Blown head gasket or just short driving?

Thanks for the feedback. Glad everything is good.

Your fluid may still be Hot/Warm even off for a few hours. My early assumption with your pics was Low Coolant at pre-start cold. I’ve learned something new today about the 5.7L that it sucks in from the rez on cold starts and then normalizes back up to the Full Line when Hot.

I’d be interested if you could observe the coolant level in cold condition tomorrow morning and then immediately after start up to see if things change. We like to keep a good argument going.

 

Haha funny you say that. I initially posted that arguing about coolant on the internet was insane, but removed it, because I realize it kind of fun. I'll report back tmrw with initial coolant level, and then immediately after starting. The suspense is gonna be intense.

 

I’ll be up bright and early waiting. Might not even sleep!

 

I thought I had blown my head a few months ago, truck was overheating, slowly losing coolant, etc. turned out there was a hairline crack in the radiator that was barely leaking out and eventually got to the point it wouldn't hold any pressure and would overheat. From your symptoms I think your truck is fine.

 

Well shit! I'll eat some crow! I've never seen some shit looking like milkshake in the cap no matter how short the drive is!! But hey at least your good to go!!!

 

The suspense was too much to handle - here are some observations.
Cold start - coolant 75F

marked cold level with a black dot in middle of overflow container.

coolant 102F

Level appears unchanged.

125F

fluid up approx 1/2”

Coolant 150F

level up approx 1” from cold.

Coolant 175F

Level up approx 1.5-2” from cold.

Full operating temp - saw thermostat open around 185, temp dropped to 175 then back up to 190F

level up approx 2-2.5” from cold.

My truck had been sitting almost 48 hours before starting. Fluid level did not drop at anytime I was observing from cold start to operating temp.

 

Appreciate the effort into this. Can I ask, it looks like you turned your ignition on and then measured the temperature of the coolant as it got warmer, meaning the engine was left on? What I experience (and I assume the OP) is to crank the engine on and then turn it off after 15-30 seconds or whatever, certainly don’t let it run otherwise the problem doesn’t occur. My coolant gets sucked out once the engine is turned off after only being on for seconds.

 

You are absolutely correct on the procedure of what I did.

 

You let it run?

 

I got a coolant temp and level prior to start-up. Then started the truck and drove my way to the store stopping through my neighborhood to snap a pic as the coolant reached the temps referenced in my post above. Did not shut the truck off until it was at operating temp.

After it cools all the way I’ll check the level start it again and do a cold shut down.

 

This is better than Seinfeld!

 

If anybody else is interested in performing this experiment on their 5.7...Here’s exactly what I do when I’m able to practically drain my coolant reservoir to empty:
Make sure truck has been off overnight (cooled down completely)
Start engine
Throw it in reverse and back up 8 feet
Throw it in park and immediately shut engine off
Check coolant reservoir

 

Huh. I woke up like it was Christmas morning, ran downstairs and tried this. And it didn't work. I backed up literally about 8 feet, shut it off, and ran to the front and the level stayed between high and low. Exactly where it was when I checked before I moved it at all. I even kept the hood popped so I didn't waste any time fumbling around. I then tried running it for 30 seconds without moving the truck, shut it off. No luck.

Obviously i'm not saying it doesn't do this in your truck. But it doesn't do it in mine for some reason. We need a larger sample size

 

The only reason i'm still here. I wish I was more into my truck. I'm gonna miss you guys when i'm gone haha

 

I rest my case. Again.

It happens like that on everybody's truck, except for those extremely low on coolant. Learned how it works on a (OMG) 22RE, a mere speck of an automotive engine; it was not quite half the size of the mighty 5.7L 3URFE.

 

You live in Nevada where relative humidity is next to nothing. The only way any moisture could get inside your engine IS from the cooling system. There's no scum inside my oil fill cap either, and Central Texas has humidity.

 

I live next to the ocean. And every morning dew is dripping off everything I own until the sun burns it off. So, there is that.

 

Yeah. Harvey must have a special edition 5.7L that nobody else has where his sucks coolant during quick starts shut offs. I like the enthusiasm of everyone here getting excited on coolant level checks like it was Christmas morning. I barely slept last night with excitement!

Seriously, Harvey probably needs to add some coolant in his rez or has another problem. That altitude thing might be an x-factor?

 

Thats two members confirming fluid doesn’t suck in. We need a poll! You should start one at the top of your post.

 

I don't know if altitude would have any effect, but @Jrharvey02 has some strange **** going on, and I believe he's been lucky so far. I'm not sure just adding coolant to his reservoir will get the job at this point.

Based on his last post of expecting to find air in the radiator tank, he needs to open the radiator cap and pour coolant in until at least above the radiator cap shoulder in the neck (or overflowing the neck, whichever comes first), and THEN fill the reservoir to full. If there's any additional air left in his cooling system, he can then expect the coolant level in the reservoir to be BELOW the FULL mark after the first heating/cooling cycle.

 

Maybe the thermostat is stuck open .

 

Yeah. I bet when he follows your advice then he won’t see the coolant suck anymore.

 

That’ll blow .

 

All I can say long-distance is his system is not operating normally. His cooling system is AT LEAST low on coolant, but that may be collateral damage from another cause. Needs to get it checked out.

Well, coolant IS actually sucked back in the radiator when it cools, but not after the reservoir level gets too low.

As usual, I have found the perfect YouTube video illustration "because it might be helpful to some of ya'll" (OMG, it's a 22RE):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TLgBopNqv4

 

We’ll be back to normal with nothing to discuss.

 

Part II

64F coolant temp this morning prior to startup. Top mark is operating temp level, lower mark is yesterday’s cold start level.


New cold start level marked.


Started the truck backed in and out of the driveway and shut it down. Coolant temp 69F and fluid in the overflow at the same level.


My 5.7 does not appear to aspirate any coolant during cold shutdown.

 

Welp, I guess I was wrong and you were right, John and “Golden Hands”. I’m really not sure what to think of this whole situation. Here’s a pic of my coolant level after a drive this morning. I’m hesitant to take my truck into the dealership because I feel like I’m “making” this problem happen. I mean, what exactly do I tell the service dept. “my coolant reservoir drains to nill after truck is started for 30 seconds but 99.9999% of the time (including heavy towing) the level is fine? I guess Ill just keep monitoring it like I have been the past (almost) 3 years...I’m really hesitant to add any fluid, I like my level being where it’s at in the pic...?

 

Just pop the radiator cap when the engine is cold to make sure it’s full and/or top off there. Worse thing to happen if you overfill is pushing some out the overflow. NBD.

What elevation are you at?

 

Where is my apology?