Drinking coolant

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Oldrider

Full Access Member
Joined
Oct 23, 2016
Posts
138
Reaction score
23
Location
NC
First Name
Jerry
Truck Year
1985
Truck Model
k2500
Engine Size
350
Have you run it till hot and checked really good under the hood to see if you can find any wet spots around the radiator or hoses?
It is harder to find when hot as the coolant will dry up quickly.
 

highdesertrange

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2013
Posts
1,066
Reaction score
211
Location
kalifornia
First Name
mike
Truck Year
1978
Truck Model
k30
Engine Size
454
was it ever filled up correctly when the heater core was replaced? highdesertranger
 

smoothandlow84

I'd rather be draggin' frame
Joined
Jan 4, 2015
Posts
2,121
Reaction score
784
Location
Arizona
First Name
Steve
Truck Year
1984 Frame...87 motor and 700r trans
Truck Model
1500 r10 pavement scraper
Engine Size
350 TBI
Check for leaky casting plugs as well.
 

Iowan

Loud and Proud American!
Joined
Oct 12, 2016
Posts
762
Reaction score
214
Location
Iowa
First Name
Calvin
Truck Year
1999
Truck Model
K1500
Engine Size
350 crate
was it ever filled up correctly when the heater core was replaced? highdesertranger

To be honest I don't know I bought the car on the 16 of October. And the guy never told me.
 

Iowan

Loud and Proud American!
Joined
Oct 12, 2016
Posts
762
Reaction score
214
Location
Iowa
First Name
Calvin
Truck Year
1999
Truck Model
K1500
Engine Size
350 crate
Well found out it was a coolant line,now only if it didn't blow and I could have caught it. but hay what can you do?
 

75gmck25

Full Access Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2016
Posts
2,038
Reaction score
1,836
Location
Northern Virginia
First Name
Bruce
Truck Year
1975
Truck Model
K25 Camper Special TH350 NP203
Engine Size
5.7
Also check the heater hose where it connects to the top of the intake manifold, and the upper radiator hose connection to the thermosat housing. If water seeps out around these hoses under pressure it runs onto the hot intake and just evaporates right away. You can usually stop the seepage it by just tightening up the hose clamps a little.

IIRC on some trucks there is also a mismatch of the hose sizes for the heater hose connections. I think one hose is 5/8" and one is 3/4". Many folks try to use the same hose size on both fittings and don't get a good seal. The heater hose fitting screwed into the intake is also available in either 3/4" or 5/8", and someone may have used the wrong size. If they decided to use one of the fancy chromed fittings for the heater hose or thermostat housing it is also harder to get a seal.

I would also consider replacing the overflow tank. I could never find a leak in mine, but replacing it seemed to keep the fluid level much more constant, so I think it did have seepage somewhere.

Bruce
 

Forum statistics

Threads
42,178
Posts
910,756
Members
33,673
Latest member
jcuriel512
Top