some coolant from the neighbors to my house, because it left a trail.

Anyway, I wake up this morning and check the coolant level...its fine. Not low at all. Drove it to work this morning, and didn't notice any gurgling.

I can't detect any oil in coolant or coolant in oil, the exhaust isn't blowing white smoke, there isn't a smell of coolant anywhere, anytime but when I get out and notice the coolant puking.

Can it be a faulty degas cap? Bad fan clutch? Air stuck in the system?

I would think if its a head gasket leak you could see bubbles in the degas tank or white smoke in the exhaust or something, but I have none of those symptoms.

The truck runs really great otherwise than the occasional coolant puke.

 

Radiator cap would be my bet.

 

Just some comment for your consideration.
The upper hose likely blew from age. The rubber got hard and would not strech any longer in response to a pressure increases especially just after shut-down..
Now you have this issue that likely blew the hose to start the hassle off.
An intermittant action such as you discribe can be a plugged bottom part of the radiator.
It would reduce the cooling capacity of the system under higher loads and act marginal causing a pressure increase to force by the pressure cap.
Once the coolant volume goes lower from loss, the problem gets worse until you refill or add coolant, then it starts all over again from a greater time interval between loss.
Good luck.

 

Turned out to be a bad thermostat. Thanks!