Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Can a lifted head cause the antifreeze overflow bottle to spillout all over?

[KSmid]

Was out beaten on my truck giving a buddy a ride. Did some hard launches 0-100mph or so. Drove back to his house, a mile or so down the round and popped open the hood to show him some stuff and I had antifreeze all over the passenger side coil and frame. Wet around AFE box and in that general area. Can a lifted head cause the boost pressure to go into the coolant system and make it out the radiator cap and fill it up and spill it out. Bottle was at full mark last oil change now its to the rim. Checked radiator and it seems fine. I've been pushing the extreme limit (48-50 psi) with all the stock stuff waiting for my new goodies anyway. And it wasn't from overheating. It's only in the high twenties here and the temp was about 180. No signs of fluid around head either. Oil looks ok.

 

[TJSHOTROD]

Yes it can.

 

[CumminsAholic]

I had that problem with my truck... coolant all over the passenger side fenderwell. I could never keep my coolant bottle full, but the radiator would never be empty, but always about 2" down from the top. If I filled it or the bottle it'd blow it out over the passenger side fenderwell. So I left it at eh 2" down mark. I drove it like that for 2 years. Well, when I did the o-rings in the head and put it on, the bottle stayed full. So yeah it's beacuse of a leaky head gasket, I got lucky and it didn't go into the oil and the oil didn't go into the coolant. I could never figure out why it leaked and it never hurt anything or ran hot, but that's why it leaked was because of a bad head gasket.

Corey

 

[Mactruck]

Had the same thing happen to me w/ an old Ford gasser back in 1990. Leaky head gasket caused exhaust to leak into the water jacket creating pressure and forcing all the coolant out through the overflow bottle.



What a mess

 

[59Turbo]

yup

Ya, been there done that. I put arp studs in and a new headgasket and also got the head cut to make sure it was flat. I haven't beat on it yet, I'm waiting for snowmobile season to be over just incase it spews again. I should have oringed it when I had it apart.

 

[WestTN]

If you fill the bottle to the top when cold, expansion will cause overflow. It should be filled to the low mark when cold.

 

[CumminsAholic]

Expansion can cause it, but that's not the case here. I bet even if he only filled his radiator up to the top and didn't put any in the bottle, it'd still spew it out over the fenderwell. Mine did. It would completely empty the bottle and to about 2" down in the radiator.

Corey

 

[Supermod56]

That is way too much boost for a stock gasket/bolt set up!! O-ring and stud it



Tom

 

[OPoole]

Fix it before the gasket blows more and antifreeze dones make it to your oil or oil makes it to the radiator and heater coil man it makes a mess. Also a lot of times a head gasket will blow and the gasket material will get into your rocker arm blocking oil causing them to gall if you blow a head gasket all way check rocker arms.