Anti-freeze magically appearing (1 Viewer)

[KKP]

My 60 sat for 2 days after driving to Galveston for the weekend. On the 2nd morning, about a cup +- was on the ground. Refilled the reservoir and have nog seen anything leaking since. Has anyone else seen/had this magically appearing green liquid? If so, what was your issue?

 

[Gretsch]

Where roughly under the truck was it? Driver/pass, front back?

 

[KKP]

Where roughly under the truck was it? Driver/pass, front back?

Under the front end, in the middle

 

[OSS]

Maybe....The coolant boiled after shutdown.
The bubbles that were created from boiling inside the cooling system around the head displaced coolant into the radiator expansion tank which overflowed on to the ground.

When the engine cooled, the coolant (and air in it ) contracted so it got sucked back out of the expansion tank

Check or replace the radiator cap.
If the cap can't hold pressure, the boiling point of the coolant will drop.
After a fast hard drive (like driving up a long hill) let the engine idle fast (1000 rpm) for a minute or two before shutting down to help cool the coolant so it won't boil after shutdown.

 

[Spike Strip]

Another possibility is crappy hose clamps will weep until engine is warm, mine did until I replaced with constant tension clamps ... However, the only definitive diagnosis is to trace the coolant leakage to its source.

Front middle might be water pump.

Time to get out and get under.

FWIW you can rent a coolant pressure tester at Vatozone for free (with the adapter) and test the system cold.

 

[Gretsch]

Get a pressure tester, pressurize the system, and look for leaks.

 

[KKP]

Maybe....The coolant boiled after shutdown. The bubbles that were created from boiling inside the cooling system around the head displaced coolant into the radiator expansion tank which overflowed on to the ground. When the engine cooled, the coolant (and air in it ) contracted so it got sucked back out of the expansion tank Check or replace the radiator cap. If the cap can't hold pressure, the boiling point of the coolant will drop. After a fast hard drive (like driving up a long hill) let the engine idle fast (1000 rpm) for a minute or two before shutting down to help cool the coolant so it won't boil after shutdown.

Maybe....The coolant boiled after shutdown. The bubbles that were created from boiling inside the cooling system around the head displaced coolant into the radiator expansion tank which overflowed on to the ground. When the engine cooled, the coolant (and air in it ) contracted so it got sucked back out of the expansion tank Check or replace the radiator cap. If the cap can't hold pressure, the boiling point of the coolant will drop. After a fast hard drive (like driving up a long hill) let the engine idle fast (1000 rpm) for a minute or two before shutting down to help cool the coolant so it won't boil after shutdown.

 

[2mbb]

When I got my '85 years ago it came with a "spare" radiator (lucky me)...It turns out there was a leak at the top seam for the radiator that was installed on the truck. So it would only leak when hot. I also had another issue later on where the tube from the radiator neck to the overflow tank developed a leak. I don't remember if mine leaked coolant when the engine got hot, but it did leak air when the engine cooled down. The end result was the expansion tank looked full but the radiator was actually low on fluid. My recommendation would be not to rely on the level in the expansion tank alone, but also check that the radiator itself is full.

 

[Gretsch]

I had my old radiator split where the mounting brackets are welded to the bottom tank. Would seep out from behind the bracket spot weld, and run along the tank seam to the center of the radiator, where it would drip on the ground. Easy to see when under pressure but kind of shifty as to where it was coming from at first. New CSF and good as new now.

 

[t140frank]

Mine was doing the same thing, the top radiator hose also was never getting hard really after warming up.
Fluid would boil in the overflow after driving for an hour of so with A/C on.
Ended up being the radiator cap, replaced with a factory cap, no more issues.

 

[SteveH]

I learned this summer that my coolant overflow bottle needs to sit at the low mark (cold) rather than than the 'full' mark, or the bottle will puke on a very hot day. The system is all in good shape (new radiator and cap) and the truck doesn't overheat - it just needs room in the bottle for more expansion when the system is blazing hot.