Okay, this morning on the way to church (less than two miles) the temperature gauge needle quickly climbed to over half, closer to 3/4 way to the H. Usually sits on the first line above the C. Also was running the heater and it never got warm, although at one point the needle dropped and there was a bit of warmth, but as soon as the needle climbed back up the air was freezing again.

Figured coolant was low. After church before leaving I checked the overflow reservoir. It was bone dry. Had experienced a dry reservoir about two months ago, when began overheating, added 50/50 coolant and it immediately stopped overheating.

Today added 50/50 coolant (have kept some in my truck ever since the first incident), and expected it to run cool all the way home. Instead it once again ran hot.

There are not leaks that I can see, and I've never seen a puddle. I watch for that as I have dogs. Have never seen any antifreeze.

In reading some of the posts, I've noticed mention of air getting in the line/radiator and needing to bleed it out. Is it possible that buy the reservoir being dry, that air got in there? How do I bleed out the air?

Cheryl

 

really depends on how low the system was when the fluid was added. Was it added to the radiator or the resevoir

 

maybe stuck thermostat?

 

Current issue I'd say replace the thermostat, as for the coolant loss check around the thermostat housing or it could be a weeping frost plug in both cases the coolant can dry before enough collects to leave a puddle.

 

Both reservoir and radiator needed fluid. Local mechanic came and check. It's the water pump, no water movement in the radiator. So going to replace both the water pump and the thermostat tomorrow.

Thanks for all the answers.

 

think just the trermostat would fix it, must be stuck closed and not letting the water flow. when a water pump goes out is because it is leaking they do not just stop pumping water overnight. none the less would not hurt to replace it.

 

I was of the impression that when our thermostats fail, they are safety designed to fail in the "open" position, therefore preventing problems like this. Unless they are so horribly clogged as to occlude the entire opening, which would require coolant fluid about the consistency of beef stew, these water pumps will allow coolant thru rather than block it off.

Water pumps have been known to seize without much leakage. Generally when the internal water pump bearing is worn it will weep out the weep hole, but if it is defective it might not weep very much at all, and continue to wear until it seizes. This might be where the missing fluid is going, when my water pump recently wore out the weep hole leak was very noticeable, but I have seen cases where it just dripped slowly.

Either way it does not hurt to replace them both. Stick in a 180 degree thermostat instead of a 195 thermostat and your truck will run a little cooler. Flush out your heater core too.

 

Only the "Fail Safe" brand of thermostats will fail open. The rest will fail open or closed, depending on how it failed.

 

Oh ok I stand corrected. OP, try to track down a 180 degree fail safe thermostat. It just so happened to be the cheapest one at my local Advanced Auto parts store...

 

i have had a problem like this, i had put 50/50 into the radiator and the reservoir and i drove the truck for about a couple days and checked again and it was dry, i have not seen any leaks