I had a hose which carried coolant blow while I was on my way home. I didn’t notice untill I started smelling coolant, looked at temp guage and noticed it running hot and pulled over immediately. The hose that blew was located on top of engine. I obtained a replacement hose, and filled radiator. I started the truck and ran it for approx. 30 sec. When the truck was turned off it was as if there was a large amount of backpressure that expelled a lot of coolant out of the coolant reservoir. My question is: Is this normal, or the sign of something bad? I also checked the oil to see if it looked like choc milk and it did not. Oil looked fine.
DO NOT REMOVE RADIATOR CAP IF SYSTEM IS HOT OR YOU NOTICE PRESSURE ON HOSES.
This is normal… 30 seconds is not long enough … the system has an air pocket and it is your job to bleed it out. Fill the radiator, start engine with cap off… coolant level may go down some when you first start the engine. top it off and carefully squeeze the top radiator hose a few times .. this is referred to by mechanics as “burping the system”. once no more air comes out, top it off and put the cap back on. This should be done generally inside a few minutes. Allow the engine to reach operating temperature.. during which the radiator hoses will have pressure. We are wanting the thermostat to open and allow the rest of the air trapped in the system a chance to get out. Once the thermostat has opened, the pressure on the hoses will calm down. Shut the engine off and ALLOW THE SYSTEM TIME TO COOL DOWN. check and top off radiator.
DO NOT REMOVE RADIATOR CAP IF SYSTEM IS HOT OR YOU NOTICE PRESSURE ON HOSES.
http://www.freeautomechanic.com/overheating.html
It is also a good practice to replace the thermostat and radiator cap at time of service.
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