I bought a radiator for my truck for 111 bucks and put it in myself. Can't tell you what site it was sorry but they are out there. Would flushing the coolant system get rid of the gurgling and coolant drainage? My overflow tank empty's as well, no coolant on the floor, no odor when the heat is on (heat works excellent anyways) and the window's fog up only when it's humid outside which I believe is normal. Also I had a pressure test done and it was normal.

 

Double post, sorry.

 

If you are gurgling and losing coolant you have a leak somewhere.
I'd check the heater return hose around the long metal receiver as well as the tstat housing. Another place to check is the heater supply line that runs along side the passenger valve cover. There's a splice in the line that can leak on an exhaust manifold and evaporate, leaving no drips.

I don't recall having condensation all all really, double check that heater core to be sure. That or the unspeakable may have happened.

 

Unspeakable meaning the heater core busted? Yeah I don't have any visible leaks anywhere so I'll check that splice part out, thanks.

 

Unspeakable (fortunately, I am only typing...) is cracked head(s?).... something else these trucks are rather notorious for. It was a **** poor head design from the factory. The decks were too thin, and crack easily. Won't always show up on a pressure check.

 

I hope it's not a cracked head. I put them on 35k miles ago and they were brand new I don't have a gasket leak...no coolant in the oil.

 

Were they stock replacements? Or aftermarket 'better' heads? They like to crack between the valves, so, you won't see anything externally, sucks coolant into the cylinders, burns it, and blows it out the exhaust. If it gets bad enough, you can smell it, and see nice clouds of white smoke.

 

Yeah they were stockers, couldn't afford anything better. Would they really crack this soon though? The others lasted 215k when we got the plenum done. The guy said my heads were cracked when he pulled them off but they were just hairline cracks. It used coolant then but it wasn't as bad. Had to put coolant in maybe every 2 weeks and it never gurgled until I replaced the radiator and even that went away after awhile. Now I've got to put some in every 4 or so days because it just won't quit gurgling.

 

Try burping the system. Grab yourself some coolant, and water. Park the truck with the front angled upward. (a hill, jack up the front, air down the rear tires, whathaveyou.) Pull the radiator cap, and start the engine. let it come up to temp. (NEVER open a hot radiator, warm the engine with the cap OFF.) You will know when the thermostat opens, as coolant will start cycling thru, you can look into the radiator and SEE it happening. When the level drops, add some. Let the engine cycle several times, and keep topping it off. It may toss a bit back out at you when the thermostat opens..... that shouldn't come as a surprise. If it starts blowing large volumes, you have a problem.

If everything goes according to hoyle, once the radiator is full, has cycled a couple times, and the level hasn't dropped, put the cap back on, fill the overflow to the Hot mark, and then see what happens. If you are still losing coolant, need to find out where it is going..... With it full, and the engine warm, and the cap on, let it run for another five minutes or so, and start looking around for drips. See what ya find.

 

Thanks, I've burped it before but not when it was hot. I'll try it out in the morning. If it's blowing a lot of coolant back at me does that mean the head is the culprit?