Then what are you worried about?
Just did HG with all the goodies and still loosing coolant : (
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Then what are you worried about?
- Thread starter
- #42
That I did all that work and I'm still loosing coolant somewhere. Same symptoms as I had before when I knew I was getting coolant in my oil.
Thinking I skimmed a bit more than I thought I did. Is there coolant in your oil now?
Have you quantified the coolant loss?
I flat made a mark on my overflow, check my radiator - so every hood pop I know what to expect.
If you've lost ~1/4" of coolant that's one thing, constantly filling the system is another.
I flat made a mark on my overflow, check my radiator - so every hood pop I know what to expect.
If you've lost ~1/4" of coolant that's one thing, constantly filling the system is another.
- Thread starter
- #45
I haven't sent another sample to Blackstone yet so I'm not 100% that it is.
I have been marking it and i would say it's around an inch lower every couple days.
OK, now we're getting somewhere - based on a previous statement, you do a 30mi commute 2x a day, and so we seem to be talking 1" of coolant from the tank every 180-200 miles?
It this about right?
Have you parked over cardboard to truely rule out this being a cosmic collision of simple condensate & a hose clamp that hates you?
Rare, but the whole "hear hoofbeats, think horses not zebras" - thing.
It this about right?
Have you parked over cardboard to truely rule out this being a cosmic collision of simple condensate & a hose clamp that hates you?
Rare, but the whole "hear hoofbeats, think horses not zebras" - thing.
This is my truck. My overfill is always low because of small leak around where I tied in my koso sensor thingy. Not enough to hit the ground, but enough. I need to re-do that one day.
I'm sorry, you lost me at Blackstone.
Is the cap good? Are you overfilling the tank? When are you checking it?
- Thread starter
- #49
Yeah that amount seems to be about right. Just spent about 25 minutes looking over the motor, pulled the PCV and some water droplets flew off of it when it came loose. Also noticed a little goop on the oil dipstick. The goop on the dipstick was higher than the oil level but it looked like condensation had gathered on it. This was just after a short 10 minute drive though.
- Thread starter
- #50
This is my truck. My overfill is always low because of small leak around where I tied in my koso sensor thingy. Not enough to hit the ground, but enough. I need to re-do that one day.
What is this koso sensor thingy you speak of?
- Thread starter
- #51
Blackstone Labs is a place you can send small samples of your engine oil to for oil analysis.
Cap is new, coolant disappears from the reservoir at any level and I've been checking it at different time. Warm and cool.
Sorry the part I cut into the line I used a glowshift adapter for the koso sender. Anyway my cuts weren't the cleanest and leaks a bit, not enough to hit the ground, but enough.
Details Here:
Koso slim water temp gauge install
38 MM or 1 1/2 Inch Water Sender Attachment
While I loose coolant, I have never seen either the stock gauge or koso gauge report anything but good temp numbers.
OK - well, lets start w/ the elephant in the room.
How experienced of a mechanic are you, and how do you recall the experience of scraping clean the block surface, laying the HG, and then the head on that?
Would you have eaten off the surface before the new gasket was laid down?
Most importantly, how exact were you on tightening the headbolts?
Do you own excellent tools, and were you nursing a buzz at all at that point in time?
Do you do similar work as a vocation, and am I speaking underneath you?
Not judging, certain jobs just require more clarity & IDK you in real life.
If you say "my HG job went like a Swiss watch" - then we can eliminate that.
Have you parked over cardboard?
How experienced of a mechanic are you, and how do you recall the experience of scraping clean the block surface, laying the HG, and then the head on that?
Would you have eaten off the surface before the new gasket was laid down?
Most importantly, how exact were you on tightening the headbolts?
Do you own excellent tools, and were you nursing a buzz at all at that point in time?
Do you do similar work as a vocation, and am I speaking underneath you?
Not judging, certain jobs just require more clarity & IDK you in real life.
If you say "my HG job went like a Swiss watch" - then we can eliminate that.
Have you parked over cardboard?
- Thread starter
- #55
I am not a mechanic by trade but I have owned and worked on several cruisers over the past 10 years. Ive been in on several front end rebuilds over the years as well.
I have a very blue collar vocation as well which has required me to work with my hands pretty much my whole adult life. With that being said I would have not tackled this job by myself, and I consider myself very lucky to have had the knowledge and help I did on every step.
The head and block surface were very clean, I would have eaten off of them. The gasket laid down very nicely as well as the head on top of it. I will say everything went back together really smooth.
Tools were good and I don't drink. I have not parked over cardboard yet but I will tomorrow and report back.
I hope none of that sounds defensive because I definitely didn't take offense to you asking. I really appreciate the help and input.
- Thread starter
- #56
So drove to work this morning and put cardboard under the truck as soon as I got out. Couple of drops of power steering fluid and that was it. Waited till it cooled down, drove it to temp and checked it again with the same results.
So, two tidbits that may or may not help:
The radiator in the '93 had an issue with the upper crimp - it created a fine mist in the engine compartment, no drips. I found it when I used a pressure tester. Not much coolant loss, though.
The 12-year old radiator in my K5 developed a leak in one of the tanks that would leak only in the cold, and self-seal when the engine came to operating temperature.
The radiator in the '93 had an issue with the upper crimp - it created a fine mist in the engine compartment, no drips. I found it when I used a pressure tester. Not much coolant loss, though.
The 12-year old radiator in my K5 developed a leak in one of the tanks that would leak only in the cold, and self-seal when the engine came to operating temperature.
I put in a new engine and even after I burped the system the coolant would go down in reservoir for a few weeks of driving until it eventually stabled.
Can we attribute this to air still in the cooling system? There may be still air in the system that is taking the volume of space and eventually finding it's way to the top.
He installed a new OEM radiator before the HG install due to the failed upper tank crimp that you mention.
We could..... but have been trying to rule that out. Gravity burped it and now followed up with a burping funnel plus its seen a few hundred miles that seems it would have eventually pushed all the air into overflow by now. Ran to temp, all heat on, 3k rpm until the bubbles stopped. Hope your right but hasnt seemed convincing yet with the continued loss.