Cooling System woes....

[1996BLKBauer]

or for less than $20 you can go to AutoZone get some cooling system uv dye, a uv light and glasses and find the actual leaks source... but it's your time and money.

Well I might need both, if I want to do it all at once, instead of running the vehicle and looking, but I need to do it anyway to circulate the dye. IDK, the problem is still pissing me off, many good ideas here, but so far the dye seems to be the best, along with stuffing a paper towel at the bottom of the rad seams. I plan on Sunday doing my further investigation, good thing I waited until it was 20 degree here in IL.

 

[1996BLKBauer]

Well tonight after getting out of work I went to go start my truck, and while it was warming up, I decided to take a look to see if it leaked any more coolant, and it did! It was sitting in the same spot for 8 1/2 hours in temps between 25-35 degrees F. The spot it was leaking on to was clearly the ground, but it was in front of the crossmember in between the oil filter, and sway bar bushing on the drivers side, if you looked straight up you would be looking at the oil filter.... The lower rad hose was dry, although I could not see up to where it is connected. Yay for finding things, with out looking for them. Next I plan to buy some of the dye, glasses, and light so I can pin point the actual problem, at least no I know what side, and sort of where to look.

 

[1996BLKBauer]

So after purchasing the UV dye, and light, with glasses, I took a look around, and found absolutely nothing!!! I mean there is a small puddle on the ground, but I cannot seem to find where if the world it is coming from!!!! I am seriously about to freak out, I hate having problems with my own personal vehicle, especially when I cannot seem to find/fix the problem. I may have to make some sort of video to show everybody where it is leaking from. I am at a loss on this, nothing is making sense.

 

[1996BLKBauer]

Well up here in northern IL it got real cold, and I am talking cold, something like 7 degrees as a high, oh joy! I started my truck so it would warm up, left it for 20 minutes. went to leave, and then I noticed 2 HUGE puddles of neon green coolant(I may have put too much dye in it). I started swearing, and opened to the hood to see that one, but BOTH sides of the rad had separated. I then drove it to my local Mechanic that I trust, truck never overheated. We took a look at it, and deiced to replace the radiator, and thermostat seal. GOOD NEWS $360 later I have a new rad, a flushed cooling system, and no more leaks. So the whole time when the truck was cold it seems that the tanks just separated and allowed coolant to pass through, one It warmed up it did not leak. One you took of the shroud you could see where it had been leaking for some time, I was just to lazy to take it off....