turbos10

Personally, I would not crank it untill I knew what was wrong. If it has been sitting and the gasket or head is seeping water, you could have a cylinder full of water. If it does you could hydrolock it or if it had some corrosion and did start you could gall a piston. I would haul it and pull the head to be safe. Every project I have had ended up with head or head gaskets problems at some time or another, so unfortuneately I have suffered through these heartaches in the past; worst one was a turbocharged, injected, gas, race engine that sat with a leaking gasket for a week before I got to it. I learned my lesson on what to do with them after I ruined the block by not drying out the engine before letting it sit.

Goalie990

ok so i guess i will try and find a trailer!

Goalie990

But if thats the case.. i wont be able to check the other things...

mysterync

You'll be able to check the cooling system for leaks and dye test it, as we'll as check the cap without the truck running!

torquefan

Good advice. You need to do a diagnosis and get as close to pinpointing the problem as you can before pulling it apart, because after it's apart and the gasket looks perfect it's too late to just try a new rad cap.

Goalie990

yea that is true.. alright thanks a lot guys! I will check the cap and do a dye test if i can find someone that can do it. If those check out then I will trailor it to my buddies. i kinda hope it is my HG in a way hahaha. I just want to take it apart and check everything out anyways, clean it up!

One last thing.. Where i have the truck.. i dont know if i can get it out without starting it! haha its at the bottom of a hill between 2 fences and the driveway is on an angle hahaha. GREAT!

mysterync

Find your local snap on guy, He'll have a Cooling system PSI tester on the truck, Tell him what your vehicle is and he'll make sure you get the right adapter. The larger adapter that comes with most kits will work! Also get a bottle of coolant or universal dye and pour in before pressure testing, That will push the dye to the point of the leak! Pump the system to about 16-18 PSI , You'll start seeing pressure drop if theres a leak or it may not even pump up! Check in the oil and all possible leak points for the dye, Maybe even pop an injector out and smell for coolant or get a scope to look for it! Once you know for sure theres no water on one of the pistons, fire the truck up and look for fluctuations on the PSI gauge, A Compression side leak will cause flutter!

jerrethomas

yea i would check the cap first as the springs can get weak and allow coolant by and into the overflow. Pressure testing the system is a good idea but you may not find a leak if it's internal. You could drain some oil to see if there is water in it. If the truck has been sitting for a while the water will be at the bottom and will easily be seen when you crack the drain plug. When my headgasket blew, it just blew out at the front by the thermostat housing. Oil leak real bad up front and ran the engine onto the ground but never mixed the oil in the antifreeze.

Goalie990

yea there is no leaks in the engine compartment.. and i check the oil when i parked it, no milky like look.