[toddtheodd]

what would cause antifreeze to be foamy?

[club327]

Probably lack of pressure. Does this occur only when the radiator cap's off? The other thing is, is your radiator mounted lower than the engine heads? If it is then you may need to fit a surge tank to allow the air pockets to rise above the engine. I doubt you'd have a blown head gasket.

[toddtheodd]

radiator is above motor. it is in a 72 chevy truck.
I was checking my antifreeze when I got home, and I noticed that when I lifted up on the tab on the cap, nothing spewed into the resevoir. When I took off the cap it was all foamy white.

[sbchevfreak]

foamy & white, eh? did it look kind of like Irish Cream?

[87442lover]

uh oh.... foamy-yellowish cap?

head gasket, or crack.

[poncho62]

Low coolant level will make it foamy......................Before suspecting a bad head gasket or cracked head, make sure it is full and drive it a bit.

[Wrencher]

Blown head gasket would pressurize your system, have you flushed the system recently? residual flush solution will foam up if not completely flushed out!

[87442lover]

Originally posted by Wrencher
Blown head gasket would pressurize your system, have you flushed the system recently? residual flush solution will foam up if not completely flushed out!

not always true....

as with my old cutlass the cracks were in the intake area, so it was'nt even noticed.

[little_roder351]

I'd say lack of pressure or a gasket

[x007]

Have you mixed orange/green prestone ?
Mix those two type of prestone give pretty weird results..

[Wrencher]

Originally posted by 87442lover
not always true....

as with my old cutlass the cracks were in the intake area, so it was'nt even noticed.

That's why my reply stated " head gasket!! Not crack!

[toddtheodd]

it was foamy white. has not been flushed. did not mix orange and green.
wouldn't a blown head gasket make it run funny [rough]?

[poncho62]

Originally posted by toddtheodd
it was foamy white. has not been flushed. did not mix orange and green.
wouldn't a blown head gasket make it run funny [rough]?

Not necessarily........................depends if it is causing a compression loss, or fouling plugs etc.

[78novaman]

Did you put any of that coolent system cleaner through it? I did that one and didn't make sure to flush it out all the way and had foam.

[DV8]

Take off your oil filler cap. Is there a grey film on it?? If so I say youve got a cracked cylinder or head gasket problem. And I'd quit driving it right away the moisture is killing your bearings.