420A 2GNT over heating, battery light, squeeling belt..weird

[1993F250]

I have a 1999 eclipse 2.0l dohc non turbo. I put a new alternator belt on my car a couple days ago. Today the battery light came on and the belt started to squeel. I had just gotten where I needed to be so I parked it & left it for a couple hours or so; when I went to 'fix' it I couldn't find a problem. I drove it a couple more times then the same thing happened and it started overheating. If I kept my rpms between 2500-3000 then it was ok but if I let it go higher or lower the car started to overheat. I'm not really sure whats going on here. Could this thermostat or what? I really need some help. Thanks.

 

[96 420a-t]

Sounds like you got two problems. The over heating islikely a low coolant since upping the rpms can increase flow. Now the sqeeling at batt light is most likely that your belt needs to be re tentioned.

 

[1993F250]

Well I am hoping you're right there. That would be the most basic & easiest fix. The coolant however seems full in fact it was overflowing the reservoir pretty crazy. I just bought the car and it needs a coolant flush so I'll do that but do you think that would fix it? I don't have any heat through my vents. A problem I have not had w/this car, it usually heats up quick.

 

[96 420a-t]

My car was puking coolant out of the resivior and over heating. I couldn't figure it out for the life of me. As it turned out the rubber hose on the cap to my coolant resivor fell off. My engine never sucked water back in when it cooled off so it kept trapping air in the therm housing which led to it over heating.

 

[nlzn]

Alternator belt drives the water pump..
Alt Belt squealing + overheating + battery light.. .. .. .. .. .. .....

 

[1993F250]

My car was puking coolant out of the resivior and over heating. I couldn't figure it out for the life of me. As it turned out the rubber hose on the cap to my coolant resivor fell off. My engine never sucked water back in when it cooled off so it kept trapping air in the therm housing which led to it over heating.

Interesting. I actually bumped the cap to my reservoir while doing the belt and that hose fell off. I put it back on but it was the next day that this started. Maybe somethings clogged too. I'll thoroughly check my hoses & such to see if that could be why. Lack of coolant going back into the system would explain no heat too. However, I'm still confused about the battery light because my belt appears fine and I don't seem to even have a loss of voltage. Maybe that light is just sensitive? So a bit of a loose belt would trip it?

 

[knochgoon24]

Wait, do you have the 99 Eclipse GSX you have listed in under your avatar, a 99 Eclipse GS/RS (2.0L n/t) in your post, or do you have both?

Either way, check your harmonic balancer (crank pulley). Look at the rubber layer for signs of it being worn out. Make a mark across the 2 metal parts and the rubber in between then check it later to see if the marks still line up. Sometimes, the rubber can dry out and separate. It will slip, squeal, and cause problems like you're describing.

 

[1993F250]

Wait, do you have the 99 Eclipse GSX you have listed in under your avatar, a 99 Eclipse GS/RS (2.0L n/t) in your post, or do you have both?

Either way, check your harmonic balancer (crank pulley). Look at the rubber layer for signs of it being worn out. Make a mark across the 2 metal parts and the rubber in between then check it later to see if the marks still line up. Sometimes, the rubber can dry out and separate. It will slip, squeal, and cause problems like you're describing.

First off I have gs/rs apparently. I'm not to familiar with these cars (I mostly work on trucks) and was just pretty sure I had the base so I chose the lowest model on the list. I'll change it, Thank you.

That's kind of what I was afraid I was going to hear. Marking it is a good idea. I will try that out later today. I just need this thing to get me to work.

 

[sincitydru]

Alternator belt drives the water pump..
Alt Belt squealing + overheating + battery light.. .. .. .. .. .. .....

+1 first thing I thought of. : belt squeals = little or no contact with pulleys. If the alternator is not working from no contact from belt = battery light. If the water pump is not pumping coolant from no contact from the belt = over heating and no circulation of coolant to enter heater core = no heat from vent when you turn the heater on. Belt needing to be retentioned probably. First thing I would check.
Hope this helps

 

[gusu]

Before your water pump totally fails it wobbles side to side and will eventually break off. It is squealing from the belt pulling on the pump that isn't turning properly. It will start snapping belts eventually but right now your belt isn't spinning everything causing it to over heat. This is just one possibiity. If your alternator belt is loose it will do the same thing.

 

[1993F250]

the belt wasnt that loose but could have been tighter so i tightened it. now where on the pulley should i be marking it to see if its slipping?

ok i got it marked. let it idle for a bit, revvd it up, etc. until it was warmed up. then i revvd it up for awhile to try and get it to overheat which it did not. i still had no heat however?? i checked my mark on the pulley and it was dead straight.

 

[96 420a-t]

I'm confused you say the alt belt turns the water pump? He must have a differnet n/a than I do. Because mine is driven by the timing belt.

You want to make your marks on the face of the h.b. not where the belt rides.

 

[ktgurl87]

The alt. belt turns the water pump on a 4g63. As far as I knew, the water pump on the 420A is turned by the timing belt. With the belt squeal... is it a constant squealing? Or just a quick squeal when you first start it up? And about your heat (or lack therof), is the air blowing and it's just cold? Or is it not blowing at all? Heater core could be clogged up, or the hoses are icky, which I think would go along with overheating issues. (I think, not 100% on that)

 

[96 420a-t]

Well I thought we were talking about a n/t. Since that's what the op claimed.

 

[ktgurl87]

That is what the OP is working on. Not sure why everyone is saying the water pump is driven by the alt. belt. :\

 

[96 420a-t]

That's why I was like hold up wait a sec... glad I'm back up to speed though.

 

[1993F250]

. sorry for the confusion. im guessing that was my fault by choosing the wrong eclipse trim when i made my account. its the n/t and i didnt think the alt belt ran the water pump so im glad that got cleared up. the belt squeel went away. i figured out when my resevoir was overflowing it was dumping on the belt and it was loose enough to make the noise. driving to work today(about a 40 mile drive) the battery light never came on nor did the belt squeel. it would however start to overheat when i let the rpms get to low or to high. while i was doing 70 on the freeway & turned on my heater it shot out hot air at 1st like normal but quickly turned to warm air & made my temp quage freak. on the way home from work i had ZERO problems with it. im thinking its just the thermostat so im going to replace that later today. if anyone has any other ideas let me know, thanks.

 

[1993F250]

so for the follow up. the belt was just loose. i drained my radiator and it stopped over heating, however i still have no heat unless im moving and its taking alot longer to actually blow heat. im still not sure whats up there. maybe the thermostat. i have a new one i just need to replace it.

 

[Tyeler18]

You didn't bleed the coolant. That's why you have no heat.

 

[1993F250]

wanna expain bleeding the coolant please? never heard that and never had to do it in my trucks

 

[Tyeler18]

Let me google that for you