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#1 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Glendale, AZ
Posts: 3,178
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radiator question
Looking for a little help. I went for a nice drive the other day. When I got home, I left it running in the driveway to open the garage and take care of a few other things before I parked it for the night. That’s when I noticed that my coolant was leaking out of my overflow tube on the radiator. I popped the cap when it cooled down and it was about ¼ low. Any ideas as to why this would happen? The truck never really got hot, it least the gauges didn’t show. Should I be worried? Thanks.
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#2 |
Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Southeast Missouri
Posts: 2,436
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Re: radiator question
You may need a new radiator cap. When you say 1/4 down do you mean 1/4 down in the radiator.
I usually keep the level a couple of inches down from the top of the filler neck. After a while it will leak out of the over-flow tube until the levels gets down about that level. Some people have gone with over-flow tanks and relief/recovery caps because they don't like antifreeze getting onto the ground.
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'67 Chevy C-20 short stepper - build complete, 454/SM-465. '75 C-30 Single Cab DRW-350 small block/NP-435. '77 GMC-6500 Dump Truck, 427 Tall Deck. '92 GMC K-3500 Duallie, 454/4L80E. |
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#3 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: prescott, az
Posts: 225
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Re: radiator question
I went with an over flow tank because as the truck cools down it should pull the coolant back into the radiator.
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1971 C20 Longhorn Custom Camper |
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#4 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Redmond, OR
Posts: 758
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Re: radiator question
Same here. I got one at NAPA for $7.50 that fit between the battery and firewall. Works great.
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68 Chev C20- son has it now 83 K20 - bought from son 70 C20 - in progress |
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#5 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: daytonabeach
Posts: 22,956
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Re: radiator question
Quote:
loads of coolant is lost because people just dont know the proper way to fill a radiator on and old vehicle
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71c-10 350/2004r/4:11 lowered3/4 longbed/dead by hurricane MEANING OF DEATH::::: SOMEBODY ELSE GETS YOUR STUFF DONT BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU THINK TAKE MY ADVISE;I DON'T USE IT ANYWAY |
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#6 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Glendale, AZ
Posts: 3,178
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Re: radiator question
Quote:
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#7 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA
Posts: 1,887
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Re: radiator question
I agree, if the radiator cap spring gets weak it will open at a lower pressure and spill coolant when it shouldn't. By the way, the cap can be tested (some auto parts houses will do it for free).
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#8 |
its all about the +6 inches
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Hilliard Ohio
Posts: 2,693
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Re: radiator question
As implied, this is normal, and the rad is supposed to be filled to an inch or so below the filler neck.
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#9 |
Active Member
![]() Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Centrally located between Houston, Austin and Waco. BCS area.
Posts: 7,947
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Re: radiator question
Get a new cap and overflow tube or container. I'm using one on my old 68 GMC and did wonders to keep the coolant in the radiator and also helped keep it cooler. For some reason, it never did like being even a couple of inches low on coolant.
Here's my homemade one. (I've gone thru the rad support since this pic) |
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