Puking coolant. Possible head gasket issue?

[WVracer]

For some background, I just bought this car and I’ve been slowly changing things, fixing the shitty work, and getting it to be a nice car. Here is my problem, there are two lines that run from the radiator cap. One goes to the overflow tank and the other just vents to the atmosphere. The previous owner had stuck a bolt in the line that vents and I took it out becauseI seen no good reason for it to be in there. Long story short the car spit out all of the coolant and the car overheated before I even noticed and I had to baby it to the auto parts store to buy more coolant and another bolt to plug the line. I also bought a new radiator cap while I was there but it did not fix the issue.

Here is my question, is this line supposed to be vented to the atmosphere? It is possible that the overflow tank line and that line are switched? It doesn’t puke any coolant at idle, just when you’re giving it throttle. There is no coolant in the oil that I can see. I don’t have a leak down tester so if I can’t remedy this problem I’m just going to pull the heads. The line I’m holding in my hand in the photo is the line that is venting, the one on the other side of the cap is going to the overflow tank

[Batmanntexas]

The line closest to the top of the radiator cap should be going to the overflow tank, and the lower line is the steam line that should be hooked up to the crossover pipe at the front of the intake manifold (steel line bolted down at the front corner of each head).

[WVracer]

Originally Posted by Batmanntexas

The line closest to the top of the radiator cap should be going to the overflow tank, and the lower line is the steam line that should be hooked up to the crossover pipe at the front of the intake manifold (steel line bolted down at the front corner of each head).

Thanks a bunch. I’ll check into it. I thought it was weird that it would be vented like that. I’ve never seen a coolant system do that since it can cause the coolant to boil (this one wasn’t). This is my second 5th gen but I couldn’t remember how the old one was. The previous owner had a supercharger on the car so I’m guessing they had that line moved for the supercharger and didn’t know where to put it one they took it back off.

[WVracer]

Originally Posted by Batmanntexas

The line closest to the top of the radiator cap should be going to the overflow tank, and the lower line is the steam line that should be hooked up to the crossover pipe at the front of the intake manifold (steel line bolted down at the front corner of each head).

So I never noticed it before but now that I’m looking for the crossover steam line it’s not there. Previous owner must have removed it and plugged it. I’m not with the car right now but I went through my old photos and found this picture and you can see on the driver side cylinder head where the crossover usually bolts up and it isn’t there. I wonder if they had to removed it for the edelbrock supercharger.

[Batmanntexas]

It is definitely not in the front, possibly could be in the rear, but typically the rear crossover is blocked from the factory. If both crossovers are blocked off, that could definitely be part of your issue....

Here is a picture of where it should be....

[WVracer]

Originally Posted by Batmanntexas

It is definitely not in the front, possibly could be in the rear, but typically the rear crossover is blocked from the factory. If both crossovers are blocked off, that could definitely be part of your issue....

Here is a picture of where it should be....

I’ll check when I get the chance. Well since that line was meant to go to the steam lines then I don’t really have an issue with the coolant coming out of it. It’s supposed to. So I’m not worried about the head gaskets, I don’t have any other inclination that they are bad. Everything checks out. I just can’t understand why they would cap off the steam lines. It’s my understanding that they are pretty important in LS’s. I’m probably going to order the steam lines and try and get the plug out with an extractor so I don’t end up having to pulling the heads to get them out.

[Rock-It Man]

Cooling system 101: you have to do a pressure check of the system. If the system is not pressurized, the boiling temperature is too low and the coolant boils off. If the system is holding pressure, the boiling point is way above any temp that you would reach even racing, and there's no significant coolant loss FOR YEARS.

[WVracer]

So after doing some digging it seems my rear steam ports have bolt on plugs and the front steam ports were plugged with the ones that are punched in. So I called Motion Raceworks and ordered one of their kits to vent the rear ports as well. I don’t plan to pull the head so I’ll be drilling the plugs out of the front ports. Should make everything good to go. I just still don’t know why they plugged them to begin with.

[InFiD3ViL]

Originally Posted by WVracer

So after doing some digging it seems my rear steam ports have bolt on plugs and the front steam ports were plugged with the ones that are punched in. So I called Motion Raceworks and ordered one of their kits to vent the rear ports as well. I don’t plan to pull the head so I’ll be drilling the plugs out of the front ports. Should make everything good to go. I just still don’t know why they plugged them to begin with.

To me that sounds like this car had the heads off and they reinstalled the heads on the opposite sides from original, putting the OE steam ports in the rear. Likely realized their mistake and just plugged the now rear ports rather than running a super long steam line or properly opening the now front ports. These heads can be mounted either way/side.

[WVracer]

Originally Posted by InFiD3ViL

To me that sounds like this car had the heads off and they reinstalled the heads on the opposite sides from original, putting the OE steam ports in the rear. Likely realized their mistake and just plugged the now rear ports rather than running a super long steam line or properly opening the now front ports. These heads can be mounted either way/side.

I thought about the same thing. I guess either way it will be getting fixed. After that I just gotta fix my transmission mounting issue and the car should be pretty sound

[sixty9fordkiller]

goes here.........

[eLeSthree]

Originally Posted by WVracer

So after doing some digging it seems my rear steam ports have bolt on plugs and the front steam ports were plugged with the ones that are punched in. So I called Motion Raceworks and ordered one of their kits to vent the rear ports as well. I don’t plan to pull the head so I’ll be drilling the plugs out of the front ports. Should make everything good to go. I just still don’t know why they plugged them to begin with.

I thought Motion Racework's steam vent kits only worked with aftermarket intake manifolds. Maybe I'm wrong, and they also make a kit for the stock manifold, but you might wanna double check your purchase.

The stock vent tubes shouldnt be too hard to find online. You'll probably be just fine capping that radiator port. Just fill the system and get the air out best you can. Heat it up, cool it down, and top it off.

[WVracer]

Originally Posted by eLeSthree

I thought Motion Racework's steam vent kits only worked with aftermarket intake manifolds. Maybe I'm wrong, and they also make a kit for the stock manifold, but you might wanna double check your purchase.

The stock vent tubes shouldnt be too hard to find online. You'll probably be just fine capping that radiator port. Just fill the system and get the air out best you can. Heat it up, cool it down, and top it off.

Motion makes a kit for the plastic manifolds too. I have extra -4an line to make it work with the radiator too.