blowing out coolant???

[tmoney5500]

I have a 98 eclipse gst with a front mount intercooler. I am blowing coolant out of the overflow bottle while the car is sitting. The car's temperature gauge will also be close to overheating after being shut off for a period of three minutes and then turned back on. The radaitor cap was just replaced and radaitor flushed. the water pump and thermostat were also recently replaced. I am unsure as to the cause of this problem. I have suspected the radiator might be bad, or the front mount is not allowing enough air exchange between the radiator and that is causing the overheating while sitting and causing the fluid to be spilled into the overflow and pushed out of the car. Could anyone offer some insight into this issue?

 

[Xit40]

Since you replaced the radiater cap and had the system flushed you can rule out those causes. Try replacing the thermostat too or at least testing it to make sure it's working properly. Look for air bubbles in the bottle after you're done driving it. You can also either pressure test the cooling system to make sure there isn't a leak, or do a compression and leak down test. Usually, and I stress, USUALLY pushing coolant out of the overflow bottle is a sign of a bad head gasket.

 

[fastaseagle]

+1 for the headgasket I would do a compression check that will tell you right away.

 

[LaN-]

its your head gasket, i just had the same problem. Weird thing is my compression was fine and the car didn't smoke. Either way once it replaced the gasket it was prefect.

 

[tmoney5500]

thank you for your input and I will do a compression test this week and determine if infact it is the head gasket. Again, thankyou for your help.

 

[daren_p]

It may be the head gasket, like mentioned but have you made sure there's no air still trapped in the coolent system?

 

[SFRacingGST]

Do a compression test. If it looks good then i would try bleeding your coolant system again for air bubbles. If it still does it i would def say head gasket. If you go the metal route i would 100% use copper sray. for the 5 dollars its totally worth it and can't hurt you.

have you checked your coolant? Smell funny? Oil in it?

 

[tmoney5500]

yes I have checked my coolant. The coolant smells fine and there is no oil that i can see. I think im going to have the hydrocarbons checked in the coolant before i go tearing everything off. a compression test would just show me that I have a leak and would not necessarily mean the head gasket...so instead of pulling off the head for nothing, i want to be sure that that is in fact what it is.

 

[blcknspo0ln]

You need to do a leak down test, not a compression test. This will help pinpoint where your coolant leaks are coming from.

 

[tmoney5500]

well after throwing the car up in the air on a lift, I was able to determine that the radiator is complete shit...it is leaking from both end tanks and that is probably what is letting air in too...thankyou all for your responses, now it is time to shop for a radiator.