Newbie with new truck

[Morgan72]

Hello everyone,

I recently bought a '72 F100 Ranger XLT with a straight six c300. I'm new to these trucks and working on engines in general. I wanted it to be a simple engine to start learning on as it is a project with my young sons. I got the truck in February here in Michigan. We had an unusually warm stretch this winter with the temps in the 70s. I drove the truck a lot around town and did not have any issues.

Now it is a lot warmer and I started having overheating issues. I know I need to get a fan shroud, but we're talking about complete overheating in a matter of a few blocks. I noticed my coolant was really low after it boiled over the other day. I put a gallon of 50/50 in and immediately had a stream leaking down the lower radiator hose onto my driveway. It looks as if the leak is actually coming from above the hose but I can't see exactly where. Maybe the water pump?

I really don't know where to begin, so any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Jacksdad]

Is that overheating from cold in a few blocks?

I'd start from basics and pull the radiator and have it checked. It might need to be rodded out if it's collected a lot of crud over the years, or maybe even replaced. Fan shrouds do make a difference, but not enough that it should be overheating that quickly. You still need to track one down though.

Hopefully it's not nothing more serious. Having to top off the coolant after it's overheated is not a big thing in itself - you should expect to have to add a good amount if it really got hot and dumped some. I know you said you have a small leak and that could well be the reason you're seeing coolant loss, but if it's more than you're seeing on the driveway that might also indicate something more serious like a blown head gasket, especially with rapid overheating now rearing it's head. Water in the oil (emulsified oil looks milky white), white smoke coming out of your tailpipe, pressurized radiator hoses, or a constant stream of bubbles in the coolant could also be indications. That's worst case scenario, but honestly still not that difficult to remedy on a six.

Regarding the leak, that's going to be one of those jobs that's probably going to involve you crawling underneath with a flashlight and getting antifreeze in your eyes and hair. It's one of the joys of classic motoring, but at least you can see around your motor unlike a lot of modern stuff. If you feel like getting dirty and losing a knuckle or two, a new water pump is cheap insurance - thirty bucks or so and a few hours to change it. It could also be something as simple as a hose leaking. Again, they're cheap enough that new ones might not be a bad idea if they're showing their age. I'd pick up a new thermostat while you're at it as well.

Don't want to scare you, because you may be lucky and just have a cooling system that time has rendered marginal and not up to a heatwave. It could well be an easy fix. But remember that if it's not a bad head gasket now and you keep driving it, you'll probably be changing it out sooner rather than later - and possibly having to get the head machined when it warps.

[Lone Ranger]

Welcome I'm also a Michigander! I'm around the Cadillac area. Did you get your overheating figured out yet?

[lennyp]

from Massachusetts.