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#25498 11/11/2002 8:08 PM | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 384 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 384 | I recently put in the antifreeze for winter. I keep getting dripping under the radiator when I turn the engine off and let it sit. The thing has soaked about a 3 ft circle on the pavement. Is this normal? I'm thinking the newer coolant overflow bottles may prevent this. Will it leak a little each time? Thanks
55 1st Chev.
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#25499 11/11/2002 8:28 PM | Joined: Aug 2002 Posts: 127 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Aug 2002 Posts: 127 | I had a similar problem. Fluid would fill up my front crossmember and just sit there. While driving people would yell out the window hey you are leaking! My truck wasn't overheating so I was puzzled then I realized I had no overflow tank! So I bought one of those long skinny polished stainless overflow tubes for around $60. I had to cut/grind off the tube that exits the near the cap at the top of the radiator and I used some jb weld to hold in a new piece of metal tubing. Then I used vacuum hose to run down to the bottom of the new overflow tank. | | |
#25500 11/11/2002 8:53 PM | Joined: May 2000 Posts: 234 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: May 2000 Posts: 234 | It shouldn't leak, unless overheating. Are temperatures getting high, even in winter?
How's the condition of the radiator cap? It could be as simple as replacing that if it's old and doesn't seal correctly. You say you replaced the fluid, might be that opening the cap disturbed the seal if it was old rubber.
Or, in the case of a Jeep I recently worked on, it could be that the radiator is so plugged up that it's overheating and pushing the water out it top. We noticed the tank at the top of the radiator was literally bulging outward.
-Boyo
'48 Willys CJ-2A / '55.1 Chevy 3600 / '66 Austin-Healey 3000 / '04 Volvo wagon (parenthood!?)
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#25501 11/11/2002 9:14 PM | Joined: Sep 2002 Posts: 72 Member | | Member Joined: Sep 2002 Posts: 72 |  howziit guys! i had a puking problem, when i replaced my 283, with a 327. a higher-rated radiator cap cured that. i also had the case of "disappearing coolant"(maybe 4-8oz) every other day...on THE PINK LADY. a generic coolant recovery tank(less than $10) from NAPA solved that problem.
Myron
1956 chevy 3100 stepside, Pro-Street stance, mild 454 BBC/350/9"/13" M/T'S, daily driver, aka THE PINK LADY
1957 Bel-Air coupe, 500 HP blown sbc in progress, aka LANI
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#25502 11/11/2002 11:03 PM | Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 3,458 Extreme Gabster | | Extreme Gabster Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 3,458 | The old radiators use the extra space in the top tank as coolant reservoirs, so they are never supposed to be full, just fill it until it pukes out and let it seek its own level. Mine is about 1-1/2 inches below the filler. If it pukes enough out that you can see the top of the coils, then you have a problem.
Paint & Body Shop moderator
A lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic. | | |
#25503 11/12/2002 7:51 PM | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 384 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 384 | Thanks...I should have known.
55 1st Chev.
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