Pushing water out of the radiator cap

[kevins750]

loosing quite a bit on every trip in my 620 w/L18 ...re-torqued the head bolts and still pushing water...is there anything else that I can check before pulling the head?

[jastrunk97]

Make sure your rad isn't clogged, maybe try flushing your coolant system, check thermostat and give everything a once over checking to make sure everything is functioning as planned.  

[datzenmike]

Is it just slightly low every time you check when cold?

 

 

Maybe time for a new rad cap.

 

Install a coolant recovery system including the special rad cap. There is always some expansion as the water warms. It's normal to over power the rad cap and spit out often after shut off when the heat spikes. If your system is operating normally the coolant will siphon back into the rad when it cools down.

 

If the spitting is excessive, is the cooling system over heating and boiling over?

 

 

 

Run till warm with the cap off. Watch and see if the odd bubble floats by. This could be compression leaking into the coolant.

 

Smell the coolant. Does it have a gas smell?

 

A compression check may show a low cylinder. A leak down test will for sure.

[Sealik]

Yup.....doing that today...lol

Exhaust smells like coolant.

 

Was hoping for a compromised intake gasket.......sooooo.

 

I found one plug that was fouled...pulled it...set that cylinder at TDC.

Installed my leak down tester....applied some air.

 

Bubbles/air out of rad....fuck

[kevins750]

about a quart low on every trip..I have left the cap off and the water will bubble....

[datzenmike]

Well still it could be a week rad cap or the rubber seal is bad or the rad surface for the rubber seal is bad. Still... a quart, even a US one is a lot.

[kevins750]

I will try and exhaust all avenues before breaking the motor down..Radiator cap will be needed anyway so that is a go..I will comp test cylinders also...Just the shits because when I bought the truck the motor was real clean on the outside and there was RTV EVERYWHERE so I figured it was freshened recently

[datzenmike]

RTV only means that the previous owner has or had owned a chevy at some time. They think RTF is the cure for everything.

[banzai510(hainz)]

is this a water passage head and intake. Maybe the intake gasket needs tighten or replaced.

 

ck a spark plug is super clean then you know it sucking in water(if comming out the back)

could also be blowing in the the water system

[kevins750]

no "steam cleaned" plugs....I will check the intake also..thanks....

[kevins750]

....radiator smells strong of fuel..Some other developments where discovered  today....My motor is NOT an 18 it's a 16, and also the front two smaller bolts from the head to block(small ones outside of the valve cover) are MISSING...

[datsunaholic]

The front 2 bolts go to the timing cover, those won't cause a blown head gasket. 

 

Fuel or exhaust in the water is really only caused by either a blown head gasket or a cracked head or block.  Almost always the gasket though.

 

At a minimum it's got to come apart and have all the gaskets replaced.  RTV is a sign of 2 things- prior owner didn't know any better (most Nissan gaskets are installed DRY)  or the prior owner was a cheapskate and tried to re-use gaskets.  I had one flooded with water because a prior owner tried to re-use an intake gasket and absolutely smeared it with orange RTV.

[datzenmike]

Chevy owner... just say it.

[kevins750]

Well I have ordered the adjuster holding tool, and I have noticed that L16 head gaskets have a model year brake...I have no idea what year this motor is or what is came out of....

[banzai510(hainz)]

this might help abit.http://vimeo.com/19077890

key is time motor before removing head

 

wish I had just a head gasket with the chain wedge

might be one on youtube somewhere

 

ask questions and most people will help.

[datzenmike]

You can make the chain wedge from a piece of wood... simple, easy.

[jrock4224]

im just gonnna say this here once .... my radiator if I top it off (with no overflow)  and fill it all the way it will push about a quart out maybe a pint once its warmed up ......if your using coolant regularly I would be worried but if your pushing out the same quart u add everytime I think your just fine .......every l series motor I have had has done the same thing ........consuming coolant is one thing but a little pushing of the same coolant u keep adding ... well the problem is the loose nut behind the wheel ...really l series should have a over flow tank to pull and push from ... I have a roadster one I am adapting to my truck and car but any tank would work.......

[jrock4224]

RTV only means that the previous owner has or had owned a chevy at some time. They think RTF is the cure for everything.

 

that's fucked up canuck.....but lulz.......I don't think the head gasket is popped and smelling fuel in the coolant is a new one .,...either way those hainz videos are the shit ....if u don't mind bad taste in music

[banzai510(hainz)]

As J rock said it, if you loose the same amount but then its OK(no overheating) I notice to drill a little bypass hole in T stat will solve the proplem of pushing water out.

A recovery tank works great but most Datsuners remove them. This used to happen when i changed to a new stat or new Cap. This was my fix as there was not proplem before. Assum it air pockets, the stat has a jiggle valve and that should be enough Some 510/521 had a rubber hose bypass on the lower stat housing to the water intake to the manifold

 

 

 

If you just using up water and OVERPRESSUREzing then face the facts your pulling the head

 

as for the Music comment "the Clash" are one of the underrated greatist bands of all time.

[jrock4224]

that clash IS the most underrated band of all time......I was just eliciting a response from u hainz....I truly lkoved the music ..... plus now everytime I hear those songs I think of timing a.... l series I have plugged all bypasses.......I think u need to pull the plugs ... whit is no bueno...burning coolant...tan is good ... I still don't know how your coolant could smell like fuel... cuz if yor truck had that bad a coolant intake leak u would a see it be the truck wouldn't run worth a shit

[kevins750]

Well I think on a long trip it would push/boil all water out....the truck does get warm(I have never let it get in the last 1/3 of the gauge before I fill it....I have never seen white smoke or excess water out the tailpipe(usually I get a little when I start the truck for the first time), I guess what makes me think head gasket was the fluid smell and the frothing of the fluid...No water in the oil pan..Plugs are all the same brown color and the truck runs pretty good actually...

[datzenmike]

1/ You will always get condensation in the tail pipe. Colder weather will be more noticable and the exhaust will show just like your breath. Don't confuse the two. A blown gasket will do this also.

 

2/ Spitting a cup of coolant is normal. More could be a bad rad cap... could also be a bad gasket. Rad caps don't last forever and are cheap. Replace it and if it doesn't help no big deal. If it does then it's a $7 fix.

 

3/ Over pressurizing of the cooling system. If it does this and spits water out the overflow before the motor is warmed up then likely the gasket is blown and compression is leaking into the water jacket. If it does it when warmed up then could simply be the water expanding from the heat. Get a later coolant recovery system and be sure to get the matching rad cap that allows the coolant to return to the rad when it cools. OR just read 2/ again

[kevins750]

thanks Mike, I will get a recovery system and new cap.....

[datzenmike]

Just saying it's cheap and easy and no harm done if it ain't it. I'm just an optimist at heart.

[kevins750]

Mike are the one's they sell at Oreilly's and autozone good enough or should I get to a wrecking yard and find one?