Whatchu Workin' On?
- Thread starter Fitzgerald
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2011
- Threads
- 80
- Messages
- 1,036
- Location
- Pueblo West, CO
- Website
- kyle-landcruiser.blogspot.com
Wouldn't be surprised...I'll try jumping it see what happens...
Just make sure they torque the lug nuts........ ask Doug
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2011
- Threads
- 80
- Messages
- 1,036
- Location
- Pueblo West, CO
- Website
- kyle-landcruiser.blogspot.com
well got the battery charged on the cruiser. It really doesn't want to run. It'll crank, ignite and sputter then die. I'm guessing its a fuel issue. Its a new fuel pump (besides its old school mechanical and they rarely fail from what I'm told), the fuel filter looks good, so maybe a carb issue? I can pull the throttle cable and its spitting fuel, so maybe something in the bowl and float? Nice day out...would be nice to drive it around!
So it seems I've got a coolant problem. Not sure where it's going. I topped off this weekend - about 3 quarts between the radiator and overflow bottle. Drove about 50 miles yesterday and the overflow bottle is empty and the radiator is probably an inch low. Parked it over some fresh snow last night and didn't see any evidence of a leak this morning, so probably not a static leak. Will park it over some snow and leave it running awhile tonight to see if its leaking under pressure.
I tried one of those block test kits - the one where you stick a cylinder of testing fluid over the radiator and pull air through it with a squeeze bulb. No color change despite doing it far longer then they suggest is needed. Not sure how accurate those are. Oil looks fine on the dipstick, but I think I'll get one of those Blackstone kits and send it off for analysis.
It does smoke on a cold start, but I've figured that was valve guides leaking down into the cylinders. Don't really smell antifreeze in it, but not sure I trust my nose.
Any other suggestions?
I tried one of those block test kits - the one where you stick a cylinder of testing fluid over the radiator and pull air through it with a squeeze bulb. No color change despite doing it far longer then they suggest is needed. Not sure how accurate those are. Oil looks fine on the dipstick, but I think I'll get one of those Blackstone kits and send it off for analysis.
It does smoke on a cold start, but I've figured that was valve guides leaking down into the cylinders. Don't really smell antifreeze in it, but not sure I trust my nose.
Any other suggestions?
The test kits are pretty reliable, from what I've read and the few that I've observed. Given that the test indicated "negative" for exhaust gases in the coolant system, I would suspect what you said--leaking hose under pressure. Lisa's '95 was leaking from the 'bypass' hose under the intake. It was leaking only at pressure/operating temp.
When I got home from work, I let it run in the driveway for about half an hour over some clean snow. No obvious leaks. Looked under the hood, paying attention to the intake and water pump areas, and nothing obvious there either. Stuck my face into the exhaust and didn't smell anything like antifreeze there either.
It seems that at the rate I'm losing coolant, I should be able to see or smell something!?!
It seems that at the rate I'm losing coolant, I should be able to see or smell something!?!
Did you check the PHH? I don't have one, but I hear they are hard to access/see.
Nah, I take it back...3 quarts in 50 miles would be easy to see. Seems likely to me that it could be going out the tailpipe. Did you also look at the rear heater line areas?
Nah, I take it back...3 quarts in 50 miles would be easy to see. Seems likely to me that it could be going out the tailpipe. Did you also look at the rear heater line areas?
Radiator cap? Maybe pushing coolant to the overflow and "overflowing" then sucking the overflow reservoir dry after you shut it off? Bit of a stretch, but it has to be going somewhere. Pressures and temps higher when driving versus driveway? Smell coolant while driving?
It's not 3 quarts in 50 miles - that's how much I added to make it full, but its not down to that level yet (I could see the core when I topped up). But I think it could be 2 quarts - the overflow bottle to the full line is probably a quart alone.
PHH was done years ago with silicon hose. But that's right in the open near the bottom - if it were leaking, I'm pretty sure I'd see the evidence one the ground.
Not smelling antifreeze in the cab, so I haven't really considered the rear heater core - I'll check the carpet tomorrow.
I'll probably re-do the block test to make sure the thermostat was open.
PHH was done years ago with silicon hose. But that's right in the open near the bottom - if it were leaking, I'm pretty sure I'd see the evidence one the ground.
Not smelling antifreeze in the cab, so I haven't really considered the rear heater core - I'll check the carpet tomorrow.
I'll probably re-do the block test to make sure the thermostat was open.
Nope - was to hot, but I'll go out and take a look now.
There's nothing wet around the overflow bottle to indicate that it went out there. I've considered that pressure & temp in the driveway may not match on the road, but not much I can do about it. May actually be a little higher with less air flow?
Temp guage is fine, but the stock guage is infamously insensitive.
Just checked, and it's down more after another 45-50 miles today. Almost to the top of the core. But I don't have any differential to know if any of that was while it ran in the driveway.
Carpets are all dry inside.
Carpets are all dry inside.
If you have a mirror, look on the bottom side of the water pump to see if there is any coolant residue. Depending on how much/when it is leaking it can be evaporating off hot engine at higher rpm. Coolant leak might also be disguised a bit if hot coolant is picking up oil on the outside of engine and running down, seen that as well but maybe the outside of your engine is cleaner than mine 
If you have a mirror, look on the bottom side of the water pump to see if there is any coolant residue. Depending on how much/when it is leaking it can be evaporating off hot engine at higher rpm. Coolant leak might also be disguised a bit if hot coolant is picking up oil on the outside of engine and running down, seen that as well but maybe the outside of your engine is cleaner than mine
Nope, my engine is filthy, and the valve cover gasket is leaking quite a bit, so everything has oil on it. I need to get home in daylight and take a look underneath as you suggest.
Maybe I'll go to the car wash and try to de-gunk it a bit also.
Last edited:
Drove up to Copper Mountain on Saturday - about 130 miles of highway speeds. Only took about 2 quarts to top it off. Not sure what's going on - why the loss rate varies so much.