Overflow Bottle overflow?

[bjoehandley]

Came out of work tonight to put something in my '98 Limited (4.0l/AW4/242 w/ towing package), with a 3 row radiator that was installed about 15 months ago and found a puddle under the truck just inside the right front tire (actually looked like a small dog walked under the truck and took a pretty healthy leak on the axle side of the tire:gag: ) The only possible source for a leak I could find that would make sense is the overflow bottle maybe being a little too full or a possible leak. There did appear to be moisture around the base of the bottle. Truck hasn't been running hot (normally tops out at 210* unless I've got the A/C on, it's extremely hot out, and the truck hasn't been moving for a while.) Any Ideas?

[CanMan]

Easiest way to check for a leak is to let the rig get up to temp, and then let it sit for a while, checking on the overflow bottle, for over flow. Overfilling the over flow, I have found them to overfill themselves, and leak that way. If noting happens with that method, id remove the sucker, wash it out, and fill it with water, and check for a pin hole or crack. HTH.

[8Mud]

It isn't an overflow, it is a recovery bottle. The cooling system expands when it gets hot and pumps a quarter to a half quart of coolant into the recovery bottle (the higher the temp. the the higher the level in the recovery bottle), it comes out of the tube by the base of the radiator cap. When the motor goes through a cool down cycle, it sucks the coolant back into the radiator. The radiator cap is valved to let some coolant escape at around 16 PSI and free flow (with little or no pressure) back into the radiator during cool down when the coolant contracts. Whole system keeps the radiator topped off. I have a tnedancy to fill the recovery bottle to the add mark (or min) cold or maybe slightly above run it hot and mark the side of the bottle with a permanent marker. You can tell what got at a glance.
I usually follow the white crust or the stain the same color as the coolant to find a leak.
A spot often overlooked is inside the radiator behind the shroud upper right hand corner. Don't know exactly why but they are prone ot spring a seep there. Both the Renix and later models. Some kind of stress point right there, or possibly it has to do with the temperature (one of the hotter spots) and expansion and contraction. Another spot is at the rim of a hose clamps, they can cut into the hose slowly and make pin holes.
I've found using a flahslight helps me, helps to narrow (tunnel) the vision some and pinpoint leaks. Following the white or tinted stains also helps.

[bjoehandley]

I checked the radiator on lunch shortly after that and it didn't show any signs of a leak (plus that could be a Peeing for Distance and Difficulty winner since the tire was actually wet!) as well as the upper hose and heater hoses. The only thing I could think of was either the bottle is cracked in just the right spot or I just put too much in the bottle last week.

[8Mud]

98 seems a little new to have the tubing from the radiator cap to the bottle crack. When it gets old it gets hard and accidentially crushing it during routine motor work, can cause a crack.
You need a mirror, a flashlight and a good angle to see the inside upper right hand corner of the radiator. The coolant can travel down the frame a ways and can also collect in the radiator cross brace at the bottom.
My 96 recently had a pinhole in the top radiaotor hose, that would periodically piss a stream onto the distributor area. Took me awhile to catch it in the act.

[bjoehandley]

I'm still looking for it, considering the upper hose has 101k on it I can't be lucky for too much longer. I can't get the truck to replicate the leak, I've tried 3 times between finding it and this morning, I'm begining to think may some damn dog did actually take a piss on it!

[8Mud]

I'm still looking for it, considering the upper hose has 101k on it I can't be lucky for too much longer. I can't get the truck to replicate the leak, I've tried 3 times between finding it and this morning, I'm begining to think may some damn dog did actually take a piss on it!

You might be inviting catasrophy trying this, but gently bend the top hose left and right by the thermostat housing (clamp), with the motor running (carefull of the moving parts). Might also want to have close look at the heater hoses and the valve. Where the heater hoses go through the firewall, is likely spot. if you ever have to replace the heater hoses, be carefull the connection at the core is a lot more fragile than the hoses are, twisting and pulling vigorously isn't wise.

[lilredwagn]

This is just a thought, but you mention replacing the radiator 15 mo ago.

Have read in passing that if you do not use the rubber mounts off the OEM radiator on the new one, that it will eventually wear through a spot on the bottom.

Don't know how accurate that is, but thought I would mention it. (I replaced my rad about 15 months ago too, and did not re-use the bushings, and have a similar "I might have a leak but I can't tell for sure" situation)

[bjoehandley]

Funny think is I can't even find where coolant is missing out of the radiator or overflow bottle?

[bd18packer]

Dog Pee or Coolant? Here's an easy way to check and know.

1st) Check the color.

2nd) If it's green, it's coolant.

3rd) If it's yellow, smell it.

4th) Does it smell like Alpo?

5th)If it does, it's dog pee!

Just a thought...

BD
"Life's too short, laugh a little!"

[bjoehandley]

Dog Pee or Coolant? Here's an easy way to check and know.

1st) Check the color.

2nd) If it's green, it's coolant.

3rd) If it's yellow, smell it.

4th) Does it smell like Alpo?

5th)If it does, it's dog pee!

Just a thought...

BD
"Life's too short, laugh a little!"

I actually did most of that, no obvious smell or color and I'm only running 235/75/15's so it's not like a very big dog could fit inder it . WHat does Alpo smell like exactly?