15 degrees outside. Cold start up problems

[Matt4g63]

Let me first start out saying that this is the coldest morning this engine has seen since being put into this car.

Today I went and started my car and let it warm up like usual when its cold. When I came out to go to class it was revving from 2-2.5k by itself. I revved the engine a few times and it didn't change anything.

I shut the car off for a little bit and came back out and it was acting normal, it had its normal get-to-temp high idle. But when I drove down the block it started to overheat.

I checked the coolant and it wasn't low at all. My fans still work also. I also do not have heat as of this morning. When I looked under the hood the first time I saw some leakage from the coolant cap.

Not sure what could cause a rough idle like that and cause me to not have heat when I still have coolant.

Thanks, Matt

 

[yukondoit]

Sounds like you heater core may have froze, did you check your coolant density? To much water and not enough antifreeze.

 

[Matt4g63]

Well I know that I had an over heating problem this summer, but when i pressed the coolant hose and lets some come out onto the cement it was partially green. But I did ad alot of water to it this summer.

 

[luv2rallye]

I agree with yukondoit. Check antifreeze mixture with tester (cheap ones at any auto store). You must have at least a 50/50 mixture of antifreeze/water.

 

[Matt4g63]

Would that cause the car to run like that as start up also?

 

[turboglenn]

Besides a frozen core, you might have well froze it enough for a freeze plug to have partially popped out. Find the coolant leak first. Repair it, get a new thermostat and put that is and make sure your coolant is dense enough. The tester doesn't cost much at all. If in fact your coolant was frozen, i could see teh ECU forcing a lot of fuel and opening teh hell out of FIAV.

 

[Matt4g63]

Well i just drove it around the block again, and left it running at idle while i checked the car for leaks, there were no leaks and the car didn't overheat?