So yesterday the electric fan stayed on after I shut the engine off and I thought to myself, "Self" thats odd.. got back in the car and checked the temp guage, and all was normal, today I got out of the truck and heard the sound of coolant escaping at high speed, turns out it was hissing from a fitting on the radiator just below the upper rad hose inlet.. I picked up a thermostat and changed it. The old thermostat did open when in a pot of boiling water, but it didnt open very far.. not nearly as far as the new one, so its possible that the flow was restricted....

Anyhow, went to top the coolant off and it took the entire gallon, then I started it up and watched to make sure the Water Pump was working, and it was.. Then I noticed that coolant was pouring onto the ground around the bell housing...

Immediatly I realized that this was bad.. Im thinking head gasket best case, cracked head or other damage from excessive heat worst case.. The temperature on the guage never got hot, but that doesnt mean it didnt get hot I am thinking..

I took a closer look to see if I could figure out exactly where it was coming from and I think I located it, it seems to be coming from the top of the engine just behind the intake manifold.. it is pooling up right there on that flat part between the valve covers and behind the intake then running down the back of the bell housing... Is this good news??? Could it just be the valley pan gasket???

Any input appreciated.
I dont have the time or patience to work on it myself, so I am taking it somewhere to get fixed, or if the news is very bad, buying a hoopty and selling the disco for parts.

 

My 96 was leaking (pouring) out at the drivers side bell housing, it was the valley pan gasket.

 

hissing from the fitting below the radiator? I have a leak there too, not sure where its comeing from though.

 

just food for thought, if you take it somewhere to get the valley gasket done you will find the whole head gasket job is only like 1 hour more shop time.

 

If you are going to have a shop do it, go all the way. That is really low miles for a 94.

What kind of shape is it in all around?

 

To clarify, it was venting from a fitting below the upper radiator hose inlet, that about 3/4 up the radiator, it ended up being just consiquential, it was what clued me into the fact that pressure was building up in the system, ie that it was hot, the temp guage showed normal

Ok thanks for the input on that, there was a thread listed here that had European Auto Repair listed as a local Oklahoma City shop that was recomended.

Its not in bad condition, but its started running odd lately, it idles low in hot weather, and high in when it cools off, so I am thinking maybe the MAF or some air temp sensor is bad.. It needs shocks and springs and some bushings, but its just not in the budget, and it was leaking gear oil out of the transfer case at the rear seal, but some White Rhino I think sorted that out.. that or its empty.(Lol)

Anyway thanks for your input guys, I will let you know how it works out.

 

If I had it and was low on funds, I would just hold on to it until better times. Those are really getting rare. Don't do anything rash and give it up.

 

Do not part out that one owner low mile truck, either sell it to a good home or wait until tax return (if you get one) and then fix it.
And remember that having the rear seats removed and 1,000 lbs of tools in the back 24/7 will wear out the suspension and bushings sooner than later.

 

Ok the good news is, I did a ****ty job putting the thermostat in, that is why the fluid was pouring out of it, it was pouring out of the bottom of the thermostat housing, running under the I.M. and then running down the back of the engine...

Sooo, fixed that, let it come up to temp, water moving, no obvious leaks other than the slow one below the fitting, Oil or transmission cooler line, the one just below the upper radiator hose inlet, but I do think the fan clutch is bad, I bring it up to temp turn it off and then the fan will spin freely.. that means the fan clutch is bad.. YES??

 

Yes prob a bad fan clutch, check the tech section for a easy and cheap replacement.