Losing anti-freeze

MR. CROTTS

MEMBER
1985 CHEVROLET VAN
5.0L
V8
2WD
AUTOMATIC
60,000 MILES

I'm going to change head gasket, drain coolant, take off radiator hose, down to head bolts and the rear two bolts green antifreeze pours for 30 seconds on both sides the same. The rusty dirty antifreeze out the front totally different that anti-freeze that came from bolt holes looked like a drinking fountain and like it came out of new jug of antifreeze. My van was running okay, I'm almost sorry I started this but that missing water, daily, was giving me the creeps and just a matter of time it showed up in oil! I hope you can solve, thanks for looking.

3 Replies

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
108,300 POSTS

Hi,

I believe the bolts enter near a water jacket, so that would explain why coolant is coming from them. Also, when you reinstall them, coat the threads of cylinder head bolts with a sealing compound.

As far as the difference in coolant, do the water jackets appear corroded? How much coolant was being lost each day?

Let me know,

Joe

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Friday, April 1st, 2022 AT 10:32 PM

MR. CROTTS

MEMBER
2 POSTS

A pint or two but my problem is why ugly coolant from radiator and pretty green out the bolt and not more than month I put a cleaner in and changed coolant twice. There's like a dam somewhere, took back off the water pump today thinking it would be a mess, but it was clean. There's muddy looking stuff dragging a screwdriver down bolt holes. My new plan is to stop up all holes and fill with cleaner get bottle brush and agitate and drain. Maybe keep from pulling block. I'm hip to sealing compound seams like. Thank you

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Friday, April 1st, 2022 AT 11:26 PM

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
108,300 POSTS

Hi,

There is a good chance something is blocking flow in the block. If you have the water pump off, try blasting high-pressure water through it to see if anything comes out.

Let me know how things work out for you or if I can help in any way.

Take care,

Joe

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Saturday, April 2nd, 2022 AT 8:05 PM