whiteyoda93

ok first off its a 93 22re. I have air bubbles in my radiator. when I start engine with cap off I see little air bubbles in my radiator. I see them in over flow tank when coolant is hot and engine is off. I checked oil and it looks fine, not water in it. don't have steam or smoke out tailpipe. doesn't seem to have any compression loss. although I haven't ran a compression check yet. don't have time right now. radiator will put coolant in overflow tank but won't suck it back out when it cools down like its supposed too. it will even over fill the tank. I don't get to drive this truck very much because of my job as a otr truck driver and not home much. I love to drive it when I get to though. and this problem is driving me crazy. I know it's not supposed to be that way. I need to know where to put my money towards. any help would be appreciated.

Pat8942

The radiator cap is probably bad causing the coolant not to be drawn back to the radiator, as far as bubbles without being there I can only speculate, but it could be a head gasket letting combustion gasses into a coolant passage.

blake.nemitz

^^second that it sounds like head gasket symptoms

whiteyoda93

radiator cap is brand new. also has new thermostat. my mechanic thinks it maybe the radiator, but would have to leave it with him a couple of days to check it out. I was busy the day I went by there. he said the top of radiator was not as hot as it should be. he could tell a difference in the temps on top hose and bottom hose by touching them. but like y'all said the air bubbles could be the head gasket blowed on exhaust side. but wouldn't I have steam or white smoke out tail pipe then.

blake.nemitz

its probably between the cylinder and water jacket. if its a small leak you wont lose much compression but during combustion exhaust gasses are forced through but during intake the vacuum isnt enough to draw water in...yet.

lim50

3 X sure sounds like HG. sorry ! after you have warmed up your engine , shut it off in a quiet spot and listen for gurgling sounds. If your cooling system and engine are good it should be dead quiet except for small ticks of cooling metal - IMHO

nctom

Keep an eye on the coolant level. A crack in the water jacket will allow exhaust gasses into the water - you are seeing the bubbles in the radiator. It is also probable that it's allowing coolant into the combustion process. If you see your coolant level drop over time, that will help you verify your leak. If you think it's the radiator - they are pretty cheap - a whole lot easier and quicker to replace than a head gasket.

whiteyoda93

well I have heard it sound like boiling water in the over flow tank. it would be hard to tell if a water jacket is cracked by losing coolant because the radiator will over fill the over flow tank and coolant come out the bypass hose on the tank lid. then the level of fluid in the tank doesn't go down when it cools off like its supposed to. it never goes back down to the cool line on the tank. always stays right up at the opening. and I have to add a little coolant to top it back off. I guess I'll just take it to my mechanic and leave it with him and let him figure it out. should be back home this weekend so I could do that. with only 2 days at home every 9-11 I don't have time to deal with it.

yoda79

I need to burp ur system it has a air pocket Jack front of vehicle up so radiator cap is highest point

Janos01

This sounds like a head gasket issue. I would ask your mechanic to check for that as the last thing you want is for smoke out the pipe and the possibility of being stranded due to a blown HG.