Overheating/coolant issue...need some help
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 181
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One to two inches below the filler neck may be what is left of your air in the system. I usually fill the radiator at this point and make sure your overflow is filled to the cold fill line (about halfway). Now keep your cap on the radiator and check the overflow to make sure it has enough coolant. Also, when you run the engine, watch the temp gauge. what you want is for it to come up past the step where the thermostat opens and stop and stay pretty much at a steady point. If it drops suddenly by maybe a 1/4 to a third, that is an air bubble. If it stays steady and the radiator stays up, You've gotten rid of it.
More Turbo
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 687
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It's best to check it after it has cooled off and drawn the coolant from the overflow. Just remember to keep the overflow when it's cool filled to the cold fill line. That will keep your system full and without any air pockets. Youd've went crazy trying to top it up from the radiator while it was hot. Just check the gauge time to time looking for any dropouts if the coolant drops below the sender.
Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 181
Likes: 2
It's best to check it after it has cooled off and drawn the coolant from the overflow. Just remember to keep the overflow when it's cool filled to the cold fill line. That will keep your system full and without any air pockets. Youd've went crazy trying to top it up from the radiator while it was hot. Just check the gauge time to time looking for any dropouts if the coolant drops below the sender.
More Turbo
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 687
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It sounds like you have your system topped off. Do your filling through the overflow. Check it cold and keep it at the cold fill line. Like I said check your hoses and gaskets for any leaks. You should be allright now.
Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 181
Likes: 2
Ok i have a stupid question. The truck has not been started or driven today, so it has certainly cooled down from last night. The overflow tank is still at the cold fill line, right where it was last night while the engine was running. Shouldnt this level be fluctuating depending on if the engine is warm or cold? I have not seen it move at all. Then again, I dont see a "warm" level indicator on the tank either. From what you told me, the tank level should be higher while the engine is running, and then when the engine is cooling down, the radiator should pull the coolant out of the tank, bringing the level back to the cold fill line. Is this correct? If so, Im not sure why Im not seeing any fluctuation at all in the overflow tank level.
More Turbo
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 687
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It's not a stupid question. That is the reason I advised you to check the system to see if there are any leaks. In order for the system to draw the coolant into the radiator, your system needs to be leak free. You have already said the coolant wasn't dropping in the radiator so it shouldn't be changing all that much in the overflow. It sounds like the system has equalized. If your gauge is running steady after warmup and not dropping out. you should be allright. Check your radiator level in a day or two. Don't worry if the level is an inch or two below the filler. Add coolant if you see the oil cooler coil in there.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 181
Likes: 2
Ok i just opened the radiator on a completely cold engine, and again...the coolant level in the radiator is at the base of the neck(2 inches from the rim) and the tank level still sits right at the cold fill line. This is the same thing that happened yesterday after letting it idle for 20 minutes and cool back down the night before, then last night indrove it for 20 minutes and let it cool down today. The radiator level is at the base of the neck instead of almost to the rim where I filled it to, and the tank level is still at the cold fill line. Is there something wrong? Am i losing coolant somewhere? Why would the coolant not be able to stay in the neck area? Its only dropping down to the base of the neck it seems.
More Turbo
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 687
Likes: 1
That isn't very much coolant. if you had a substantial coolant loss you would see it on your temp gauge as a dropout. one other final thing. when it is warm, is your heater working allright?
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Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 181
Likes: 2
Next, in response to your comment about the gauge reading...why would the gauge show any sort of temp rise unless almost all the coolant had been lost? Also, what do you mean by a "dropout?"
Again, thanks for your help buddy
More Turbo
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 687
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There are a couple of air pockets the engine will run fine with and you could never fill that may be where the capacity is changing, but we are talking about maybe a half cup of coolant. What I mean by a dropout is when the coolant cets low enough not to touch the temperature sender. the sender will then drop suddenly towards cool. All gauges like different areas to run as normal. it depends on the sender, the grounds and the gauge. It's all relative. So don't go by someone elses gauge as a comparison.
just keep checking for any sudden dropouts.
just keep checking for any sudden dropouts.
Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 181
Likes: 2
There are a couple of air pockets the engine will run fine with and you could never fill that may be where the capacity is changing, but we are talking about maybe a half cup of coolant. What I mean by a dropout is when the coolant cets low enough not to touch the temperature sender. the sender will then drop suddenly towards cool. All gauges like different areas to run as normal. it depends on the sender, the grounds and the gauge. It's all relative. So don't go by someone elses gauge as a comparison.
just keep checking for any sudden dropouts.
just keep checking for any sudden dropouts.
More Turbo
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 687
Likes: 1
Well, when your coolant was low, what you were seeing on the gauge was the hot coolant filling up the area where the sender was, then the coolant draining away. the sender can't read air so when more coolant got up there it caused the gauge to go up. you'll learn to read more into what you see on that gauge and you will worry less and know more.
Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 181
Likes: 2
Well, when your coolant was low, what you were seeing on the gauge was the hot coolant filling up the area where the sender was, then the coolant draining away. the sender can't read air so when more coolant got up there it caused the gauge to go up. you'll learn to read more into what you see on that gauge and you will worry less and know more.