PLEASE HELP ASAP!!

That would depend upon how long it's been since your coolant was changed. It's not the ethylene glycol in the coolant that gets used up, the anti-corrosion stuff is what goes over time, plus the coolant can get dirty. So if the coolant has been in there for over like 2.5 years, drain it, flush the system with water like 10 minutes with heater on full, drain that. Then add 1/2 the coolant capacity (from specification in owner manual) with 100% coolant (not the 50/50 stuff) and top off with water, and bleed off any air (like run engine with front end jacked up).

If the coolant is relatively new, you'll only lose a little bit if you jack up the front right of the truck to do this, and you can re-use clean coolant. You can filter out particles in used coolant using a rag.

Remember: coolant is poisonous to animals, don't let puddles accumulate.

well i recently had to refill the whole cooling system because of a burst in the u hose. but idk if itll still be clean.

and i get what youre saying about flushing the system, but could you please elaborate more on what to do and how to do it. like for example, you said to fill 1/2 with 100% coolant, then top off with water. does that mean fill the rest up with water? and isnt that kinda like the 50/50?

After you flush, there still is residual water in the system, and one doesn't know how much. So if the system capacity is 2.0 gallons, and you already have some residual water left in, you add 1.0 gallons of 100% coolant, then top off with water to get 1.0 gallons of coolant and 1.0 gallons of water, to be 50/50. By the way, 50/50 is just a nice mixture for anti-freeze capacity and engine cooling/protection, doesn't need to be exact.

ooohhhh. thank you for explaining it for me!!! it really helps! i appreciate it! i will refer back to this when i start the work when i get paid. which should be by this weekend.

but here are a few more recent pics, and i think i found one of the culprits!

first two are of the area near the thermostat. idk how its so moist so far back into under the filter housing...





now these two are of some clues on the big hose from the radiator ive been paying close attention to lately





im pretty sure the whiteish spots are dried coolant. correct me if im wrong. its jus an assumption based on whats happening right now.

I should have told you my truck specifically leaked alot around the thermostat housing.To fix this,I removed neck used my grinding wheel to smooth the metal and make 100% level.Then used a new gasket(I make my own with the gasket material) and then used permatexThe right stuff gasket sealant.This comes in like a cheese wiz can and small can 14.00 at advance or auto z.This will seal ANY fluid and sets up quick and cures quick!I did this almost 3yrs ago and no leaky housing.Mine just dripped onto area below,and immediately knew the problem after a coolant flush,hose change,new rad swap.The permatex product is stupid great and where gloves it is really tacky,and brake clean will clean up any residue on things not to be on.Put sealant on both sides of your gasket too.

awwee man. i dont have a grinding wheel :/ is it really THAT uneven?

would i be able to jus use the permatex?

and whats the big hose called? i think i have to replace that.

I also had a thermostat outlet that was warmed, actually had a wobble in it, and wasn't true v. a straightedge, and it leaked.

Get a sheet or piece of glass. Put a piece of wet/dry "sandpaper" on it, and press/sand your outlet housing flat. Use gasket and sealant, better than building up with rubberized gasket to fill the "gap". Then you can tighten evenly to make it leak free without overtightening and breaking an outlet housing (ask me how I now know this).

Yeah, a new Gates radiator hose and a standard worm-type "made-in-USA" hose clamp would probably be a good idea.

im sorry, but that whole second part lost me

Imr it really is simple.Take your thermostat housing off.Use some 3m sand paper like 800 grit or comparible and wet sand paper.Then put your housing on it and work it back and forth and keep wet on a good FLAT level surface.Just have a bottle of water and keep your sandpaper wet(use the correct sandpaper FOR wet use) like 3m.As for the sealant if you did not sand it down to make it flat,level and tried to just use lots of sealant along with a gasket it will leak eventally bc the metal is not flat/level against the mouting point.There fore leak at the uneven point and drip as you have now.Now yes you can use the permatex less exp gasket silicone,but I asure you the permatex (the right stuff) is worth the 15.00 to seal it and last longer and cures quicker.

ooohh ok. thanks for the explanation. how long or how much should i sand off?

my problem is why would they make put something together that is sure to leak eventually without the owner stepping in to correct it -___-