leaking coolant...from where???

[timstone]

Just this week and past week I have been losing coolant from somewhere. The first time I didn't think anything of it really just thought I was low on coolant so I topped it off. It did it to me again the other day (truck got hotter than normal and blew cold air)

The overflow tank is completely empty...the radiator after putting even more coolant in just last night is only about half full. I don't see any extra liquid in the oil so I guess that rules out head gasket...I can't see any wet spots on any of the areas visible without taking a crap load of parts off the truck and the heater core isn't leaking either.

So....what are my options from here? I'd much rather not have to pull off the throttle body and whatnot to see the other parts of the heating system if possible but I know I might have to. Are there any places that are KNOWN to leak on these trucks? If it matters at all the trucks mileage is around 184,000

And also...the t-stat is not stuck closed or open. When I add coolant it heats just fine but once it runs low is when I have the problem with cold air.

 

[Big Jim M]

There are many threads on overheating read a few of them.
The most common thing by far to happen is there is a very slow leak outside the engine from a hose or the coolant pump or even the hose between the cap and the coolant tank.. AND over the weeks the coolant level gets lower and lower. The finally the engine overheats.
When reinstalling coolant the OWNER forgets to turn the heater on and take 20 minutes to completely FILL the coolant system.. He also doesn't bother to FIND the LEAK! So in a day or so it overheats again.. This time it fries the headgasket! Another headgasket is needed as well as finding the original leak.
To check if the gasket is still good spend the 20 minutes filling the coolant system (while running with the cap off... Then put the cap on and run her around the block. Upon returning check the coolant tank for bubbles.. If ya got em you need to replace the headgasket.. If not then you need to find and repair the leak.
Big JIm

 

[Spowerback]

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[Spowerback]

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