It could just be a bad radiator cap, they are set to release pressure at a set range. But caution the steam you see may be from a blown head gasket that is over pressurizing the coolant system.
white smoke means you're burning antifreeze...check for loss of coolant in the tank and look for leaks
Low coolant in coolant recovery tank or radiator or defective sensor
check hoses coming from coolant tank by sqeezing may be worn
It's connected to the coolant tank. Mine was worked on by a previous owner, and isn't working, so the coolant warning is always on. Look for a wire coming from the tank.
cooliant in resvoir tank will be brown
There is a coolant level sensor in the bottom of the coolant tank. If the tank has enough coolant, then the sensor is bad. You can buy a new tank for about $50 (Rockauto.com or Autozone) and replace it in an hour or so. Or just disconnect the cable from the sensor and check your coolant level on a regular basis.
If you can't see where its coming from, it may be a cracked head, or a bas headgasket. Also, when you add water to the coolant tank, it doesn't immediately go into the radiator. After the car sits a while, the radiator starts to cool, creating a vacuum. Water/coolant is then pulled into the radiator from the coolant tank.
Oil in the coolant tank indicates a head gasket leak.
The small pipe coming out of the top of the radiator on a Ford Transit 260 is typically the radiator overflow or expansion tank hose. It allows coolant to escape into the overflow tank when the engine heats up and the coolant expands, preventing pressure build-up in the cooling system. As the engine cools, it can draw coolant back from the overflow tank to maintain the proper level in the radiator. If you notice coolant leaking from this pipe, it may indicate a problem with the cooling system that should be checked.
Coolant is old.
Yes
is there a sweet smell? Does the coolant level drop in the overflow tank and/or the radiator? if so, you might be looking at a bad head gasket. if there is slight white smoke(usually condensation) and no loss of coolant, then it is normal. once the engine (and exhaust system) gets hot, there should be no more smoke.