??? losing water????

[leftlane]

Put new radiator from early explorer in truck a few weeks back but now I am losing nearly 1/2 gal of water a day. I have put a pressure tester on it and no leaks were spotted. No water in oil so I have narrowed that part out. I have tried to see if I could notice any steam from tail pipe but haven't noticed any thing there. I drive right at 100 miles a day and every day I have to add water after it cools off. I did notice yesterday that even with truck cold I drove it maybe 50 ft into the garage and shut it down, may have ran for 2 minutes MAX, the radiator was already pressurized. Could this be a head gasket. 87 2.9 5 speed

 

[Rowdy Fitzgerald]

It's possible that it could be a head gasket. Run a compression test on all the cyl. I had issues with my last 2.9 losing water and come to find out it was the intake manifold gasket. Comp test it then pull the spark plugs 1x1 and pull the coil wire then have some one turn it over while you watch for water coming out of the plug hole.

 

[leftlane]

Thanks Rowdy. I reckon I know what I will be doing the weekend...... Updates to follow.... Thinking small block or 4.0

 

[Rowdy Fitzgerald]

No prob! I went with the SBF my self. It took me way longer than most cuz I changed my mind on a bunch of stuff and stuff breaking but now it's runnin and I'm liking it! Gotta lean how to fine tune a Holley then it'll be cherry! I'm pullin hills at 60 (cuz of turns) that I couldn't go up at 45 with my 2.9 before the sas and 35's. It's fun as heck to drive too!

 

[leftlane]

Luckly I was able to come across an Explorer the I was able to get both diffs out of so I wont have to worry about that "as bad". I doubt I will go SAS on this one any way, got eyes on another for a wild balls to the wall build. Best friend already donated motor for the no holds barred build FI 460 with 4 sp. I have a feeling there will be damage...... Wait I KNOW THERE WILL BE

 

[Rowdy Fitzgerald]

Ha ha with a 460 there's gonna be some carnage!

 

[cscott9016]

Could be a core plug. Or if your fan clutch is bad, it will make you lose water out the front of the water pump.

 

[leftlane]

Oh well back to the start again, plugs all look fine, no leaks on ground or wet spots on motor. Gonna pressure test today to see what happens may even replace the radiator cap just in case it was a bad one to begin with, because the over flow is keeping water in it. I am just wondering if the cap is causing alot of it. Update later.

 

[built2bashranger]

Oh well back to the start again, plugs all look fine, no leaks on ground or wet spots on motor. Gonna pressure test today to see what happens may even replace the radiator cap just in case it was a bad one to begin with, because the over flow is keeping water in it. I am just wondering if the cap is causing alot of it. Update later.

had this same prob when i bought my 88 would lose 1/2 - 3/4 galon while drivin but non if i let i run for 8 hrs parked turned out the prior owner changed the rad and forgot to hook up the over flow tube and while drivin got warm enough to flow out and not back in while cooling

 

[leftlane]

Update. Water in #5 cylinder well not ready to rebuild yet so I poured a bottle of Blue Devil in it, I know not exactly a good thing to be doing, but I am not putting $ in the 2.9 that can go in the 4.0. Well I have put nearly 2500 miles on it since I put it in and have not lost any water. I ran it for 3 days then drained and flushed the coolant system then filled it back up. So knock on wood it will hold up til I get ready to finish everything else. I would have never tried this on a motor I was planning on keeping but I had to do something. PLEASE NO HATERS.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Why would I hate on something that works??? Keep us updated please.

Richard