water/coolant

[cottontop66]

i sometimes have a problem (usually when the weather is hot), with my 92 ranger. sometimes when i stop the water/coolant in the reservoir will start bubbling/gurgling almost like its boiling and overflowing out of the reservoir. any ideas on what could be causing this? thanks!

 

[Mr99Ranger]

Possibly bad head gasket. do you get any white smoke coming out of the exhaust, or a sweet smell?

 

[Big Jim M]

Them bubbles is STEAM! Most times that will occur from the engine having a small exterior leak and the coolant level INSIDE the engine being low. When there isn't enough coolant in the engine the AIR in the system is located at the HOTTEST place in the engine...the head! So what we do is to take the radiator cap off, when the engine is cold, and turn the HEATER ON IT'S HOTTEST SETTING then we start the engine and while it is running and heating up we fill it to the very top of the fill opening.
Continue this until the engine reaches operating temp keeping the radiator full.
Sometimes it helps to park with the radiator fill hole uphill from the engine so that opening is th highest place coolant could be.
Then when full if after running around the block it continues to bubble in the coolant tank we begin to think about the head gasket.
However if that does stop the bubbleing then you didn't have enough coolant inside the system.. WHICH points to an external leak. If that leak isn't repaired this will happen again and will perhaps ruin the heads or the head gasket.. Which will leave the vehicle beside the highway...no telling where...but usually waaay out in BFE!
Big JIm

 

[Mr99Ranger]

I always think about the worst case scenario first, then work my way back to the simple things, then start with those before workin my way back to the tough stuff. Odd way of thinking i guess. Like one day started truck and tranny wouldnt pull at all. first thought...blown planetary, then thought about shift solenoids, then valve body, then about shift linkage then finnaly....da-da-da the trans cooler lines. started by getting out of truck and what do i see.....blown cooler line with a 6" chunk missing. tranny had NOOOOO fluid. and i thought it was a blown planetary before anything else.