Still on the hot side

[Mbxmitch]

Maby someone can help me here's what happened.

Four days ago my ranger started running on the hot side (didn't go passed the L on normal) I pulled over to find that anti freez was in the over flow tank.

The next morning I put on a thermostat and it seemed to run fine for two days I drove it didn't go passed the middle on the temp gauge.

Now today I'm driving and it crept right back up to the L on normaL again , I popped te hood and the overflow is half way full.

Any ideas here? I can't have it in the shop until Monday

 

[shane96ranger]

It is perfectly normal to have coolant in the overflow. If you look on the side of the overflow tank, it says cold and hot. The coolant should be at their respective levels when the engine is cold or hot.

That said, what is the level in the radiator like when it is cool now? That will tell you a lot. My Explorer kept doing "the sweep" on the gauge, and slowly the coolant would disappear. I found that the lower intake gasket was leaking, but not enough that it ever hit the ground. You may also be experiencing pockets of air in the system. Did you put the pellet on the thermostat in the 12 o'clock position? That is designed to help the air bubbles out of the system.

 

[Mbxmitch]

It is perfectly normal to have coolant in the overflow. If you look on the side of the overflow tank, it says cold and hot. The coolant should be at their respective levels when the engine is cold or hot.

That said, what is the level in the radiator like when it is cool now? That will tell you a lot. My Explorer kept doing "the sweep" on the gauge, and slowly the coolant would disappear. I found that the lower intake gasket was leaking, but not enough that it ever hit the ground. You may also be experiencing pockets of air in the system. Did you put the pellet on the thermostat in the 12 o'clock position? That is designed to help the air bubbles out of the system.

I just had this engine put in because of a cracked head so I'm very paranoid , ad you know what I may not have done that I was not aware they had a specific way they went it I just put it in the general direction it was facing when I took it out. Is there anything I can do to get possible air bubbles out? I have it idling outside it isn't overheating I just don't understand the sudden spike on the gauge I went wheeling last night drove it home with no issues

 

[Mbxmitch]

I put it in with the spring , and on the face of it it is Horizontal (---) like that

 

[shane96ranger]

This is a photo I found on a google search (give me props Straycat). You can kind of see the copper or brass pellet located at the top. I actually took my pellet out and drilled the hole out to 3/16" because mine was having such a difficult time getting the air out.

EDIT: I also don't really care for that rubber o-ring style gasket. You can tell that one was leaking in the picture. I always put some Permatex #2 gasket maker around the around the flat surface to keep that from happening.

 

[Mbxmitch]

Taking that bad boy back off To see if that's the case Will suck' I've neer had this problem I've replaced several thermostats on different brand car. But you are the first person to say something about air bubbles being trapped.