Collapsed Radiator Hose 2010 ST

[Sava1]

I have a 2010 v6 Adrenaline, after having the thermostat housing replaced, the upper radiator house was collapsing once the truck started cooling off and coolant was building up in the reserve tank. Truck doesn’t show signs of over heating, i have also replace the radiator cap and checked to make sure that the tube going back to the reserve tank wasn’t clogged. Pinch clamps were also replace on the thermostat housing with screw on hose clamps. Any idea what it could be?

 

[dvdswan]

Welcome to the site.

 

[Todd Z]

Sounds like air still trapped in the system.

 

[Sava1]

Sounds like air still trapped in the system.

I idled it several times with the cap off, added coolant and squeezed the hose to let air, but seems to be collapsing, when it gets cold and I take the cap off, the hose goes back to normal, and I need to add a little coolant in the system, seems to be going in the reserve tank, but not back into the radiator

 

[STA TRINITY]

 

[Todd Z]

Id replace the cap and re try then.... go with a 16lb cap from a 2003 4.0 ST.

 

[Sava1]

Id replace the cap and re try then.... go with a 16lb cap from a 2003 4.0 ST.

I replaced it with a 16lb cap, and still have the same issue with the hose collapsing. I just ordered a Gates hose, hopefully that will help, I was looking for a hose with a spring, but couldn’t find one

 

[Todd Z]

I replaced it with a 16lb cap, and still have the same issue with the hose collapsing. I just ordered a Gates hose, hopefully that will help, I was looking for a hose with a spring, but couldn’t find one

Do you happen to know if the t stat had the built in air ball? I’ve seen when that’s not there cause this too.

 

[Sava1]

Do you happen to know if the t stat had the built in air ball? I’ve seen when that’s not there cause this too.

I don’t know, is there a way I can check an clear out the air?

 

[Sava1]

I don’t know, is there a way I can check an clear out the air?

 

[Pat in RI]

Have you tried running the heating on high. The heater core could be air bound.

 

[Sava1]

Have you tried running the heating on high. The heater core could be air bound.

Yes, I have. I just got a new Gates upper hose, I’m going to replace it and fill it up again and blast the heat with the windows open.

 

[Todd Z]

Hope that fixes it....

 

[Steve Brothers]

4.0 liter is really hard to purge of air. I always had trouble purging it. They sell a vacuum purger which would make it easier, but I used the big radiator fill funnel they sell at Harbor Freight (cheap) and other places. Don’t overfill the funnel during the process because then it becomes a volcano when the air escapes. I also jacked up the left front corner of the truck to get the radiator cap as high as possible. Heater on high. When the engine is warm, rev it to 2000 RPMs for 20 seconds or so. Idle for a bit, and rev it again. Do this several times and be patient. Add some coolant to the funnel if needed, but just a bit, to prevent a volcano gusher. The object is to get all the air to the top of the radiator. The air is probably in your heater core, which is why you want the heater on. The high revs are to try and push the air out and into the radiator. When you think you are done, remove the coolant funnel and replace the cap. Take it for a short drive watching the temp gauge. If all seems good, park it and let it completely cool. When completely cool, take the cap off and make sure you are fully full, and also fill the overfill container to the minimum level. Watch your temp gauge on the next drive, and check the levels when cold after a couple of cycles.

 

[Sava1]

4.0 liter is really hard to purge of air. I always had trouble purging it. They sell a vacuum purger which would make it easier, but I used the big radiator fill funnel they sell at Harbor Freight (cheap) and other places. Don’t overfill the funnel during the process because then it becomes a volcano when the air escapes. I also jacked up the left front corner of the truck to get the radiator cap as high as possible. Heater on high. When the engine is warm, rev it to 2000 RPMs for 20 seconds or so. Idle for a bit, and rev it again. Do this several times and be patient. Add some coolant to the funnel if needed, but just a bit, to prevent a volcano gusher. The object is to get all the air to the top of the radiator. The air is probably in your heater core, which is why you want the heater on. The high revs are to try and push the air out and into the radiator. When you think you are done, remove the coolant funnel and replace the cap. Take it for a short drive watching the temp gauge. If all seems good, park it and let it completely cool. When completely cool, take the cap off and make sure you are fully full, and also fill the overfill container to the minimum level. Watch your temp gauge on the next drive, and check the levels when cold after a couple of cycles.

Thanks, I’ll try this, I don’t have a vacuum, but will look into the radiator funnel, I was also thinking of taken it to a place to flush out the radiator and maybe they have the vacuum, but I know it would cost me $$&, so I’ll give this a shot first and see what comes out of it

 

[Joseph Ford]

Look close at the picture, your fan belt is on wrong. Are you turning the water pump the wrong way?

 

[Shawn Monzingo]

My son's Honda did this, but Honda had an air bleed valve built into the thermostat housing. This allowed you to release the air trapped before the thermostat. The thermostat isn't opening because it isn't warm enough and that is causing the vacuum, collapsing your hose. You had to open the valve and let the air out of the system and close it when the coolant finally came through.

Related only because of the collapsing hose, this happened to a friend of mine on his '63 falcon with a new build 260. He did not put the thermostat in, and the water was running too quickly and caused the same issue. Really bizarre... He had to put a thermostat in and that stopped the issue.

 

[Sava1]

4.0 liter is really hard to purge of air. I always had trouble purging it. They sell a vacuum purger which would make it easier, but I used the big radiator fill funnel they sell at Harbor Freight (cheap) and other places. Don’t overfill the funnel during the process because then it becomes a volcano when the air escapes. I also jacked up the left front corner of the truck to get the radiator cap as high as possible. Heater on high. When the engine is warm, rev it to 2000 RPMs for 20 seconds or so. Idle for a bit, and rev it again. Do this several times and be patient. Add some coolant to the funnel if needed, but just a bit, to prevent a volcano gusher. The object is to get all the air to the top of the radiator. The air is probably in your heater core, which is why you want the heater on. The high revs are to try and push the air out and into the radiator. When you think you are done, remove the coolant funnel and replace the cap. Take it for a short drive watching the temp gauge. If all seems good, park it and let it completely cool. When completely cool, take the cap off and make sure you are fully full, and also fill the overfill container to the minimum level. Watch your temp gauge on the next drive, and check the levels when cold after a couple of cycles.

So I tried this on Saturday, purchased a Gates radiator upper hose and replaced it, I also purchased the radiator funnel, raised the front of the truck, filled it ran it for about 45 mins, brought the rpms between 2k/3k, seen some of the air bobbles come out, great, I felt confident that it resolved the issues. Well, once the engine cooled off after a few hours the hose still collapsed, it wasn’t as bad due to the hose being new and thicker, I remove the radiator cap and I was a little low on coolant. Got me thinking what can this problem be??? Hmm

 

[Sava1]

Sunday morning nice and fresh bulb kicks, a few months before I replace the thermostat housing, I have purchased a bottle of Bars Leak for radiator, as I was pouring the bottle into the radiator, the radiator filled up, but I still had a 1/2 bottle of Bars Leak left, so I poured the remained of the bottle in the coolant tank. This morning I decided to take the tank and flush it out, and as I was looking in the yak I can see all of the build up in the bottom of it which was preventing the fluid from going back into the radiator.

I’m pretty confident that that is/was my problem, but only time will tell as I drive it, we shall see.

Thank you to all for you guidance and assistance, much appreciated.

 

[Todd Z]

WOW......