Coolant Explosions....[Sorta Long Story]

[Greg5567]

Well I drove my truck straight highway for about 2.5hours and then smoke decided to start coming out from underneath my hood and of course, a picture of my girlfriend was blocking the temp gauge....which happend to be almost red lined....

so i pop the hood, the hose to the overflow box is spewing out a rust colored coolant, we wait a little while (i had 2 friends with me one has a '95 explorer) and he found a stick, and popped open the overflow cap and it like.....volcanoed a ton of coolant all over the place

we let it cool down....drove about 1/2 mile, it was up to the red again.....let it cool down and as were sitting around joking about how we should get outta the bed of my truck before were killed (we were on the side of the interstate) my friend picks up this white 1gallon jug and asks what it is....

WELL....when i decided that i was going to start learning about my ranger, i decided to put (2) jugs of 1gallon coolant in the bed of my truck, for what reason? I have no idea, I just wanted to, so I could think I was smart LOL (yeah dumb...but at the time, I took apart my steering column, put it back on and thought i was master mechanic) so we empty a gallon into the radiator......no more problem

 

[metalmacguyver]

You might want to flush your coolant system........

 

[Mechanickid]

lmao totally clueless...

 

[PaleBlue90]

You might want to flush your coolant system........

+1

 

[LearjetMinako]

Sounds like the coolant was broken down or full of too much water. Either way, time to flush it.

 

[svtranger04]

flush it, might want to check the thermostat also.....your gonna flush it any way, might as well change the thermostat while your there.

Buy 2 gal of the 50/50 stuff and 1 gal of the straight stuff and add.
when i flushed mine, i ended up adding 2gallons of the 50/50 and about a half gallon of the straight stuff. i tested it..says im good to -20 so i think im ok.....but its -15 wind chill here.

 

[Tedybear]

Be happy your engine's not a 2.9v6 with factory heads. LOL

S-

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Buy 2 gal of the 50/50 stuff and 1 gal of the straight stuff and add.
when i flushed mine, i ended up adding 2gallons of the 50/50 and about a half gallon of the straight stuff. i tested it..says im good to -20 so i think im ok.....but its -15 wind chill here.

That 50/50 stuff is the biggest rippoff going, it is roughly the same price as the straight stuff, but is half water (which is under a buck for distilled at your local grocery store)

Keep it all 50/50 when you change it and don't add more coolant than water or vice versa, 50/50 mix and mine is good to -35.

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

That 50/50 stuff is the biggest rippoff going, it is roughly the same price as the straight stuff, but is half water (which is under a buck for distilled at your local grocery store)

Keep it all 50/50 when you change it and don't add more coolant than water or vice versa, 50/50 mix and mine is good to -35.

+1 to everything.

more isnt always better when it comes to antifreeze. a 50/50 mix or even less if your in a warm climate is best.

 

[LearjetMinako]

+1 to everything.

more isnt always better when it comes to antifreeze. a 50/50 mix or even less if your in a warm climate is best.

Yep, that is true. Depending on where you live, usually the 50/50 mix is what is recommended. If you live in the hotter climates a 40coolant/60water might be better suited. In colder climates a 60/40 or even a 70/30 might be needed. I keep the Blazer at 40/60 and the Ranger at 60/40. The Blazer always get the garage, while my Ranger freezes in the winter chill at night.

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

a 50/50 mix is good to -34...unless you live in the arctic, there should be no reason to go richer than that.