68C10

For some reason I keep having trouble with my 96 TA overheating. When I let it cool down, I've noticed that the radiator is always low, like a gallon. There is no water in the oil. Could it be going through the exhaust???

Seems to be running great other than it getting hot and not cooling back down.

I also noticed that if I remove the radiator cap and start the car, water is pushed out of the radiator IMMEDIATLY even with the car cold. I wouldn't think the water pump could be circulating yet could it?

I'm just puzzled because it will run like normal and you could even drive it for 15 minutes before it gets hot (240ish) but it will not cool back down.

I know it has gotten in the 260+ degree range at least once before I shut it down.

Any ideas? Any way to check for sure that the head gasket is blown?

blahster

A quick easy check would be to pull all your spark plugs one by one to see if there is any coolant on them. if there is, then you would know that you have a leak. or you could also do a compression check on each cylinder as well.

68C10

I forgot to mention that there is also a small about of smoke (burning oil?) coming from the breather on the passenger side valve cover... I will pull some plugs and see what I find.

Does that sound normal to have water gush out or the radiator cap location on startup?

FastZinTennessee

Drain oil into a pan, let it sit for about half and hour and then check it. Sometimes it's hard to see a problem from just looking at the dipstick. If the oil comes out looking like chocolate milk or separates into two parts then you have a blown headgasket or maybe even a cracked block.

Your symptoms sound like the radiator may be clogged, causing the overheating. Just as a crash course in this stuff, coolant will escape the system in only a few ways- through a blown headgasket, through a crack in the block/heads, or it will get hot bubble into the overflow tank and then boil over the tank and out. These ways are aside from easy to see ways such as a leaky radiator, leaky hoses, etc. If you have a blown headgasket, chances are it will puff white smoke all the time or intermittently.

68C10

Yes I agree with everything you are saying. I realize all the ways it can leave the motor and I don't see anything to give away any of them. I've had several boosted vehicles and headgasket problems and they are usually the ones with the weirdest symptoms unless you have milky oil and usually that is the give away.

I don't see any of those symptoms or conditions here.

I think a clogged radiator could very likly be the problem...

captaindbol

The water flys out of the radiator cap because of the cars reverse cooling system. You can't add coolant with it running like a regular sbc. Borrow or buy a tool to pressurize your radiator and then pull the spark plugs. Watch and listen and you will find the leak. I provided a link in case you are not familiar with the tool.



http://www.eastwoodco.com/shopping/p...ssure%2Ctester

68C10

Captaindbol, thanks for your responce that's what I was wanting to know. I pulled 5 of the easiest plugs to get to and no problems. Nothing in the oil either. I think the radiator just needs to be gone through.

Thanks guys.

BIG SHAFE

Have you checked your overflow reservoir? I had the exact same problem, found out it was leaking. It is the overflow reservoir/battery tray. It leaked at the interface of the tray and the bottle. Its a $20 or so for it at GMPartsDirect.com

68C10

Thanks for the suggestion, but I have checked it and it seems to be fine. I am leaning towards a clogged radiator. I'm just wondering if I will need to have it flushed or if I will have to buy a new one?

MarineReconZ28

When I had problems with mine, I would fill it up and then it would be low later in the day. Someone told me to pull off the t'stat and fill the block, then fill the radiator and then bleed all the air from the lines. That seemed to work for me. He said something about the block not filling up when I put coolant in the radiator.

68C10

Mark, that sounds like a great idea thanks for the tip!

84 monte SS

Your headgasket IS blown, the coolant being shot out of the radiator has nothing to do with reverse flow cooling. The headgasket is blown near a water jacket and is leaking compression into the cooling system. Thus the thrust pushing the water out as you crank the motor.

68C10

I'm really not sure that is it though, after the inital startup and you slowly release the cap it doesn't seem to do it. I would think if it was blown it would be pretty violently pushing air back into the system...

FastZinTennessee

So what's the update? Did you find out where the coolant was going? Drain the oil and look at it? You're right, these problems can be decieving sometimes. If your radiator is clogged, I would recommend buying a new one instead of flushing it out.

68C10

Not 100% but I'm guessing that it is just boiling over and out the overflow bottle. Before it would run for a while before it got really hot, not it won't run 10 minutes. I'm going to get the rad flushed or buy a new one tomorrow and will update with the news...