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Thread: Barfing Radiator

  1. #11
    Senior Member Mobile PC's Avatar
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    If you don't have heat, but it "barfs" antifreeze, replace the thermostat. And what Larommi said.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mobile PC View Post
    If you don't have heat, but it "barfs" antifreeze, replace the thermostat. And what Larommi said.
    Good call. I re-read the OP about the heat dying right before it "barfs"

    There might be something more going on...but I would like more information before I make a suggestion and give ITLU a coronary.

    ITLU, what is the year, make and model of the car?

    Is it a second hand car?

    Orange or green Antifreeze? If you did not know, you cannot mix the two.

    What does the fluid in the reservoir look like? Is there crud floating around?

    If you remove the radiator cap, what color is the fluid? Is there crud on the rubber in the cap? Does it feel slimy? Gritty?

  3. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pinnacle-Project View Post
    Good write up. That was nice of you to take the time to be so thorough.
    I wish I could have been more...I only had 10 minutes for break. It is kind of hard do diagnose a mechanical issue with someone that is not a "car guy" as he claimed.

  4. #14
    Senior Member ilovetheusers's Avatar
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    Sorry, thought I responded to this yesterday. Had a huge post... Phone...


    Trying to answer questions:

    Car is a Toyota corolla 99.

    Will look over everything if I get a spot big enough to open the hood and look around. Might get home with daylight today.

    Saw the posts about the return tube and reservoir. The location of the reservoir is where it's spouting steam from.

    Cap is not leaking, tight seal. I believe it it topped off when I fill it. I shake the car to get the air bubbles out, usually.

    Car is not actually overheating unless the oil levels drop too. And yes, the car burns oil at the rate of say a quart per 1500mi? Everyone here and others have said head gasket, it's been like this for, 4-5 years now?

    Mechanic did a pressure test (checking for something along the lines of what you are talking about) and said that's not it.

    Will post more as time permits, back to work for the time being.

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    Quote Originally Posted by ilovetheusers View Post



    Saw the posts about the return tube and reservoir. The location of the reservoir is where it's spouting steam from.

    Cap is not leaking, tight seal. I believe it it topped off when I fill it. I shake the car to get the air bubbles out, usually.

    Does the res hold water? It sounds like the water is shooting in there and leaking out instead of being drawn back into the radiator, especially if you are filling the radiator via the cap. Generally speaking the res has a "full" line that you fill to and let the car do the rest. If you are putting antifreeze directly into the radiator and filling it to the top there is no where for the water to go so it spits it into the tank then leaks.

    It is not uncommon for those plastic bottles to break or crack.

  6. #16
    Senior Member ilovetheusers's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Larommi View Post
    Good call. I re-read the OP about the heat dying right before it "barfs"

    There might be something more going on...but I would like more information before I make a suggestion and give ITLU a coronary.

    ITLU, what is the year, make and model of the car?

    Is it a second hand car?

    Orange or green Antifreeze? If you did not know, you cannot mix the two.

    What does the fluid in the reservoir look like? Is there crud floating around?

    If you remove the radiator cap, what color is the fluid? Is there crud on the rubber in the cap? Does it feel slimy? Gritty?
    99 Toyota corolla.

    Second hand.

    Green, never mixed. Ty for info btw, did not know.

    Fluid in reservoir is gone before I see it, but nothing weird in the reservoir container I can see. No crud, will verify later.

    Nothing on cap when low, just residue from antifreeze. Not foamy, not slimy (thick stuff), not gritty. Have used stop leak (the pellets and the powder at different times), but that's gone as soon as it heats up.


    Ty to you for the write up. Ty to all.

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    Senior Member ilovetheusers's Avatar
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    This seems logical. It's drained by the time I open the hood again.

    I fill both, radiator to full, then reservoir to fill line. Are you saying to leave it lower than the full line after filling radiator??

    So, check the return tube from reservoir to radiator for obstruction or holes?

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    Senior Member CeeBee's Avatar
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  9. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by ilovetheusers View Post
    Saw the posts about the return tube and reservoir. The location of the reservoir is where it's spouting steam from.
    By spouting steam are you talking like old time steam under pressure or just steam rolling out?

    Quote Originally Posted by ilovetheusers View Post
    Cap is not leaking, tight seal. I believe it it topped off when I fill it. I shake the car to get the air bubbles out, usually.
    Interesting that you mentioned bubbles. You should get bubbles when the fluid fills the core, but is the car running? Does it still bubble if you leave the cap off while the engine is running?

    Quote Originally Posted by ilovetheusers View Post
    Car is not actually overheating unless the oil levels drop too. And yes, the car burns oil at the rate of say a quart per 1500mi? Everyone here and others have said head gasket, it's been like this for, 4-5 years now?
    Head gaskets are a tricky thing. A bad gasket may fail in different places and cause different issues. I have had a bad gasket that did not leak water into the oil or the cylinder but it did other stuff. You can have a bad gasket and not have water in the oil.

    Quote Originally Posted by ilovetheusers View Post
    Mechanic did a pressure test (checking for something along the lines of what you are talking about) and said that's not it.
    I assume he checked the radiator but did he check the cap? I think it sounds promising that the water is not coming from the radiator.

  10. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by ilovetheusers View Post
    This seems logical. It's drained by the time I open the hood again.

    I fill both, radiator to full, then reservoir to fill line. Are you saying to leave it lower than the full line after filling radiator??

    So, check the return tube from reservoir to radiator for obstruction or holes?
    Definitely check the hose but I really think you need to check the bottle.

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