Big Problem!!! Need Help!!!!!!

[Clod_King]

Okay, my coolant is not rated low enough for the weather we are getting tonight, and I cannot get it to cycle through the engine......

I had the engine at the red zone twice already, and that amount of heat STILL won't get it to cycle through the system.

It was running perfectly about one hour ago, and now it won't cycle, what could this be??????????

thermostat?

If so, should i pull it, and run the truck without it the thermostat? I only need to cycle, and mix up the coolant with some fresh antifreeze. I am NOT driving it anywhere.

 

[Supreme70]

Sounds like thremo froze, Pull top hose and pour Boiling water on tp of thermo to free it up and then new antifreeze, put hose back on and then run motor

 

[Clod_King]

But my hose gets hot after a while (near the red line), and by that time I have to turn it off and wait for it to cool off.

would that still be the problem??

 

[Supreme70]

If your top hose is getting hot the water is cycling thru the water pushes from the bottom up from the pump. the thermo mite be stuck and its only going thru the by pass.

 

[dyeager535]

If your radiator is frozen, no way you are going to push coolant through it. The radiant heat from the engine as you've discovered is not nearly fast enough to melt the radiator ice before the engine overheats.

If the radiator isn't frozen dunno what your problem is. Pull the cap off while it's running and make sure you've got coolant flow. (do this before you get it hot!)

 

[MuddinManny]

Take action before the cold knocks your freeze plugs out

Hey,

If your radiator is frozen, that means that the mixture inside the block is too weak and you may pop a freeze plug if the block stands too long without being warm/fluid changed. Do you have a block heater? Do you know anyone who does? It's imperative that you keep the block warm or get the frozen material out of the radiator as quickly as possible. Block damage may occur.

I don't know how cold it's supposed to get near your area. Most anti-freeze will handle the cold of the continental US, so it sounds like too much water in the ratio of the mix. You need to drain as quickly as possible, remix 50/50 and run it through the system. Thermostat sounds like it's frozen. Pull it, put it in a pan of boiling water to force it open. For the radiator, open her up and see what comes out the drain plug. If nothing, boiling water in the top to try and melt the ice core.

I know this seems like drastic steps, but you need to do what you can before you pop the freeze plugs. Definitely get a block heater from the auto parts store tomorrow!

Wish I could be there to help out. Best wishes!

Manny

 

[Clod_King]

Man I think it was a combo of the two. I did end up draining and topping up. I stuck two space heaters up against the rad (most of the front clip has been removed due to the build up), and I removed the thermo compleely, and ran the truck.

The temp gage started at 40 celcius, and then dropped to around 38. never rose, and I could feel the coolant flow throught the upper hose.I managed to get a full 2 litre jugg into the rad, and cycled it for about 6 minutes before I left the truck alone.

I started work on the truck at like 2 pm, and stopped at 11 pm. And it started at like -12, and ended up around -18 or -19 not including the windchill. Let's just say that if it weren't for full body Long-Johns, I would be freezer burnt right now.

But yeah, it ended up alright I think...


Actually I am going to go outside, and check the rad cap right now.

And manny, thanks for the offer man, I don't have any freinds who know anything about vehicles. D@mned Musicians, they're all built like saplings, tall and lanky.

 

[Clod_King]

alright, everything is cool. Now slush in the rad, only that wonderful cool mint green color I so adore.


BUT it is friggin' cold out there. The rad cap suck to my hand, and I had to run hot water over it to get it off!!!! And my hand was dry, besides the slight bit of snow on the top of the rad cap.



Again, thanks for the speedy responces. It's like 3:45 am right now, and I can't see it getting to much colder out. and there is a nice industrial strength fiberglass tarp covering the engine, and rad, so i cannot see the wind getting to it that much.

Again thanks brothas

 

[BenDover]

dont run without thermostat it will run colder and take longer to warm up

 

[Clod_King]

yeah, I find that my truck won't heat up no matter what I do. So I am going to order a new thermo from the dealership. I heard only the GM quality ones work well...