"Stop Leak" Coolant Additive. Which one?

[Fix4Dirt]

Oil pan bolt still leaks yes, hasn't gotten worse though. It may be slightly better (tough to see unless i measure exactly how many drops it drops each time after it comes back from a drive. still trying to determine if the Liquid Moly Oiler saver has improved it.

I've been checking the rad neck every 3 days in the past week and no big drop from the rad. But some days the coolant will show about maybe 3 or 4 inches below from the top of the neck, while others will have the coolant so full it actually spits a bit out when I release the rad cap. Is this normal?

1. alright!

2. thats a good sign so far, doesnt seem to be losin much then! are you releasing the rad cap when hot? or cold? if its hot sometimes it can spray and thats a big nono release when cold!

 

[98FordLove]

1. alright!

2. thats a good sign so far, doesnt seem to be losin much then! are you releasing the rad cap when hot? or cold? if its hot sometimes it can spray and thats a big nono release when cold!

I always release the rad cap when cold, usually in the morning when the truck sat overnight. I don't know what to expect now so I always slide a piece of cardboard under the truck before I pop the rad cap off. One time it sprayed out at least 250ml of coolant. I do believe this new rad cap I just got is better than my old one. I will check it again on Sunday morning after I take it for two solid nights of deliveries tomorrow and sat night. I still may be losing some coolant but if it only dips a few inches from the rad neck over a few days then I may not need to replace the rad and maybe I just check the coolant and oil once a week and top off each as needed.

I noticed that since I change my idle air control valve that the temp gauge in the cluster no longer constantly dips cold to warm back to cold every few seconds while driving. It still runs on the colder side though, can never get it in the middle so maybe that's because of the crack in the rad letting in cold air.

 

[C420sailor]

If it’s cool, it shouldn’t be blowing coolant out when you remove the cap. Make sure the hose from the rad to the res is clear, and make sure your cap is working properly.

If the radiator is 3-4 inches low without the reservoir being empty, some ****ery is afoot. This all points to an overflow hose/rad cap problem.

If your cap is stuck closed, the system can overpressurize, causing leaks. It also won’t draw coolant in when low.

 

[CDW6212R]

Ditto, you may have a new cap that is good now, but it's common for a cap to stop functioning properly. The cap has to seal perfectly to allow cooling fluid to create a vacuum which pulls in coolant from the overflow container. If the radiator is ever low at all after the cap has been tight, then the reservoir should be empty.

 

[98FordLove]

If it’s cool, it shouldn’t be blowing coolant out when you remove the cap. Make sure the hose from the rad to the res is clear, and make sure your cap is working properly.

If the radiator is 3-4 inches low without the reservoir being empty, some ****ery is afoot. This all points to an overflow hose/rad cap problem.

If your cap is stuck closed, the system can overpressurize, causing leaks. It also won’t draw coolant in when low.

Can I tell if my hose from the rad to the res is clear by looking under the hood?

When I say the coolant is sometimes 3-4" from the very top of the neck, I can still see the coolant though. It burst out a couple of times after the truck sat overnight and after cleaning up the mess after, the coolant level was literally right at the cap level, couldn't even put another drop in the rad neck.

 

[98FordLove]

Ditto, you may have a new cap that is good now, but it's common for a cap to stop functioning properly. The cap has to seal perfectly to allow cooling fluid to create a vacuum which pulls in coolant from the overflow container. If the radiator is ever low at all after the cap has been tight, then the reservoir should be empty.

That's what I'm thinking, I may have a good cap now that is providing just the right amount of pressure. The only thing is, the more I take the cap off and put it back on, it will just lead to the cap going bad and needing a replacement sooner right? If so, then I shouldn't take it on and off too many times. I can't see it being good for rad caps by taking it off and putting it back on this many times.

 

[CDW6212R]

Yes, once you have verified that the reservoir tank is changing how full it is, but still has some in it, the cap shouldn't need to come off hardly ever.

The hose for that reservoir is easy to remove by hand. You should be able to reach down to it and pull it off. I've removed it to clean the reservoir several times, back when I was using so much stop leak. You can use a water hose and clean it fairly fast, but save the anti-freeze if it has any in it. With the hose off there, you can lift it up and check it, blow through it etc.

 

[C420sailor]

I like to remove it at the neck, and blow through it into the res. You’ll hear big bubbles if it’s clear

 

[CDW6212R]

That works too, I've never blown through one anyway. When the bottom end is removed, coolant drains out of it quickly, telling me it's clear.

 

[98FordLove]

Yes, once you have verified that the reservoir tank is changing how full it is, but still has some in it, the cap shouldn't need to come off hardly ever.

The hose for that reservoir is easy to remove by hand. You should be able to reach down to it and pull it off. I've removed it to clean the reservoir several times, back when I was using so much stop leak. You can use a water hose and clean it fairly fast, but save the anti-freeze if it has any in it. With the hose off there, you can lift it up and check it, blow through it etc.

I'm guessing this hose to the res connects to the side of the res? Im surprised it's that easy to pop off by hand. No clamp on the end of it? I hope a lot of coolant doesn't come squirting out of it.

 

[CDW6212R]

It's at the bottom/front corner, nothing really is close to contacting it. It's a good sized plastic nipple and the hose is pushed onto it about 3/4", it's a good quality rubber hose too. If you can reach it, it's not hard to put your finger over the end and lift it up enough to get it higher that the top section across the radiator. Not much will come out of it and if you let it all run out, it might be 2-3 ounces.

 

[98FordLove]

It's at the bottom/front corner, nothing really is close to contacting it. It's a good sized plastic nipple and the hose is pushed onto it about 3/4", it's a good quality rubber hose too. If you can reach it, it's not hard to put your finger over the end and lift it up enough to get it higher that the top section across the radiator. Not much will come out of it and if you let it all run out, it might be 2-3 ounces.

Okay thanks. So I should be able to see and reach for it by just crouching underneath the passenger side of the hood.

 

[CDW6212R]

Yes, it's easy to see looking straight down at it.