Coolant...Any ideas??

[Ford Country Girl]

I have a 94 4.0L standard Ranger. I'm having trouble with the coolant spraying out everywhere when I turn the truck off. It runs in normal temperature range but as soon a I turn it off it buries the needle starts steaming and all the coolant sprays out. It comes out of the overflow resivoir, top and bottom of the radiator. Any ideas what might be causeing this. There are no apparent issues with the hoses and I have changed the radiator cap. Trying to get this damn truck running good before my hubby comes home from afganistan.

 

[feellnfroggy]

Sounds like its just time for a new radiator cap. The spring sounds wore out in yours, when the truck is shut off and the fluid stops flowing through the block it makes its way back to the over flow, The rpessure is always there but since hte spring in the cap is weak it releases as soon as it can.

 

[Ranger44]

Did they give you the right psi rating on the cap?

Needs to be a 15 or 16 psi cap.

Is the coolant hissing and bubbling? Good sign of overheating whether the temp gauge says so or not.

 

[trail B2]

Over heating

Does it over heat every time you stop or just where the end of the trip is slow streets like a fan problem ? When you take off and it's warming up does the gauge leap up fast and all at once this happened to me and it was low on water you have to fill my 94 4.0 up go for A short drive and top it off to get it clear full.

 

[Ford Country Girl]

It is the a 16 psi cap. It does hiss and bubble but not normally until after i turn it off. I've tried running it for a short distance and even short distances like 2 miles it sprays out everywhere. Thanks for the help. Could it possibly be that it is not holding pressure? And if so how would I fix that?

 

[Big Jim M]

Have you driven it a long distance?
If you drive it the 2 miles and allow it to idle in the driveway does it overflow then? If yes I'm thinking it is a blown headgasket.
Big Jim

 

[ranger_runner]

is there too much coolant?

 

[PaleBlue90]

it could be a bad t-stat,fan clutch. my buddys exploder was doing this. we placed the temp sensor,waterpump,t-stat,hoses,cap, it turns out it was a bad fan clutch

 

[Ford Country Girl]

I've driven it short disatnces and longwer distances, 25-30 miles. It doesn't overheat unless I shut it off as long as its running its fine. I've been going by the owners manuel for the amount of collant to use so there shouldn't be too much coolant in it. I haven't really replaced anything except the cap yet. I will look at the other stuff. Thanks for the help.

 

[Big Jim M]

I'm thinking the radiator and coolant system isn't full.. When it is cold take the radiator cap off and see if the radiator is full under the cap.. If it isn't completely full FILL IT DIRECTLY then put the cap back on and drive it the standard distance. Upon returning notice if it overflows again.
Big JIm

 

[feellnfroggy]

Very true, I hadnt even thought about it being low (<----common sense escapes us all sometimes)LOL

 

[Ranger44]

Did you happen to drain the system, and flush it?

If you did and then filled it back up, there could be air trapped in the system. It can cause pockets of heat and not allow the cooling system to function properly. Not sure of the procedure on the 4L, but there is a way to get that air out.

 

[PaleBlue90]

Did you happen to drain the system, and flush it?

If you did and then filled it back up, there could be air trapped in the system. It can cause pockets of heat and not allow the cooling system to function properly. Not sure of the procedure on the 4L, but there is a way to get that air out.

+1 make shure the motor is cool, take the rad cap off. start it and watch for air bubbles. as soon as theres no bubbles, fill coolent as needed and put the cap back on

 

[Ford Country Girl]

I did just drain and flush. Thank you, I will try that and see what happens.

 

[AllanD]

Someone needs to explain "burping" the coolant system

Generally if you run it up to temp with the cap off you'll
notice that as the thermostat opens the coolant level you can see through the open cap will drop, when this happens top it up immediatly and close the cap

Now let it run a minute or two longer and shut the engine off
but make sure the overflow has liquid in it, filled to the "Hot line"

Let it spew all it likes, just stay out of it's way...

Now as the engine cools it should suck coolant out of the overflow bottle

let it get cool really cool as in do this whole operation at night and let it
cool overnight and first thing in the morning check the levels.

Top up if necissary and drive normally, long enough to get it
completely warmed up. then tell us what happens when you shut it off...

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