truck pukes!!

   / truck pukes!! #11  
You might check your water pump from underneath , look for stains
 
   / truck pukes!! #12  
I've had two coolant problems with my Ford trucks and neither may be what's going on with yours, but you can't ever have too much info!

1) I had a slight leak at the EGR in my diesel F250 that leaked out in the passenger side wheel well. It wasn't enough to see it on the ground, but I could smell it.

2) My diesel F450 had a blown head gasket that didn't cause coolant to leave the system, but instead caused exhaust to enter the cooling system, and over-pressurize the cap. There was no loss of power while this was going on, but the Check engine light eventually lit which alerted me to it. The inside of the overflow was black with soot.

Both of my problems were fixed at no cost to me under warranty (thank goodness as the second was a whopper!)...
 
   / truck pukes!!
  • Thread Starter
#13  
i looked it over yesterday and noticed little bubbles in the reservoir at idle. my mechanic told me when this occurs it is more than likely a head/head gasket problem. i am still baffled as to why it does not occur in stop and go traffic and normal driving, only when pulling a trailer and the truck does not over heat.
 
   / truck pukes!! #14  
Park it and put a newspaper in front of the radiator. Let it heat up at a fast idle. Then wait for it to show you where the fluid is coming from. You need to know this first before you tear into the motor. A head gasket ought to show itself as a tailpipe residue and the spark plug tips.

I like the split overflow bottle suggestion the best. Or the overflow pipe is plugged and its spewing out from an overflow hose leak.
 
   / truck pukes!! #15  
Without the trailer actual engine temperature most likely runs whatever is normal, say 200 F. The system seeks a happy level.
When you load it with a trailer, you cause it to go to 210F, coolant expands more and shoves it out the overflow. Then you fill it up and the cycle starts all over again.
The reason it is starting to do it now after all this time is because the radiator is partly plugged and not as efficent of a heat exchanger as it was when it was new and clean.
 
   / truck pukes!!
  • Thread Starter
#16  
this weekend i plan on replacing the top hose and clamps, i am also going to pull the shroud and clean the radiator coils with a hose...i will try this and post the results...thanks for everyone's help
 
   / truck pukes!! #17  
If you have a compressor use that first. Just don't use too much pressure. That will work better than water at first. Guess what you get when you mix water with a dusty radiator??:D
 
   / truck pukes!! #18  
deerfan, if you do all items you have mentioned and still have the problem, then I vote for copperdog's answer... radiator overflow because of inefficient 10 year old radiator and ....

I remember that in my experience a temperature gauge is either at a "normal" level... then suddenly flashes hot when fluid is low and you are now running on steam. You haven't had that problem yet because you have been watchful and aware.
 

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