theoldsrocket

Every time I take my car out for a drive the rad level goes down. The coolant box on the side is always bubbling up and overflowing with coolant and then spitting it out. I think its the rad cap which is 16 pounds of pressure and made in mexico. Could it be the cap? Also when I went to top up the rad I could hear noise in the rad. Engine has been rebuilt 3 years ago.

theoldsrocket

Also I'm suspecting that it could be clogged.

Rickman48

Could be the thermostat is sticking, causing the perculating!
Have you a temp guage?
Put a 180 degree thermostat in it, and see what happens!

Oldsmaniac

Do not fill rad to top. It will always spew if you do.

theoldsrocket

I took out the 180 and its running with no thermostat.

theoldsrocket

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theoldsrocket

Here are some pictures.

defiant1

Borrow or rent a coolant system pressure tester. See if you have any leaks or air entering your system. In my case, one of my heater hoses was not clamped correctly and I was allowing a slow (small) leak of coolant that would actually hit the exhaust manifold and burn away. I never knew I had a leak until I used the pressure tester.

I had similar issues as you, of course I don't know if it was quite as severe as your case.

d1

oldcutlass

Thats some ugly looking coolant in there!! When was the last time you flushed and serviced the system? You could possibly have a headgasket issue. Is there white smoke comming from your exhaust? Is the engine running rough? How is the operating temp?

Rickman48

Even race cars run a thermostat, as it slows the circulation and lets the coolant do it's job!
If you fill the radiator competely, and the engine is running [warm] with the radiator cap off, look to see if there's bubbles coming up.
If there's a steady stream of bubbles, you've a bad head gasket.
Don't know why your using that 'orange stuff' for anti-freeze, as it's more for the newer cars, and costly!
I use the 'green stuff', with sealer, and have never had a problem!
If you've no bubbles, and the fluid is fairly new, drain it and get some cooling system cleaner. Follow the directions explicitly!
Re-install the coolant, or new, and check again.
I'd also check your lower hose for a spring, [just squeeze it] as it holds open the hose during hot cycles. If it doesn't have one, get one that does!
And a little time saver - to drain, pull the lower hose off the radiator, over a drain bucket - the radiator drain takes forever!
Carefull if hot!

theoldsrocket

I'm going to put a 160 stat in there. I never had white smoke, but I will do the pressure test. When I bought the car it had the orange anti freeze in it and when I went to get more the store have me this same one which is for gm cars. What is the green stuff called, I will add it after I flush the rad.

cutlassgal

......What is the green stuff called

Probably good old Prestone. It's in a yellow jug, and is already mixed! That's what's in Teepo.

71 Cutlass

The green coolant/antifreeze I buy from O'reilly Auto Parts is either Peak, or the O'Reilly brand in the black container. Use a 50/50 mix

oldcutlass

You might want to reconsider a 180 deg thermostat.

Beob

A couple of members have asked , but you did not answer yet. What is your operating temp?

oldcutlass

Yes, we did!!

theoldsrocket

150-160 with the stat out, it used to puke even more with the 180.

rustyroger

Sounds like a classic case of clogged radiator to me, I have found the same symptoms on a lot of older American cars, instantly fixed by a recored radiator.
Don't run without a thermostat, if you do the block will be overcooled and therefore the cylinders will be very slightly undersize but the pistons will reach their normal temperature which can lead to partial seizing in a worst case scenario.

oldcutlass

My gues is an overfilled radiator and too high of a cap pressure rating or bad cap. It's not allowing the water to come back in thru the cap when the radiator cools. If it were a head gasket, it would run a high operating temp.

I'd replace the thermostat with a high flow 180deg. Relace the cap with a 13LB cap put a pint of 50/50 mix in the overflow bottle, make sure the line is clear and secure, and see what happens.

1965cutlassragtop

Def address your coolant and flush that bad boy. I had some high temp/overflow problems with my 330. I flushed the system, dropped to a 160 hi flow thermostat, and installed an aluminum radiator and problem solved!!! As far as ur coolant level dropping/leaking....if ur exhaust is clean, and your not seeing any major leaks anywhere that are obvious, i would do the flush and thermo swap before worrying too much. U can't really monitor the coolant level accurately when ur dealing with temp and "spiting up". Get the temp consistent, get fresh fluid after a good flush, and see how it goes. I usually top off the radiator with water, cap it, let it run and let it spit some fluid out the overflow, then let it cool down. Start it up again with cold engine and the cap off, let it heat up, and see if it burps any air bubbles and let it circulate for a bit, until the motor gets to thermostat temp, then cap it. And definately go with a lower cap pressure, I use an 11lb.

Lady72nRob71

Yep, drain that red crap out and flush well. Pull the two block plugs (one on each side right above the oil pan lip), pull the heater hoses, and use the garden hose to force water in from every combination to flush it out. Do the radiator, too!
Reassemble, fill with water and a couple jugs of Prestone super radiator cleaner (not the flush stuff). Go for a long drive or several smaller ones over a couple days, let cool until the block is just warm to the touch.
drain, reflush, refill, run engine till warm to touch, drain, rinse, repeat untill all the water drains out clear. Clean the overflow bottle, too.
Add a 180* Mr gasket / Robertshaw t-stat (Otterzone has em).
Reassemble and refill with the Prestone GREEN stuff mixed 50/50% with distilled water.

theoldsrocket

I cleaned my overflow container and now it has thick gunk on the bottom of it again. I'm in the process of flushing it and adding a stat with new coolant. The coolant the auto store recommended was dex cool for newer cars with aluminum heads, I bought some green one for all makes and models hope its good.