cooling system question

[chrisk1500]

Hey Guys,

Here is a quick question for you.

Isn't the upper rad hose supposed to harden up once the truck is up to operating temp?

Mine doesn't. It is easy to squish if the truck is cold or hot - no difference.

I have a new rad cap and a new AC Delco t-stat in place.

The truck does not overheat at all. The coolant rises in the expansion tank when the engine warms up and drops when the engine cools off.

Just wondering what is considered normal.

Chris

 

[iamdave0887]

when hot my trucks upper rad hose is stiff with pressure bu its not like firehose stiff. i don't' know if the older cooling system is different however but i would guess they would work the same way. maybe you've got a bit of air in the system. i know when TD and myself reattached the t-stat housing and upper rad hose to my truck the upper rad hose was soft until i bled out all the air.

 

[Chevylover]

Hey Guys,

Here is a quick question for you.

Isn't the upper rad hose supposed to harden up once the truck is up to operating temp?

Mine doesn't. It is easy to squish if the truck is cold or hot - no difference.

I have a new rad cap and a new AC Delco t-stat in place.

The truck does not overheat at all. The coolant rises in the expansion tank when the engine warms up and drops when the engine cools off.

Just wondering what is considered normal.

Chris

Same on my truck as you described, but my upper rad hose gets a bit harder than with cold engine. It is normal, cause when engine running and warm, the water pump not only circulates the water, it also will build up some pressure in the cooling system. This is needed, cauz normal water will boil at 100°C , but under pressure water won't boil at this temp.

Perhaps your radiator cap /overflow tank cap isn't the best anymore and will not hold enough pressure ?

Cu,
Sven

 

[Dave12]

When I was diagnosing my coolant problems I checked my upper rad hose at all temp ranges and it never really seemed to change much. Definitely got harder as it warmed but not rock hard, I was still able to squish it.

dave

 

[JiFaire]

Mine squishes, too. I figure if it ain't broke, don't fix it... when I start getting leaks, white smoke, or milky oil, then I'll worry.

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

Which cap did you put on it? If you put a vented cap on it will not get much pressure in the cooling system. The remote expansion tank system should have what they call a non vented cap. The little metal disc that is on the bottom of the cap should have a spring holding it up for a non vented, and a vented cap it will hang down.

 

[94K30]

mine doesn't get rock hard either, just a little firmer than cold.....I never overheat so, I didn't worry about it

 

[chrisk1500]

Fair enough....thanks for the comments....

 

[sshewins]

Yeah, when its rock hard, thats when you've got issues. Like cracked heads or blown head gaskets preassurizing the cooling system.

Soft on startup: not bad.
Firm when warm: OK
Rock hard on start up: not good