Hyperactive coolant overflow?

[Kiaser]

Took a 10 minute drive earlier today, after parking and coming back outside after an hour or so I noticed coolant all over the ground. Did some tests and it looks like the overflow bottle is spewing coolant, all the fluid is coming from the fascia and it's wet all around the bottle. The car got up to the usual temperature when I was driving around (never over 215 or so), but not once did it go any higher. What would cause coolant to spew if it's not getting hot? The temp gauge seems to report correctly (although I have seen it once or twice rise 20-30 degrees then fall 20-30 degrees in a matter of seconds so maybe it's bad even though it's recently been replaced). Almost all coolant is getting spewed out each time, the surge tank ends up running empty, and this *****... Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[Qualitywires.com]

maybe the over flow tank hose came off or has been pinched? If your surge tank runs empty and then your car cools off, you are sucking air back into the system and maybe that is the reason that you are experiencing temperature fluctuation?

 

[viper spray]

Hole in tank due to bolt tip rubbing?

 

[Ulysses]

Radiator cap needs replacing.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

You had a slug of air in the block due to a bad radiator cap. The temperatures are normal - for a while - with the reduced coolant level, but when the bubble passed by the sender, you had the steam temperature. When you shut down, the residual heat had nowhere to go, generated more steam, which expands greatly in volume and pushed more liquid into the tank with the cap, which overflowed into the fascia tank. Vapor does not collect in the tank because the tank with the radiator cap is not the highest part of the cooling system. Cap and burp.

 

[95Viper]

Exact thing happened to me until I replaced with a 2001 cap. You aren't stating your year so do not buy a gen1 cap if you have one. I did, it did the same thing. Do searches of the drop center versus spring center if you want to know more.

Also, I clamped the hose to metal tube to hose connections going from surrogate tank to facia tank. About $2 kit small spring clamp kit from Autozone. It's only logical that these push on fittings can draw air in system during cool down.

 

[Kiaser]

That's definitely something for me to try. I just installed a Roe Anode Radiator cap about two weeks ago. This problem just started yesterday, but I guess the cap could've given out? I've read somewhere else that somebody's Roe cap gave out so I'll try that. Oh, and to clarify, my car is a '94.

 

[BruceW]

I had the same problem with the Roe cap. The anode was getting caught up in a ridge inside the coolant tank and it was pulling on the relief valve and holding it open all of the time. As soon as the coolant started to expand it would just flow out of the cap into the front bottle. Shorten the spring wire that holds the anode onto the cap so the anode won't catch and then try it.

 

[Kiaser]

I bet that's it, the spring is REALLY long on these caps and I'm sure it was bunching up inside the resevoir. I'll shorten that thing and try again. I've got Roe Radiator hoses with a bleeder valve, anyone got any helpful hints on how to burp the system using these (does car have to be on, do you keep the heater on at all times, etc)?

 

[95Viper]

Kiaser, Listein seriously. I know it seems like a waste but spend the $30 or so, Call Chuck Tator Dodge so you'll get the 20%off, no shipping and order the 2001 OEM cap. While you are waiting the two days it will take for Chuck to have the part at your door, find the little spring clamps and clamp the tube. Your problem will be over.