December Chat Thread
Modular motor junkie
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 6,190
Likes: 8
From: Texas
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 922
Likes: 1
From: San Diego
Is it normal to get quite a bit of steam from our trucks in freezing weather? When she's cold and after she has been sitting for more than 30 minutes there is a lot of "steam" from the exhaust, I am just hoping that there isn't a more serious underlaying problem... (head gaskets come to mind.) I ask because my coolant always gets lost somewhere, the radiator won't stay more than 65% full.
Modular motor junkie
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 6,190
Likes: 8
From: Texas
Is it normal to get quite a bit of steam from our trucks in freezing weather? When she's cold and after she has been sitting for more than 30 minutes there is a lot of "steam" from the exhaust, I am just hoping that there isn't a more serious underlaying problem... (head gaskets come to mind.) I ask because my coolant always gets lost somewhere, the radiator won't stay more than 65% full.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,271
Likes: 2
From: Mexia, TX
Or if you have a carb with the "bi-metallic hot idle compensator", it might be kicking your idle up a bit as part of its design. From what I've read, what happens is, when the engine heats up, a little metal strip heats up and opens a valve that lets air in under the throttle plates, leaning out the air-fuel mixture and increasing the idle. At least, that's what this site says. Click
On the carb I have on my truck right now, the throttle was sticking at first since it'd sat for like three years, and it made for some.....interesting events when I was starting it up. I put some of that Break-Free stuff I have on the linkage and that was the last time I had trouble. lol. And it didn't backfire last time either...man I can't wait to get my carb back together. All I have left is to clean the various small pieces and I can put it back together.
Modular motor junkie
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 6,190
Likes: 8
From: Texas
Hate to have to tell you, but the coolant is going in a cylinder.
I have blown a head gasket before and not had it mix with oil and I think that is what you have.
With the truck running, fill the cooling system.
Does it bubble air out of the filler neck constantly when full?
If so, you have blown HG.
There is a final test to be 100% sure before you tear into it, but it takes a special tool.
I have blown a head gasket before and not had it mix with oil and I think that is what you have.
With the truck running, fill the cooling system.
Does it bubble air out of the filler neck constantly when full?
If so, you have blown HG.
There is a final test to be 100% sure before you tear into it, but it takes a special tool.
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 207
Likes: 0
From: Oklahoma
Now this takes GUTS
Ok, its 19 degrees here this morning & I planned to go cut wood, my wife says "You Nuts?", so I gather all my saws, gas, oil, tools & off I go. It is only about 16 miles but the last 3 miles is so far back in the boonies that there is not a house anywhere ( i don't have a cell phone ), so I get to where the wood is, back my pickup to where it needs to be & think to myself "what if this pickup won't start 
?", so I turn it off, wait a few seconds, & fire it back up, everything ok. The sun is out & no wind at all, I see several deer watching me, they know season is not on right now.
So all went well & I returned home with my pickup full of good oak wood that will help to keep down the cost of heating & told my wife "cake walk".
But seriously, the reason I go there is because these trees have been pushed down this spring to make roads for oil equipment & the owner said take all you want free so I would rather harvest the downed trees as opposed to cutting one down & there is enough for a couple years.
Now I can get back to customers computers where I can sit in a soft leather chair.
okiepc1
?", so I turn it off, wait a few seconds, & fire it back up, everything ok. The sun is out & no wind at all, I see several deer watching me, they know season is not on right now.So all went well & I returned home with my pickup full of good oak wood that will help to keep down the cost of heating & told my wife "cake walk".
But seriously, the reason I go there is because these trees have been pushed down this spring to make roads for oil equipment & the owner said take all you want free so I would rather harvest the downed trees as opposed to cutting one down & there is enough for a couple years.
Now I can get back to customers computers where I can sit in a soft leather chair.
okiepc1