Need support. Just found out my radiator is leaking

[Doubeleive]

ok and lastly... i imagine using a video for a 2007-2014 silverado is ok yea? any major diffrences? i like watching trq becasue they get right to the point... 10 minute video as opposed to 30 min to an hour one

2014 was a change over for the silverado but yes 07-13 are the same thing

 

[iboughtatahoe23]

I’ve always just used a funnel without any issues. Refill is through the overflow tank which has good access.

As far as antifreeze and pets, a bittering agent has been added to antifreeze since about 2012 to make it taste terrible so pets don’t drink it. A taste or three by licking your finger won’t kill a human either, you’d need to drink a small amount. You can try it to see what I mean if you feel brave- it now tastes terrible. Normal glycol is sweet and it used to actually attract animals because it tasted so sweet. There are laws in the US that forced the mfrs to add bittering. I do not take chances though and dispose of as much as I can and the rest that hits the ground I use a hose and make sure to use lots of water to dilute it as it washes away, just in case.

Im just worried bout air bubbles, after installing the new radiator, I fill the reservoir up, start it… now do I leave the cap off the reservoir until im done burping and topping it off ?

 

[15burban]

Leave the cap off while burping the system. That's where that no spill funnel works nice as sometimes once the air starts coming out, the coolant level will drop fast and you won't have to worry about introducing more air bubbles into the system.

 

[iboughtatahoe23]

Leave the cap off while burping the system. That's where that no spill funnel works nice as sometimes once the air starts coming out, the coolant level will drop fast and you won't have to worry about introducing more air bubbles into the system.

So does it just like keep burping it until the right amount is in the cooling system? Or how exactly does it work?

 

[iboughtatahoe23]

fill reservoir, start it, top off, run to temp and squeeze hose for air bubbles in the process, shit it off let it cool down and than top off again

 

[Just Fishing]

I assume this has been mentioned, but trust nothing plastic on an older vehicle.

I had replaced everything except for a single fitting at my heater core/firewall.
New engine, fancy $$ cylinder heads, and on hottest day of the summer.
That fitting blew, and I didn't notice it until the tahoes warning lights started flashing and dinging at me.


That was like at 190k, the only fitting I didn't change out, I felt so dumb.
It gave me warnings before hand, I kept smelling coolant.
I didn't see a drop so I just dismissed it.

Like a year afterwards I remembered I never changed the overflow bottle either, so that's done now.

 

[iboughtatahoe23]

I assume this has been mentioned, but trust nothing plastic on an older vehicle.

I had replaced everything except for a single fitting at my heater core/firewall.
New engine, fancy $$ cylinder heads, and on hottest day of the summer.
That fitting blew, and I didn't notice it until the tahoes warning lights started flashing and dinging at me.


That was like at 190k, the only fitting I didn't change out, I felt so dumb.
It gave me warnings before hand, I kept smelling coolant.
I didn't see a drop so I just dismissed it.

Like a year afterwards I remembered I never changed the overflow bottle either, so that's done now.

You’re scaring me man ha. I just grabbed the same style. It’s what I can afford. From OSC

 

[15burban]

What I do, I'm sure there's a couple of ways, with the funnel attached to the overflow bottle. Fill the radiator full and probably 1/4 of the funnel full. Run engine til it gets up to temp and thermostat opens. Once that happens air pockets should start escaping and your coolant should start going down. Just keep adding fluid til make up for what's going into the system. Give the motor a couple of revs. Nothing to serious just up to 1.5k or so. See if any more air bubbles come out. If it's been a few minutes without any air bubbles coming out and the coolant temp has stayed consistent for awhile. I call it good and shut the motor off and let it cool down. Keep an eye on the coolant temp throughout to make sure something doesn't happen and it overheats. Once the motor is cooled back down. I remove the funnel. Fill the overflow up to the cold mark line. Then I took it for a short drive to get the motor back up to temp and make sure their were no coolant temp spikes or anything abnormal. Keep an eye on the coolant level the next few drive cycles and you should be good to go. There might be a few small air bubbles that get "dislodged" on the first drive so you might have to add a little coolant. That's what I did when I changed my mom's radiator. I've done it a handful of times that way also without that funnel but coolant almost always gushes out at some point and makes a little mess.

After a few warm-ups and cool downs your still finding yourself adding coolant then check again for leaks.

 

[iboughtatahoe23]

What I do, I'm sure there's a couple of ways, with the funnel attached to the overflow bottle. Fill the radiator full and probably 1/4 of the funnel full. Run engine til it gets up to temp and thermostat opens. Once that happens air pockets should start escaping and your coolant should start going down. Just keep adding fluid til make up for what's going into the system. Give the motor a couple of revs. Nothing to serious just up to 1.5k or so. See if any more air bubbles come out. If it's been a few minutes without any air bubbles coming out and the coolant temp has stayed consistent for awhile. I call it good and shut the motor off and let it cool down. Keep an eye on the coolant temp throughout to make sure something doesn't happen and it overheats. Once the motor is cooled back down. I remove the funnel. Fill the overflow up to the cold mark line. Then I took it for a short drive to get the motor back up to temp and make sure their were no coolant temp spikes or anything abnormal. Keep an eye on the coolant level the next few drive cycles and you should be good to go. There might be a few small air bubbles that get "dislodged" on the first drive so you might have to add a little coolant. That's what I did when I changed my mom's radiator. I've done it a handful of times that way also without that funnel but coolant almost always gushes out at some point and makes a little mess.

