Should Coolant gush out of the...

[ald872000]

Fill system with 50/50 mix when system is cold, run with cap off until it starts to gurgle out the top. Then once it starts doing that, put the cap back on, and make sure the reservoir is full. And if the cap is leaking, I'd take it back and get a new one. 16psi is the correct cap rating for our cars.

at first I didn't do that, I just refilled the radiator, then the reservoir, recapped the radiator with a new cap an then went for a drive, didn't notice any pressure in the system when I pulled over, noticed the resevior was dry so I refilled it, happed again and did the same, next day or two I switched the new cap for the old and got some pressure. (squeezing the upper an lower hose).

I thought through the circulation of the water pump when the thermostat is closed it would produce pressure? or am I miss informed?

[GoodSamaritan]

This is probably a bit late, but I've had more than one water pump "knock" when it went bad. Pull the belt and see if you can wiggle the pulley up and down, or side to side. If it moves your pump is shot.

The one I took off my wagon wasn't making a noticeable noise, nor was it leaking, but the impeller inside it had been rubbing a bit, and was pretty eaten up.

[GoodSamaritan]

Did you get large scabs on your face? I got big one-piece scabs down the side of my face where my arm didn't block the splashing, boiling coolant.

Yes, I removed the cap from an overheating car. I had just spent the past six months (on and off, not continuously) working the bugs out of a large electrical harness that the coolant was boiling all over. I had to stop it from doing that somehow and the quickest thing that came to mind was to remove the cap while blocking my face. I didn't block it well enough.

Funny thing is the shit also coated my hand and nothing happened to the skin on it. Guess my face was that much more sensitive...

My experience was similar. I burnt my hand a bit, but the right side of my face got the worst of it.
I didn't have a solid scab on that side, but rather splotches ranging in size from 1/4" to 2" it even got up under my hair, and burned my ear.
I spent the better part of that weekend with a cold pack on that side of my head.

The worst part was when the old skin started peeling. Yech!

[trwp72]

When you put the old cap back on, did the knocking stop? Or is it still knocking... I would have the radiator checked... (You can do that yourself) Take the two hoses off and block the bottom hose outlet. fill it with water, all the way to the top, then un block the outlet... it should shoot out of the bottom. The last one I checked this way shot about 2 feet away from the radiator. Other than that, check the entire radiator for any green "gunk" anywhere on the radiator.. that would mean a leak. Especially check the ends where the core is soldered to the tank. (IF you have a brass one) If you have an aluminum one, check to make sure the core is not rotting out, and coming apart... Mine did that down here after the county shop put an aluminum one in it right before I bought it. The salt air at the beach destroyed it, from oxidation... You could run your fingers across the fins and they would fall off... Second, check the water pump for loosness, and leaks. Also check the bottom radiator hose.. it has a spring in it to keep it open under pressure, since this is the "suction" hose. If it is old, it may be weak, and collapsing under pressure...

If you are going to keep the car for a while I would do a complete coolent system change... a little at a time... here is what I did to my car when I did the 5.0 H.O. swap:

These are in order of importance, unless you find another problem on your syatem check out.
I would change the water pump, thermostat, and hoses all at the same time... so you don't have to keep buying coolent.
New water pump-- Lifetime warranty
New thermostat, the premium one that "open" if it goes bad instead of closing...
new hoses, especially the bottom one...
New fan clutch-- get the thermal one, that engages when the tempature comes up...
New three row radiator--- brass--- NOT aluminum Brass doesn't rust, oxidize or otherwise deteriorate
New 50/50 mix of Antifreeze, and get the good stuff... not some cheap junk...
All together, this will cost about 400.00.. small price to make sure you won't overheat and blow up your engine.... Of course, if your present radiator is good... then that price will drop... Just make sure it is good!

Problem is, only one of these parts failing or not performing right will cause major problems for you...

[gadget73]

I thought through the circulation of the water pump when the thermostat is closed it would produce pressure? or am I miss informed?

The pump just moves the coolant around. It doesn't make any pressure. The cooling fluid expanding as it heats up is what makes pressure. The reason that cooling systems maintain pressure above atmospheric is that it increases the boiling point. Water boils at 212 at sea level, but under 16 psi of pressure it boils about 250. THe coolant increases that somewhat, so its in the 255-260 range. It will keep that boiling point no matter where you drive. If it was at atmospheric, you could leave California and head towards Boulder and suddenly you'd be boiling over as you crossed the mountains simply due to reduced pressure.

[ald872000]

When you put the old cap back on, did the knocking stop? Or is it still knocking...

Yeah she still knocks... passenger side

I would have the radiator checked... (You can do that yourself) Take the two hoses off and block the bottom hose outlet. fill it with water, all the way to the top, then un block the outlet... it should shoot out of the bottom. The last one I checked this way shot about 2 feet away from the radiator.

Can't self test, I work on the car at a local park across the street. Dam environmentalists take daily joggs around the field, Bastard had the nerve to say my Vic is a gross polluter... They got pretty scared when they saw me unhinge the bat from the underside of the trunk lid

check the entire radiator for any green "gunk" anywhere on the radiator.

For a aluminum Radiator it appears fine, no leaks front or back side, nothing squirting out.

Second, check the water pump for loosness, and leaks.

This one I'll do, Haven't tried it but i'll check it out

Also check the bottom radiator hose.. it has a spring in it to keep it open under pressure, since this is the "suction" hose. If it is old, it may be weak, and collapsing under pressure...

Bought mine with out the spring from kragen. Did I get the wrong one?

as for the list you provided on what to change out I changed:

-thermostat 195
-radiator
-upper & lower hoses
-cap an 50/50 coolant
-fan clutch

I'd only guess the water pump could be the culprit, but my vic doesn't overheat. I drove about 70 miles today an back (freeway) and saw the guage stay before the 'N' and climbing hills it went up slightly then dropped.

Problem is, only one of these parts failing or not performing right will cause major problems for you...

yeah man I agree, happen to me with a 96 Chrysler LHS... young an stupid I thought 'aw gee if I put more fluid in the resivoir it will run cooler an better' dam shit sprayed everywhere after a 20 min drive, steam came out of the exhaust an there i'm thinken 'aw cool look at that a steam screen' damit its the beginning effects of a blown head gasket... young an stupid fellas.. young an stupid...


Gadget: thanks for the info man, somthin to explain to a mechanic who might be arrogent an tryin to rip me off.

[91waggin]

I'd only guess the water pump could be the culprit, but my vic doesn't overheat. I drove about 70 miles today an back (freeway) and saw the guage stay before the 'N' and climbing hills it went up slightly then dropped.

Be suspicious of the factory gauge. I thought one time that my thermostat was stuck open and the car wouldn't warm up, and after driving for 20 minutes, it would barely get up to the edge of the normal range. Turns out the little 6 dollar sending unit that was original was bad. It's a little one-post unit, IIRC, it's slightly to the driver's side of the distributor. Resistance between the post an the casing of the sender should be 74 ohms with the engine cold and around 10 ohms with the engine at operating temp. Test the sender before you use the temp gauge for any kind of diagnosis.