Severe overheating on 97 SOHC

[DaleG]

Last night while driving home I was stopped at a light near home and noticed my voltage guage starting to drop. The next thing I know I see smoke coming from under the truck and hear the belt squealing. So I get moving again and start to pull over and the guage returns to normal. I was only a mile from home so decided to go for it, thinking that a pulley had seized and the belt was coming apart. So I make home ok and soon as I pull into the garage I hear this rush of fluid and smoke pouring out from the hood. Turned it off and opened the hood and antifreeze is everywhere all over the engine. It was dark so I got a flashlight and looked around and it appears that all hoses are intact, the radiator appeared to be empty, the resovoir tank was at its normal level, the belt and pulleys looked normal.
In the fall I replaced the thermostat, cap, and flushed radiator. Any ideas on this one, I didn't get much opportunity to investigate last night as it was late and dark. I'm really unsure where the antifreeze came out of the system at and why with such force. I'm not sure if the guage was reading hot when this happened as I had my attention on the volt guage as that was the one I noticed dropping.
Suggestions and thoughts are welcome

Dale

 

[adale]

Sound like a burst hose that looks ok...maybe a heater hose. Your voltage gauge went down because the anitfreeze was making the belt slip. Your water pump might be leaking but I have never seen one leak that bad. With all your water being gone from your radiator I would look for a busted hose. I had one on a old Ford 351 look good but once the pressure built up in the system, it would leak from around the hose clamp, but not that badly. I could also be a head gasket leaking to or your throttle body leaking. Check your oil. Hope this helps and good luck!

ADale

 

[DaleG]

Well my worst fears were realized. It was the coolant bypass hose from the thermostat housing to the waterpump that burst. This thing is impossible to get to without removing the upper intake. Had it towed to dealer and its gonna be $400.00 parts labor to replace hose, thermostat and gasket, and intake gaskets.
I have read on here before about that hose, I wish I headed the warnings and replaced it before it failed. SOHC owners take head and check and replace that hose before it fails. My truck has about 85,000 miles

Dale