After a few warm-ups and cool downs you’re still finding yourself adding coolant then check again for leaks.

ok thanks. And tbh I’m gonna skip the funnel. I read the manual and it says the overflow tank it actually for letting air escape when filling it?

 

[Rocket Man]

ok thanks. And tbh I’m gonna skip the funnel. I read the manual and it says the overflow tank it actually for letting air escape when filling it?

Yes. And the system is a self burper. You don’t really need to do anything special other than what’s been mentioned, leave the cover off while running the engine for awhile. Once it’s been driven a bit, double check the hot level.

 

[iboughtatahoe23]

Radiators in got it idling now all the air is purged… Just waiting for the thermostat to open and then top it off and take it for a drive!

 

[iboughtatahoe23]

Got a little too excited… Started overheating not sure why. I filled it out to the full one cold line before starting it there’s no leaks, it was going good. It got up to operating temperature than the fans kicked on, and I came back to look at the temp gauge once more and it was overheating.

 

[15burban]

Were both of the radiator hoses hot to the touch or was one noticeably cooler then the other?

 

[iboughtatahoe23]

Were both of the radiator hoses hot to the touch or was one noticeably cooler then the other?

I just checked the top hose. It was hot maybe not the one that is on the passenger side bottom. Think I tried to squeeze it a few times. The one I drained the coolant from

 

[Doubeleive]

Rock the truck left/right a bunch of times, Jack the front up a little bit, shake it again left right, check the level, make sure the fans are plugged in, start it up and turn the heater on full blast and let it idle up to operating temp, when the thermostat cycles, fill the tank again.. if it idles at normal temp and the tank is full put the cap on and drive it spirited while driving make quick left right turns/swurves several times. Like you are driving a obstacle course. Then stop and recheck the tank level, top off if necessary. Then you should be golden

 

[iboughtatahoe23]

Rock the truck left/right a bunch of times, Jack the front up a little bit, shake it again left right, check the level, make sure the fans are plugged in, start it up and turn the heater on full blast and let it idle up to operating temp, when the thermostat cycles, fill the tank again.. if it idles at normal temp and the tank is full put the cap on and drive it spirited while driving make quick left right turns/swurves several times. Like you are driving an obstacle course. Then stop and recheck the tank level, top off if necessary. Then you should be golden

Haha like get on the side steps and rock it? At what point do you jack it up? Do u do it while it’s started. How do I know the coolant level if truck not level. Probably overthinking it.

 

[iboughtatahoe23]

This is the coolant I used. Ready to use. One of these. It took two gallons all together. I imagine bc there’s some in the block and pump?

Initially, after replacing the radiator unit I had everything hooked back up, counted my hoses double checked my connections. I filled up the reservoir to full when cold, started it, and than right away it burped some bubbles and sucked the coolant down right away. So I was quick as I could be without splashing the coolant everywhere (poured slow into a funnel that i set in the reservoir) mind you I was by myself didn’t have anyone watching the temp gauge. Everything was going fine… top hose was hot and than the fans kicked on. I’m like that’s good right? They were consistent and not kicking on and off. It’s about 32°f outside as well. And than I looked at the temp gauge and it was just halfway reaching tHat three quarter mark


I also was lightly squeezing the hose here and there. I didn’t see anymore bubbles. I did have the cap off. Once the thermostat went on it seemed like the coolant just expanded? I was expecting it to suck MORE down when the thermostat opens? Not expand.

 

[15burban]

The coolant will expand thats why the cold fill mark on the reservoir is not at the very top of the tank.

I forgot to mention before and like @Doubeleive said have the heater on full blast while burping the system. You probably just have a stubborn air pocket that needs some "help" getting out of there.

 

[iboughtatahoe23]

The coolant will expand thats why the cold fill mark on the reservoir is not at the very top of the tank.

I forgot to mention before and like @Doubeleive said have the heater on full blast while burping the system. You probably just have a stubborn air pocket that needs some "help" getting out of there.

My dad is telling me just top it off this morning. Take it for a drive and he bets it’s fine… lol

 

[iboughtatahoe23]

The coolant will expand thats why the cold fill mark on the reservoir is not at the very top of the tank.

I forgot to mention before and like @Doubeleive said have the heater on full blast while burping the system. You probably just have a stubborn air pocket that needs some "help" getting out of there.

You don’t think a couple trips around the block and some bumps won’t do it