Car Overheated / Overheating / Overheats [MERGED]

[NTRCOOL]

OVERHEATING? The issues and their solutions have remained the same- either you don't have enough cool air reaching the rad, there's a cooling system obstruction which is preventing coolant from circulating, or your head gasket has failed and is allowing coolant to be consumed or pushed away from the engine.

Discuss all possible overheating problems and solutions here.


OK,
I just left my house to go over to my GF's,and happen to look down and see my needle right before the red mark. This just happened out of nowhere. I stop the car as quickly as i can, and pour in some coolant(Coolant a little low). Still same thing. Welp im in the middle of the road, and HAD to get it home. Im only 5 min from my house. I decided to try and make it(I really had no other choice). Welp I drive no faster than 20mph, and the temp needle is BARELY into the red the whole way.And occasionaly to the left of it. Am I ok?? Do ya think any damage was done?? And im thinking either thermostat, or water pump. For each of those, whats a round about $$ figure to get replaced?? Any info you have would be GREATLY appreciated!

 

[Bubbs Malone]

I went through the head gasket problem with mine. I would drive twenty minutes and watch the water shoot out of the overflow.

Before I had the motor replaced, it was blowing out of the tailpipe pretty good too.

 

[EagleTalon1993]

There is a way to check the radiator fan with some simple tests,
Take the thermo temp connector off the radiator and (my haynes manual) says to use a paperclip as a jumper and connect the two leads with it, turn the key to the on position engine not running and see if the rad fan comes on.

Second remove the rad fan relay and use a jumper wire again key on but engine not running and put the jumper across the two connectors on the left closest to the firewall and the rad fan should come on if not there may be a wiring issue somewhere

Keep in mind this is all for a first gen model (What year and make do you have ?)

 

[cjk123]

Thank you very much, I will try that tomorrow. I have a first gen, 92 talon tsi. I will do both of those things tomorrow after work and I will get back on and post how it went.

Here is another thing that could possibly help diagnose the problem. The temp gauge is registering the car is where it usually is when at operating temp before the car is even close to that temp. I can take off the radiator cap and put my finger in the fluid and its just warm. To me its starting to seem like an ecu issue possibly. Does anyone else have any ideas?

Also I have a 90 laser rst fwd ecu and my car is a 92 talon tsi fwd, I dont think these two ecu's are interchangeable but if i'm mistaken please tell me.

 

[evan1170]

A couple days ago my 97 gsx overheated. Since then I have changed the thermastat, radiator cap seal, new coolant, but its still overheating. I have the right parts for cooling like a new radiator and fans, but my last guess would be a bad water pump?

 

[my dreamt dsm]

Over heating like what? Drive to long and overheats? Are the hoses hard after you drive for a while how a regular car does. Top hose hot bottom cold?
Are the fans turning on. Did you change the fan switch sensor! Any oil in the radiator fluid?

 

[evan1170]

after driving it for a little bit is fine, but then it runs out of water. Fans are good, new oil and coolant, and hoses are fine . Just not sure why it runs out of water so fast, i was thinking broken water pump propeller

 

[dsmtsi95]

Either it's evaporating or you have a small leak that dries up under the hot engine.
My 95 talon did that and it was a small leak by the thermostat housing.Are you
using any coolant?

 

[AWD_Hybrid]

There must be some brown stains showing up somewhere.
Where are they ?
If you have a water cooled oil cooler, check the hose under the car ^^
Is the hose behind the head going into a heater pipe split ?
While the car is hot, flex the hoses to check for clamp split hoses.
Cheers !

 

[evan1170]

No leaks, i also changed the thermostat and put in new coolant. Im pretty sure the water is evaporating

 

[AWD_Hybrid]

Is the rad cap one meant for a recirculative container ?
Has the tube come off inside the recirculative container ?
Water cooled oil cooler hose under the car ok ?
Cheers !

 

[MY1GDSM]

Blown head gasket & Pushin' Coolent...?

 

[evan1170]

old radiator car had a crappy gasket, checked for loose hoses and leaks, I thought it was a blown head gasket at first but I did a leak down test and it was fine.

 

[MY1GDSM]

So you fixed it?

 

[92laserboy]

well my engin is still over heating we have put the following on a raditator cap,thermostat,we ran straight water through it befour which was not good but now we are running coolant through it 50/50 and the resevior bottle the tupe that goes in that bottle has steam coming out of it making the coolant bubble out of the bottle we have the fans straight wired to run all the time and it is still running hot it is getting to be a pain and would the throttle body have to anything with it overheating but i need some help badly

 

[lacroixdp]

I'd say you most likely have a bad head gasket. Do a leak-down test - that should let you know. These articles should help you:
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/articles-engine-fuel/338152-compression-test-vs-leak-down-test.html
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/articles-engine-fuel/336535-do-you-have-blown-head-gasket.html

 

[ilco187]

i think there is a blockage, something is blocking flow. possibly the heater core or so, or the worse could be head gasket.

 

[92laserboy]

hey thanks for the help because the coolant is bubbling back up out of the coolant bottle so most likey that is what it is

 

[v8s_are_slow]

When is it overheating? Just at idle? Are you leaking any coolant? How's the water pump? How is the radiator? Could be clogged inside and need to be rotted out at a radiator shop. Are the fans stock or aftermarket? If aftermarket, are you sure you have them wired to rotate in the proper direction? Hell, if they're stock, do you have them wired to rotate the proper direction? You could be pushing air forward instead of pulling it from the front of the car.

Just a few ideas to check there.

 

[92laserboy]

where can i go to get a Leak Down test done at? if i am not comfotable doing it my self.... and around how much would it cost ?

 

[evan1170]

, no, I am so puzzled on what to do next

 

[nlzn]

This might be an obvious question but is it boiling? The system is designed to release the pressure and it will cause you to lose coolant out of the resevoir.
If it gets better when you drive I'd flush out the radiator and make sure your fans are kicking on when they should.

Also you may have a leak under pressure only. Happened to me on my s13 from the coolant temp sensor. Not one leak at idle but after it warmed up and I raced it under the hood sure enough it came out under pressure.

 

[greg90gs]

i agree with a clog especially in the heater core happens alot, disconnect the hoses from the core( under intake manifold on firewall) and take a garden hose and hold it on the inlet/ or outlet doesnt matter will need to do both a few times, and you will see the coolant come out and then if there is a block you could see some brown rusty looking water come out and possibly clumps, keep the water to it untill it runs clear. also do this to your radiator if you havnt, remove upper and lower rad hose and hold a hose in it, and just a thought do you have your thermostat in corectly? because i have seen people put them in backwords, so might check that just in case, the spring goes down towards the engine.

 

[evan1170]

the waters boiling, and the fans are working

 

[MY1GDSM]

the waters boiling, and the fans are working

like boiling over into your coolant reservoir???
almost a sure sign of pushing coolant if it is

 

[chico904]

where can i go to get a Leak Down test done at? if i am not comfotable doing it my self.... and around how much would it cost ?

You can buy a leak down tester pretty cheap from Harbor Freight and do it yourself.