engine coolant after engine heater is plugged in

[STUK]

Because of recent cold snap I have been using the plug in heater to help with starting.
After the truck is plugged in there is a coolant drip at the front of the engine. I loosened
the radiator cap and a small amount of pressure had built up. Is this normal and
could this be the cause of the drip. Please help if you have any suggestion

Thanks
Stuk

 

[mwilson]

The drip is a loose clamp or something similar. In cold weather antifreeze will leak from any weak point, worse when plugged in. Usually the lower hose on the radiator. The block heater will not open the thermostat as a rule so the radiator stays cold except for the little bit of heat going into the lower part of the radiator as a result of convection.

I have seen it many times, sometimes the only way to stop a cold leak was to remove the hose and use Indianhead Gasket Cement as a sealer.

The pressure may be from the convection or could be residual pressure from the last time that the engine was running. The little drip would take a long time to bleed off 15psi of pressure.
It is also way more apparent when you are parked on snow, that's usually when it gets noticed.

I have been responsible for many green and red marks in the snow, on occasion even yellow.....just sayin'...

 

[Tuesdak]

There is a coolant line on the passenger side of the block for the heater that should have constant tension clamps but got worm clamps instead some years. These leak with a slow drip. Short term fix is tightening and long term is constant tension clamps. There are two special silicone hoses used on this line as regular heater hose can't take it. May have to remove the oil filter to get to the clamp.

 

[mwilson]

OP, what year is your truck???

 

[mwilson]

May want to see if it is coming from the water pump weep hole as well. Something about the cold brings out the weak spots in machines in general.

 

[STUK]

Yesterday it was -29 here and the coolant leak appears to be on the lower radiator hose
or something else behind the oil filter.
It is to cold to be laying on ground to repair so its off to the dealer .

 

[MMeier]

-29, where the heck are you, Minot ND or some forsaken place like that ???

 

[JR]

-29, where the heck are you, Minot ND or some forsaken place like that ???

It hit -39 in good old NE Ohio early Friday morning. We've had more nights and days of sub zero weather in the last 2 winters than the previous 5 combined, and it ain't over yet.

Global warming my a$s