Need help with coolant system problem

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I noticed my T-bird leaking cooling while I was on lunch. I couldn't tell where it was coming from but after I took the rad. cap off it quit. The car had been setting for about 4 hours and still had pressure on the system. So I changed the rad. cap filled the it back up with antifreeze and drove it around the block. It was a little low so I filled it up put the cap on and let it run till the fan cycled and check it for leaks. Nothing was leaking or smelling like antifreeze. So this morning I move it to clean it up. I check the antifreeze and its low again so I start it up and ad coolant till its full and put the cap on. It runs maybe 5 mins and coolant is spraying out from under the rad. cap.


What could be causing this and should the coolant system still have enough pressure after setting all night to hiss.

The car is a 1988 Ford Thunderbird Turbocoupe
 
I vote for either T-stat or head gasket.

Crank it up with the rad cap off and let it warm up. When it bubbles up, ck to see if there is any gas/exhaust smell coming from the radiator/overflow. You can get head gasket/coolant testers that detect CO and change color as the gases bubble through it. Thermostats can screw up as well, and sometimes due to the layout it might not always show on the temp gauge.

I did a fair amount of head gaskets on 2.3s in T-birds and XR4TIs. It would not surprise me one bit if that was the problem. Any white smoke out the exhaust, coolant smell at exhaust? Pull the plugs to see if any of them show signs of coolant.
 
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Another vote for head gasket or thermostat. When it gets bad enough you will probably see steam from the tailpipe.
 
I'm thinking your first time the air bubble made it past the thermostat and out into your overflow tank, so you didn't spray coolant everywhere.

The second time, the air (exhaust) bubble got stuck behind the t-stat and kept it from feeling coolant and opening.

I suspect a moderate head gasket leak, exhaust-to-water, and it's only becoming a problem now because of what it's doing to your t-stat.

I would however check the operation of your overflow tank, it should send and also suck back coolant from the neck of the rad.
 
The thermostat is suppose to be a fail safe. But I know things dont always work as they should. I didn't really smell coolant in the exhaust just a little steam at start up and it went away but there was water on the ground at the tail pipe.
I just took the cap off the wasn't any pressure on the hoses but coolant sprayed out of the cap when I took it off.
I'll start it later and see If I can smell exhaust through the rad.
 
How does the oil cap look and how does the radiator cap look. ANY mustard or Mayo? I have seen this on perhaps "25%" of the cars that eventually had a HG problem. Sometimes it looks white and creamy with the consistency of mayo; otherwise/also, could be like a golden brown mustard. These are tell-tales.

I could rattle off every symptom of a blown HG but boiling coolant and bubbles in the overflow tank.. are usually giveaways..

I only had one car go so bad that i got actual real "milkshake oil" and that may not have been a HG problem, but rather failing cylinder (where stuff was getting through. Or both.)
 
^You'd figure it would find its way to some sort of weep hole and leave at least a small puddle directly underneath that, then. Perhaps this car doesn't have that?
 
If it is leaking a the cap, you may have a bad seat on the radiator, bad cap, or high pressure.
High pressure is head gasket or cracked head. Maybe a thermostat that is stuck.
 
It seems as to build pressure after just a few mins of running. The old cap didn't leak but it seemed that I was having to tighten the [censored] out of all the hose so they didn't leak. I put a lever vent cap on today and it spewed out the sides on it.
The oil is still very clean but there is a little bit of white on the bottom of the oil cap.
I haven't been able to run it up to operating temp. with the cap off b/c with in a few mins. of running it wants to over flow.
 
Not to sound all doom and gloom here, but your overpressurization issue sounds a LOT like a warped head on aluminum block.

I once had an 88 T-bird (not the SC, the 6cyl) and it had an HG go.

That's not a bad car. I liked it. I would replace the head, if needed, IF proper diagnosis says that's it.

Did this car badly overheat? Most owners know when they pushed it too far. BTDT..
 
1) Check the hose to the overflow tank for blockage.
2) Check to make sure the rad-cap is properly tightened.
3) Check to make sure the rad-cap has proper pressure rating.
4) Check filler neck of rad for wear.
 
Make sure the coolant is full. Let the engine idle up to normal temperature. Releive cooling system pressure. If the pressure comes back _immediately_ (not after a several seconds) then replace the thermostat and start over. Let the engine idle for 10 to 15 minutes longer. Releive the pressure again. Raise the RPM to abour 2k for 15 seconds then let idle for a few seconds. Rev the engine WOT to 4k or 5k RPM twice. If the coolant pressure is high, you've got a head gasket problem.
 
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