This is topic Radiator issues in forum Tech Talk at Northern California Ford Owners  .


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Posted by 90GT510 (Member # 9199) on :
 
Drove my 1990 5.0 50 miles after years and all was good. Now on the way back home it started to run hot.. Really hot to where the needle on the gauge would go up to the N and almost touch the red but would cool back down to normal operating temp. Now it did this a few times. Pulled over opened up radiator and it was half empty with a bunch of rust water in the overflow tank. Refilled radiator and was back on my merry way to getting home and it happens again this time it does the same thing a few times but It officially overheated 10 minutes away from my house and just kept driving all the way home.

Next day I decide to check it out and the car runs ok then when it's time for the thermostat to open the coolant goes down but nothing returns from the engine. Every time it did that I would add water to the radiator to prevent it from overheating and everything would be fine. But again. Time for thermostat to open radiator level would go down and nothing would return from engine?

Any ideas on what could be causing the problem?
 
Posted by SteveL (Member # 1241) on :
 
There's only two places lost coolant can go: On the ground or out the tailpipe.
 
Posted by Blue92 (Member # 8789) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by SteveL:
There's only two places lost coolant can go: On the ground or out the tailpipe.
Or passenger floor board. [Razz]
 
Posted by 5.0 LsX (Member # 10017) on :
 
or into the oil, or out of the overflow
 
Posted by 90GT510 (Member # 9199) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by 5.0 LsX:
or into the oil, or out of the overflow
This is where I think it's coming out. Oil looked fine last time I checked. Heater core is fine. I think water pump thermostat and radiator need replacing. Any easy way to check for for faulty head gasket before I do all that?
 
Posted by 5.0 LsX (Member # 10017) on :
 
pressure test the cooling system
 
Posted by Blue92 (Member # 8789) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by 5.0 LsX:
pressure test the cooling system
+1
I thought I had a leaking radiator, put the tester on and blew that fucker out. lol. Had to replace it but found the problem. Then a week later, it was my lower intake leaking in the back at the firewall.
 
Posted by 90GT510 (Member # 9199) on :
 
Weird. I check it out today. Radiator leaked bad until car warmed up then everything seems to be running fine now no overheating or anything no water disappearing other than the little that leaked out.
 




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