Hard radiator hose

x MadMAX DIESEL

x MadMAX DIESEL

<<<< No Horsepower
Dec 30, 2008
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Lexington, Ky
Just wondering how many have a rock hard upper hose and how long have you have it? I've had it for as long as I can remember and a low coolant light everynow and then. I've put a new cap on the overflow tank. If there was water in my oil would I be able to see it pretty easily? I just drained alittle bit maybe 2 ounces of oil and I can't see any coolant in it, it should have settled to the bottom overnight. But my oil is jet black also. I am going to leave the cap alittle loose today to keep it from building pressure, because I think it maybe blowing out overnight?? Because I see alittle puddle of coolant on the street over the last week. My truck doesn't white smoke, dont feel like it has a loss of power etc. These hoses being hard seem to be a very common issue, and I'm not sure they all can be head gasket problems like everyones mind jumps too.
 
duramatt05

duramatt05

New member
Nov 21, 2010
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sunderland, Ont
thats exactly the way mine was when the headgaskets went. just a slight leak at first. then one morning went out after it was warmed up and the coolant was pouring out of the overflow.
 
x MadMAX DIESEL

x MadMAX DIESEL

<<<< No Horsepower
Dec 30, 2008
7,535
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33
Lexington, Ky
Mine doesn't and hasn't ever poured out fluid. And when did you know forsure you had a gasket leaking. Afaik the only way to actually know forsure is to tear it down

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x MadMAX DIESEL

x MadMAX DIESEL

<<<< No Horsepower
Dec 30, 2008
7,535
1
38
33
Lexington, Ky
Mine doesn't and hasn't ever poured out fluid. And when did you know forsure you had a gasket leaking. Afaik the only way to actually know forsure is to tear it down

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk
 
Mike_S

Mike_S

OOPS!
Nov 18, 2009
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Yoi have bad head gaskets. Take the truck into a reputable shop and ask for a dissolved hydrocarbon test on the coolant, testing for combustion gasses dissolved in the coolant. Shouldn't cost much for tje test, and it will tell you if you have bad gaskets and/or cracked heads block. All of which are possibilities.
 
duramatt05

duramatt05

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Nov 21, 2010
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My truck had a little leak for a bout 2 or 3 months before one morning it started pouring out the overflow. Never felt any power loss at all. And after it started poring the engine wouldn't hold any tempurature. if I was driving it would be normal but if was stopped for anymore then a couple min it would drop down to nothing
 
JoshH

JoshH

Daggum farm truck
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Feb 14, 2007
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If the hose stays hard after sitting overnight or gets hard before the truck is up to operating temperature, you are pressurizing the coolant from somewhere (head gaskets, or a cracked head or block).
Mike_S said:
Yoi have bad head gaskets. Take the truck into a reputable shop and ask for a dissolved hydrocarbon test on the coolant, testing for combustion gasses dissolved in the coolant. Shouldn't cost much for tje test, and it will tell you if you have bad gaskets and/or cracked heads block. All of which are possibilities.
Click to expand...
I've seen those not work more than once.
 
Mike_S

Mike_S

OOPS!
Nov 18, 2009
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JoshH said:
If the hose stays hard after sitting overnight or gets hard before the truck is up to operating temperature, you are pressurizing the coolant from somewhere (head gaskets, or a cracked head or block).
I've seen those not work more than once.
Click to expand...

The amount of time he is talking about having it behave this way, there should be sufficient hydrocrabons disolved in the coolant for it to show. It also depends on what type of test they use, the test strip method is somewhat unreliable, we always used a specialized tool that drew air from within the coolant system (radiator or burp bottle) through an indicator liquid. Seemed to work 90% of the time. If the indicator fluid didnt turn the right color, we almost always found something else. For the price you pay for this test, we charged $15 bucks, its worth it in my opinion.
 
S

S Phinney

Active member
Aug 15, 2008
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Pressurized the coolant tank with the proper equipment and see if the pressure holds one the gauge. It should be leaking down and hydro lock the cylinder. Then you will know for sure. if it does hydro lock you can take a socket and turn the motor over backwards for a few revolutions and it will clear the water so that you will be able to crank it.
 
Mike_S

Mike_S

OOPS!
Nov 18, 2009
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S Phinney said:
Pressurized the coolant tank with the proper equipment and see if the pressure holds one the gauge. It should be leaking down and hydro lock the cylinder. Then you will know for sure. if it does hydro lock you can take a socket and turn the motor over backwards for a few revolutions and it will clear the water so that you will be able to crank it.
Click to expand...

Also not fool proof however. a combustion leak will not always leak coolant back to the cylinder. Besides the fact, dunno about anyone else, but i dont really like coolant inside the cylinders of my engine.
 
JD4440

JD4440

<< Lo-Carb Monster
Feb 27, 2009
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Orlinda, TN
x MadMAX DIESEL said:
Mine doesn't and hasn't ever poured out fluid. And when did you know forsure you had a gasket leaking. Afaik the only way to actually know forsure is to tear it down

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Click to expand...

You might not know for sure when you tear it down. Mine wasn't obvious at all. Only dripped very lightly. Only time I know for sure it leaked bad was at the track the guy at the line stopped me and said I was leaking something boosting at the line. It had already stopped to where I couldn't find the leak by that time though.
 
jnieberlein

jnieberlein

Secret Squirrel Diesel
Aug 17, 2009
689
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West By God
When you say the hose is hard, if you squezze it, it doesnt colapse at all? Just curious what the sypmtom is exactly. I was a lil low on coolant but when I squeeze the hose I can see the coolant move in the tank.
 
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