85 radiator problems
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Joined: Apr 2013
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85 radiator problems
When I take off the radiator cap to check the coolant it spits out of the radiator when cool.When its running I get white smoke around the lines and hoses going to the radiator under the filler neck.I
've had coolant disappearing whats causing this?
've had coolant disappearing whats causing this?
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,752
Likes: 276
From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
I know if i take my radiator cap of when the engine is running but cold coolant will overflow (noticed that when i first got my vette 16 years ago), when replacing coolant i rev the car a bit and keep adding water (the level will go down with rpm increase till she is full and you can see the hot water come through the radiator). That is how i prime/bleed the water and you can see the water flow from the other side of the radiator as the thermostat opens, i fill while reving the car then fit the cap.. if i let the car return to idle some coolant will squirt out without the cap on.
(I may be wrong but that is how i fill the radiator)
Best do a compression test first, the 85 has a steel shim head gasket that is usually good for the life of the engine. They do not get eaten up and corroded with electrolysis and galvanic action like Alloy heads and normal gaskets on cast iron blocks, depends on your engine if rebuilt they will fit a different head gasket.
Usually if there is a blown head gasket as other posters said there will be signs on spark plugs, also check your oil filler cap for any sludge it will be white if a head gasket is gone.
Possibly a head can be cracked, gasket blown or cylinder bore cracked.
Of course in that case you may have the radiator cap venting excess pressure, or have water going into the combustion chamber and to exhaust spark plugs. A compression test will be the next step.
Not sure on the white smoke you are seing near the radiator, sounds like combustion gasses in the coolant but do the tests before thinking the worst.
Do not just replace the head gaskets without getting the heads crack tested.!
You don't want to do the job twice
Good luck
(I may be wrong but that is how i fill the radiator)
Best do a compression test first, the 85 has a steel shim head gasket that is usually good for the life of the engine. They do not get eaten up and corroded with electrolysis and galvanic action like Alloy heads and normal gaskets on cast iron blocks, depends on your engine if rebuilt they will fit a different head gasket.
Usually if there is a blown head gasket as other posters said there will be signs on spark plugs, also check your oil filler cap for any sludge it will be white if a head gasket is gone.
Possibly a head can be cracked, gasket blown or cylinder bore cracked.
Of course in that case you may have the radiator cap venting excess pressure, or have water going into the combustion chamber and to exhaust spark plugs. A compression test will be the next step.
Not sure on the white smoke you are seing near the radiator, sounds like combustion gasses in the coolant but do the tests before thinking the worst.
Do not just replace the head gaskets without getting the heads crack tested.!
You don't want to do the job twice
Good luck
Last edited by gerardvg; Mar 18, 2014 at 11:04 PM.
