RTH...again: losing radiator fluid

[a.mus.ed]

It's been a long day of driving, just got inside the AZ border on I-10. Truck was running hotter than normal (up to 218, not usually above 202 in normal conditions).

Stopped once to check water, filled overflow from empty. No improvement. Stopped at rest stop to inspect, losing water from somewhere between the starter and the manifold...

I have replaced the phh, doesn't look to be the culprit. No foam in oil cap. I'm reading threads in tech, but any guidance on where to search would help. Finding it difficult to see what I don't know to be looking for. Then not sure I will be able to fix. I do have some hose.

Thanks for your help. Happy fourth!

 

[medtro]

There is a 5/16" hose that goes from the throttle body down to the head/block, under the intake. Replacing that hose requires throttle body removal.

I would double check the PHH though.

 

[a.mus.ed]

Thanks.

I let it cool down, then drove a bit to see how it would do. Held at 198 for a while, then rose quickly to 225 as I was trying to exit the freeway. Going to try making it to quartzite, about 10 miles, then figure out wtf to do. AAA will only tow us 100 miles, $5/mile after that. Phoenix is $250, home $750. Over 2000 miles this trip, twice up and over the Sierras, and s*** hits the fan 250 miles from home.

 

[medtro]

U-haul?

 

[Chuy]

Thanks.

I let it cool down, then drove a bit to see how it would do. Held at 198 for a while, then rose quickly to 225 as I was trying to exit the freeway. Going to try making it to quartzite, about 10 miles, then figure out wtf to do. AAA will only tow us 100 miles, $5/mile after that. Phoenix is $250, home $750. Over 2000 miles this trip, twice up and over the Sierras, and **** hits the fan 250 miles from home.

I live in Buckeye if you want to drop it off at my house, it might save you some $$$ until you can get the issue sorted out.

 

[a.mus.ed]

Made it home slowly with a trick suggested by my buddy and a bit of luck. Should have updated, but it was late and I had driven for almost 20 hours. I just crashed.

Left the radiator cap on loose, hoping it would take the pressure off and slow the leak. Worked better than that, the leak held all 250 miles home. It was a nervous drive, wondering if it would blow open the whole time. Now to find the culprit. At least I can do it in my driveway.

 

[Funner]

I helped troubleshoot a leak on the bypass hose mentioned earlier. The problem I had finding the leak is that it didn't leak when idling because there wasn't enough pressure in the system to force the leak. I finally had someone get in the truck and raise the rpm's to 2500 and then it was obvious where the leak was coming from.

 

[medtro]

Glad to hear you made it home. Please keep us posted on what you find.

 

[murf]

Glad to hear you made it home. Please keep us posted on what you find.

x2

 

[a.mus.ed]

Will do. For now, after 2 weeks away from home, I'm content to just let it sit for a few days... I've got a few more weeks in my summer to figure it all out.

 

[a.mus.ed]

For the record, Medtro's guess was spot on. Under the throttle body. Heading out again in a few weeks back to San Francisco, hope this trip is a little less exciting.

 

[BrotherRob]

For the record, Medtro's guess was spot on. Under the throttle body. Heading out again in a few weeks back to San Francisco, hope this trip is a little less exciting.

That has to be the longest hose replacement in history.

 

[a.mus.ed]

Nah, it's only about an inch and a half.

 

[Funner]

Thanks for posting the cause. I can't tell you how many times I have had a question or needed info only to find the thread never concludes because the OP doesn't post the resolution.

 

[a.mus.ed]

I've been there too, sorry it took me so long. To that end...

The leak was pretty hard to locate, as said earlier in the thread. Since the leak was up high, but well hidden, the leak seemed to be coming from the mid- or lower-engine area. Chasing the stream up ended in a lot of dead-ends. Maybe I'm just bad at finding things, but I looked at a lot of places before I believed it was coming from up top.

That was a s***ty night.

 

[LongDuck]

Well, at least it was almost a year ago! Good luck on your next trip,