radiator foaming over

[denver9]

If i run anything besides straight water in my radiator, it foams over under the slightest load and increased rpm.

[Chuck Sea/Tac]

Check for exhaust gases in the radiator.fill it to the neck, and hold the engine at 1000/1200 rpm for a half a minute or so, and watch for bubbles.

[Larry Jenkins]

Originally Posted by denver9

If i run anything besides straight water in my radiator, it foams over under the slightest load and increased rpm.

Regular anti freeze will "foam." Get the new stuff that won't do that. Maybe someone else will remember the type and Brand name.

Larry

[Mitch//pa]

i never had regular antifreeze foam on my cars. dont over fill the rad, it should be at or just below the baffle.. also ck for combustion gasses as mentioned

[Greg Jones]

The "non-foaming" type is Sierra.

[Tom Wesenberg]

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I would suspect a leaking head gasket. I use regular antifreeze and don't have foaming. Fill the radiator to the top, then connect a hose from the bottom end of the overflow pipe to the bottom of a gallon jug half filled with water. Put the car in neutral and snap the throttle open several times while watching the jug for air bubbles.

Or, if you are close to a shop such as Mitch has, then you could have them check for exhaust gases in the radiator by using an electronic sniffer.

[MikeK]

Sierra is one of the brands of Propylene Glycol (not ethylene glycol) anti freeze that foams much less. HOWEVER many people run regular antifreeze with no foam problems. It only foams when it aspirates from the pump whipping up gasses. Chuck/Sea/Tac is absolutely correct about combustion gasses leaking through/past a head gasket, particularly as load & cylinder pressure increases.

The question is do you want to fix the problem or treat the symptom?

[Mitch//pa]

Tom,
we use our emissions gas analyzer to sniff the cooling system for hydrocarbons.. HC's

i also have the kit you can buy at most outlets
http://www.amazon.com/UVIEW-560000-C.../dp/B000NPDL76
but on very small leaks its tougher to diagnose with this...
its better than nothing

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Many times, you can even smell the combustion gasses @ the filler, with your own SCHNOZZOLA. You could re-torque your head bolts, "MIGHT" help??
Bill W.

[Allanw]

Our foamed like a bar-steward, untill we had the radiator rodded out, so it cooled properly.

Climbing hills, it would gush foaming coolant all over the place, even out the radiator cap.

4 goes with chemical flush did nothing. Rodding it out cleaned out a cup and a half of rusty, shitty crap.

Since then, it's NEVER done it again, plus we've added a thermostat. I think we did some damage to the headgasket, as it started leaking about 500 miles later, so the head is off now.

I'd get yours cleaned out too.

[denver9]

I have had suggestions such as puttin a restrictor in the upper radiator hose to keep the water in the block longer. I got instructions with my leakless water pump to trim off part of the water pump impeller so it doesn't pump the water quite as fast. Have tried neither method. It seems to me that cutting off part of the impellars could upset the balance and wear out the bearings ??

[Tom Wesenberg]

Install a thermostat if you haven't already done so. This will hold back the coolant until the engine reaches the correct operating temperature. If will also slow the flow slightly, so the top tank is less likely to fill to the top and flow out the overflow pipe and onto the ground.

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

I would suspect a leaking head gasket. I use regular antifreeze and don't have foaming. Fill the radiator to the top, then connect a hose from the bottom end of the overflow pipe to the bottom of a gallon jug half filled with water. Put the car in neutral and snap the throttle open several times while watching the jug for air bubbles.

Or, if you are close to a shop such as Mitch has, then you could have them check for exhaust gases in the radiator by using an electronic sniffer.

Autozone has a loan a tool service. Other parts houses may have the same.

http://www.autozone.com/loan-a-tools...er/391378_0_0/

[stillwater]

I agree with Tom, I've seen this fix the boiling. Basically just re-torquing the head bolts.