Jason in OR
New Member
- Joined
- January 25, 2005
- Messages
- 1
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- Eagle Point, Oregon
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 92 4x4 XLT
Hi, heres my problem. I have a 92 XLT 4x4, it has been out of action for a year, needed a new starter and I was too lazy to get under the rig and do the job. Anyway I finally got the starter issue fixed this last weekend, when I started the vehicle water started leaking from the bottom of the rad, I couldn’t locate the source but it wasn’t a hose. As the car warmed up the dripping became more intense, and as the car started to heat up, the leak intensified and the needle was approaching the red so I shut the car down. The bottom hose was making a phut phut phut sound as it was very hot it appeared.
My friend is an experienced mechanic in LA so he had me call him today and go through the motions again to see if we could point out the problem. Not having any coolant left I simply added water to the rad (if I could find the problem I was going to drain and use coolant after the test). I started the car and left the cap off, the leak began slowly again and picked up a little, I could see that the water level in the rad was rising so I know there seems to be flow of some sort, I put the cap back on and waited for the car to heat up, as it did so the leak got worse again, the rad did not send anything into the reservoir which I left empty during this test.
As per Saturdays attempt the needle started hitting the red, so I shut the car down, with water peeing out of the radiator,
Here's my questions to those that may be able to help. My buddy said most likely, during the last winter sitting idle the rad may have frozen causing it to crack and leak when under pressure, and or the cooling system could have air in it and the sensor in the intake manifold is showing hot becuase the coolant is leaking before hiiting it, he has advised me to pull the rad.
I had an issue like this once before, about 2 years ago, we replaced the thermo and all was well, although the rad wasn't leaking like this, it was an odd drip that I woul carry coolant with me to top off, which suggests that was the more usual cold vs hot climate issue with these plastic and aluminum rads that I have been reading about.
So what should I do, has this or similar to this happened to any of you.
My plan is to pull the rad and replace it, while I am at it I'm also going to change the thermostat for good measure just in case. Ill check the hoses, but they look in pretty good shape. Any suggestions or other ideas ??
I'm moderately competent with tools although I am a newbie to getting under my exploder so be gentle with me.
Thanks in advance.
My friend is an experienced mechanic in LA so he had me call him today and go through the motions again to see if we could point out the problem. Not having any coolant left I simply added water to the rad (if I could find the problem I was going to drain and use coolant after the test). I started the car and left the cap off, the leak began slowly again and picked up a little, I could see that the water level in the rad was rising so I know there seems to be flow of some sort, I put the cap back on and waited for the car to heat up, as it did so the leak got worse again, the rad did not send anything into the reservoir which I left empty during this test.
As per Saturdays attempt the needle started hitting the red, so I shut the car down, with water peeing out of the radiator,
Here's my questions to those that may be able to help. My buddy said most likely, during the last winter sitting idle the rad may have frozen causing it to crack and leak when under pressure, and or the cooling system could have air in it and the sensor in the intake manifold is showing hot becuase the coolant is leaking before hiiting it, he has advised me to pull the rad.
I had an issue like this once before, about 2 years ago, we replaced the thermo and all was well, although the rad wasn't leaking like this, it was an odd drip that I woul carry coolant with me to top off, which suggests that was the more usual cold vs hot climate issue with these plastic and aluminum rads that I have been reading about.
So what should I do, has this or similar to this happened to any of you.
My plan is to pull the rad and replace it, while I am at it I'm also going to change the thermostat for good measure just in case. Ill check the hoses, but they look in pretty good shape. Any suggestions or other ideas ??
I'm moderately competent with tools although I am a newbie to getting under my exploder so be gentle with me.
Thanks in advance.
