coolant overflow
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Freshman User
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coolant overflow
well guys this truck is up for sale in the classifieds section here. its my 1988 F250 but im having a problem with the coolant. the resivoir is always dry when the truck is cold. so i fill it to the cold fill line and after driving the truck for about 15-20 mins and park it, after about 5 mins all the coolant starts boiling really bad and overflowing from the resivoir cap. then it slowly recedes and the resivoir is empty again. is it supposed to be always empty? what would cause this? i believe there is mostly water in there and not a whole lot of coolant. maybe a 70% water/ 30% coolant mix. would this be causing it to boil really badly and overflow? i cant have it doing this on test drives for interested buyers.....please help me guys.....
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2001
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From: Nebraska
Does the truck get hot when it does this? I worked on one once (an 88 F250 actually) that had a bad thermostat and would boil over like you described. It showed it was hot on the guage too.
I've found also that there have to be absolutely no coolant leaks at all for the reservior to work. I've seen some trucks with the smallest seep that seem to empty the reservoir in a couple days.
I've found also that there have to be absolutely no coolant leaks at all for the reservior to work. I've seen some trucks with the smallest seep that seem to empty the reservoir in a couple days.
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: Central PA
This has been posted about with no real answer I'd like to know
Well after 15 F-trucks of my own, 25+ company F-trucks trucks and 10-15 customer trucks none keep rad fluid in reservoir. Brand new or 400000 miles . I took the new ones I bought back to be checked all time till warenty ran out. If it stays dry why put it there?
The truck I have now I built New HD rad ,seals, pump ,Rebuilt motor By a well known race shop ,lifetime hoses . I can do a pressure test (hot or cold )for whole weekend and it looses nothing . But run it a week of running its dry . so I check the rad once a week and live with it. If 40+ trucks have same symptom ?? I put over 150000 on all my trucks and have no other problems .
Good luck
Well after 15 F-trucks of my own, 25+ company F-trucks trucks and 10-15 customer trucks none keep rad fluid in reservoir. Brand new or 400000 miles . I took the new ones I bought back to be checked all time till warenty ran out. If it stays dry why put it there?
The truck I have now I built New HD rad ,seals, pump ,Rebuilt motor By a well known race shop ,lifetime hoses . I can do a pressure test (hot or cold )for whole weekend and it looses nothing . But run it a week of running its dry . so I check the rad once a week and live with it. If 40+ trucks have same symptom ?? I put over 150000 on all my trucks and have no other problems .
Good luck
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Freshman User
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well the temp gauge is not reading hot.....it stays in the middle like it should.....im guessing coolant has a higher boiling point and thats why the steam pressure of the water is pushing it all out? or is the gauge wrong and the engine is running way hot and thats why its boiling?
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2001
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From: Nebraska
I agree most trucks won't keep coolant in the reservoir. My good 95 doesn't, and it's because the timing cover gaskets are seeping.
Last winter on my other 95 I replaced the radiator, timing cover gaskets, and water pump. It's 100% coolant leak free and now the reservoir works.
Last winter on my other 95 I replaced the radiator, timing cover gaskets, and water pump. It's 100% coolant leak free and now the reservoir works.
Posting Guru
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From: Nebraska
Originally Posted by gary502
well the temp gauge is not reading hot.....it stays in the middle like it should.....im guessing coolant has a higher boiling point and thats why the steam pressure of the water is pushing it all out? or is the gauge wrong and the engine is running way hot and thats why its boiling?
Senior User
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 124
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From: NC
I had this same problem on a 99 Grand Cherokee
Coolant system flush helped I guess there was a clog or something in the tubing.
Just a thought
Coolant system flush helped I guess there was a clog or something in the tubing.
Just a thought
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Elder User
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 754
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From: Solon, Ohio
It could be where you guys are located, above sea level ect.
I live in the Cleveland, Ohio area which is relatively low, and the 1994 junker I bought a couple of weeks ago with a 5.0 with 160k on it has had no trouble.
Actually surprised me, LOL
I live in the Cleveland, Ohio area which is relatively low, and the 1994 junker I bought a couple of weeks ago with a 5.0 with 160k on it has had no trouble.
Actually surprised me, LOL
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I have the same problem with a 96 F250 w/7.5 engine. There are absolutely no leaks or signs of a leak anywhere on the engine or garage floor. Yet when I try to keep coolant in the recovery tank it disappears in a few days. If I keep the radiator within about 3 or 4 inches of the top of the filler neck it will stay there indefinitely! Just returned from a 1200 mile trip pulling a trailer and it runs great, runs cool and has no tale tale signs of leaks or head gasket problems. So I have given up on this one! I have replaced all rubber hoses and tubes in the cooling system. The heater core is not leaking, there is no steam or vapor from the exhaust and it never goes below 4 inches from the top of the filler cap......never!! I have the heavy duty radiator made for the tow package. This truck has never in 11 years been hot.
New vehicles do not have this type of system now. The old reservoir recovery tank is replaced by a pressurized tank and I just wonder why the engineers done this??? They are allowing some expansion in this tank and I'm wondering if this is the way my radiator is working if I leave it just ever so slightly low on coolant.
New vehicles do not have this type of system now. The old reservoir recovery tank is replaced by a pressurized tank and I just wonder why the engineers done this??? They are allowing some expansion in this tank and I'm wondering if this is the way my radiator is working if I leave it just ever so slightly low on coolant.
Last edited by KRB; May 14, 2007 at 07:28 AM.
Senior User
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My experience tells me its your head gasket. my '90 drove fine, fired fairly smoothly but lacked power. It would blow all coolant out and over heat time after time. soon it was missing on a cyl. do you hear bubbling after you shut the motor off? On mine, it would bubble steadily after i shut the motor off for about 90 secs. I ended up changing a head gasket. I'm not saying this is the problem in your case.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Mulege south Baja ca. Mx.
this is a common problem that I fix 2 0r 3 times a week for customers. and 95 % of the time it is the radeator cap. put a new 15 lbs cap on and I will bet you will be OK. make sure it is the right one for your truck.
Junior User
Joined: Dec 2005
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No it has a new Ford OEM radiator cap.
The coolant never goes below 4 inches below the top of the filler neck.....never have to add any.
I think I will run a compression test and hold each cylinder to see if it leaks off. But others have said on forums that this happens to Fords of this year range.
The coolant never goes below 4 inches below the top of the filler neck.....never have to add any.
I think I will run a compression test and hold each cylinder to see if it leaks off. But others have said on forums that this happens to Fords of this year range.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 829
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From: Goose Creek SC
My 92 does it......just filled it again yesterday.......no signs of any leaks....but it could be blowing it out as I drive. I'm going to put a new cap on and do a pressure test on the system. Hopefully that will show any leaks.
Good luck
Good luck
Postmaster
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From: Central PA
[QUOTE=KRB]I have the same problem with a 96 F250 w/7.5 engine. There are absolutely no leaks or signs of a leak anywhere on the engine or garage floor. Yet when I try to keep coolant in the recovery tank it disappears in a few days. If I keep the radiator within about 3 or 4 inches of the top of the filler neck it will stay there indefinitely! [QUOTE=KRB]
I forgot to say that about level in rad .
I forgot to say that about level in rad .
Postmaster
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From: Central PA
Originally Posted by alstieg
My experience tells me its your head gasket. my '90 drove fine, fired fairly smoothly but lacked power. It would blow all coolant out and over heat time after time. soon it was missing on a cyl. do you hear bubbling after you shut the motor off? On mine, it would bubble steadily after i shut the motor off for about 90 secs. I ended up changing a head gasket. I'm not saying this is the problem in your case.