Replacing the Tstat with a compression leak?

[Powerstrokedogg]

when i first got my truck, if i started it up and let it run for 2 minuites my radiator hoses were hard

but after changing the coolant this problem has completly gone away. now i can drive to town and back(20 miles) and my hoses have almost no pressure [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shrug.gif[/img]


but my question is, would it be bad to change the Tstat if you had a compression leak in your coolant?
i would think the air in the system would push the coolant right out of the heads, with a open Tstat the air could leave through the upper hose

[Mr_Roboto]

It actually sounds like when you changed your coolant, the seal on your radiator cap became damaged, and is not holding pressure. A 20 minute round trip should warm up the engine enough so that there is full pressure in the system.

I'm confused about your question regarding the T-stat? Are you saying you don't have one now, or that you want to remove it?

It is also possible that your present T-stat is stuck opened. They are designed so that if they are severely overheated, they stick open.

If you do have compression leaking into the cooling system, that problem needs to be addressed with a cooling system sealer (not a stop-leak). You need the kind where you run it in pure water, and then drain the coolant to let the sealer dry. No, it won't fix everything, but it's worth a shot. I've used it to "fix" a head gasket / cracked block? in a gasser truck that was overheated.

[Powerstrokedogg]

there is a Tstat in it, but it is stuck open. now that the temps have warmed up arround here the truck is starting to come up to temp after i drive for a while. now the coolant only pressurizes when it warms up(normal), before it would pressurize after running it for a couple minuites cold

i want to replace my Tstat, but i was wondering if air in the system(due to a bad head or gasket) would cause it to overheat. i don't understand how the extra air in the system could leave without pushing all the coolant out of the heads. with the bad(open) thermostat the air has a place to leave

thanks for the reply

[Mr_Roboto]

If the T-stat is stuck open, it is probably like that because the truck severely overheated at some time.

You need to get the leak fixed, then worry about the T-stat. You should not run without a working T-stat, doing so will basically ruin an engine form condensation and increased wear.

[Powerstrokedogg]

thats what i was worried about


thanks again