Did block test 10 times came up negative for combustion gases is coolant. Oil has no mix of antifreeze and vice versa. Rad fluid is straight rust water and truck sat for the passed 2 years. Just bought it and drove it around town for a week with no problems now she wants to run hot gets all the way to the L in normal. Sometimes it cools on it's own some times I have to rev the engine to get it to cool down. Had a shady mechanic look and within an hour he says blown head gasket and that he has an engine in the back with 150k he would sell me for 500$ plus installation ( they have some good crack down here I guess) I said why do you think that he said because it's throwing the coolant into the overflow and that he performed a block test. I said can I see the block test he then proceeds to tell me his buddy just picked it up 5 minutes ago. In the trunk of my mercedes I had a block tester with brand new fluid and told him I would perform it. In front of him I perform the standard block test I have used all my life. I put blue fluid in wait until car gets warmed up and do the test and passes with flying colors. Meanwhile he is like wow I have never seen one of those tests before. So I am Leary that he doesn't know what he is talking about. His friend then comes out and says " he honestly doesn't know what's wrong with it he's just throwing a guess at it." Now I'm po'd and my mind is confused. I have it towed home immediately, I drain the fluid out of the rad that he supposedly flushed and it's orange rusty water still. I'm leaning towArds bad water pump and clogged radiator. I tried burping the system with new coolant because the truck has been running with only water. I drain all that's in there about 1 gallon of rust water. I then throw some coolant in let it get hot the temp guage got to the O/R in normal thermostat opens and fluid levels drop I then re-top off and the car just sat there for 10 minutes not sucking anymore coolant down, I took it for a spin around the block pull back in and coolant is in the expansion tank, I cut the truck off and 2 minutes later the car sucks all the coolant back from the expansion tank. I plan on replacing radiator tomorrow. Car sometimes cools down on it's own, or sometimes I have to rev the engine to cool it. Is this shade tree mechanic be accurate with his hg or since it passed block test ten times, has no oil in rad or vice versa runs great no misses no smoke am I on the right path with replacing radiator and probably the water pump? I'm now in a state of I don't know what the heck to do! Please help, I want to know if it sounds like I am wasting my time replacing radiator and water pump. Also I replaced thermostat twice and rad cap, and when it ran hot before to the L the upper radiator hose was near collapsing like it was starving for water. Haven't noticed any coolant loss but again I have only had the truck for two weeks

 

Some hoses require a coiled wire spring inside to prevent collapsing and maintain flow. You might want to look at a replacement radiator hose to see if it has a spring or is stiffer to prevent collapse. If so, replace yours.

 

Replaced upper hose meant to say that, upper doesn't have coil lower does also replaced rad cap still no help

 

Sounds like it might have all of the cooling passages in the engine plugged up with rust. Pull the radiator hoses from the engine and flush out the heater core. With the water pump off you might be able to use a hose and flush some of the stuff out. It is a real pia but popping out the frost plugs will allow more of the stuff to get flushed out. It would be a judgement call after trying to flush it out with the water pump off. Also check to make sure that the fan clutch is working correctly and that there is not blockage in front of the radiator.

 

Here is where I am at I pulled the rad and replaced the water pump, was minimal amount of rust in the water pump but I replaced any way, pulled radiator as well to replace. All top three segments of the radiator are folded in almost as if the hood was closed on top of something will post picture definitely affecting the flow up top. Below there was a stain running from it that appeared to be a leak it was a rust stain, along the whole bottom was a rust patch and about 40 small dents around and one on the obverse front that looked like it was filled with glue or something. Pulled the plastic pieces off to inspect and found a pretty large ball of sludge clay like rust. Inspected passage ways with a flash light and aside from the top 3 and bottom 2-3 light passed through relatively easy. Hoping that the rad was the problem. I plan on bypassing the heater core while I burp and test it tomorrow because I plan on replacing if this fixes it because I'm
Sure there is rust in it and don't want it in my brand new rad and water pump. If this doesn't resolve the issue it only leaves head gasket and I would lose all faith in a block tester although my friends swear by them. I hope for my sake this fixes everything as I just bought this truck and was really really enjoying driving and would hate to have to throw an engine in to a truck I haven't put 500 miles on.

 

 

 

 

Truck was apparently drained and flush at "mechanics" " five times"new thermostat was installed for sure two days ago, I now have proceeded to install water pump and will install rad in the am the system wouldn't burp yesterday maybe I am doing it wrong. If you have any tips on how to correctly burp I would appreciate it. I also uses a shop vac to suck talk the ports on where water pump hooks up sucked mostly clean water.Wish me luck I'm dying to really get to enjoy this thing. And would hate to have to put a reman in it so soon. But do think I could actually do It although I never have thanks guys