Losing coolant

[1stimer]

OK....I need some advice. My 72 C20 is losing coolant. I drove it about 3-4 miles with it full of fluid...parked it and came out to a puddle near the passenger side.

Drove it less than a mile home from there. When I started it in my driveway, it seems like the coolant level is going down in the radiator. I was going to try and get it up to operating temperature and see if I could locate the leak, but I'm afraid I could do more damage if it is a head issue. I don't want to make things worse.

Should I buy a pressure tester?


Should I empty coolant? From radiator and where else?

I don't see milky oil on the dipstick and I don't see oil in the coolant, but I was getting white smoke out of the tailpipe when I was going with my original plan to get it up to operating temperature. Shut it off after I noticed the white smoke.

Also....noticed some vapors coming up the radiator neck.....and there is no flow of coolant in the radiator...just stagnent coolant.

Sorry for the newb questions, but guess what?.....I'm a newb! Thanks for any insights.