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!

 

[Jaxness]

What temp thermostat do you have? Are both fans coming on or just one?

Was is the radiator with the fans and the shroud?

 

[talontsi1216]

i cant remember off the top of my head. yeah both fans come. well it was the kit with the shroud but it wouldnt fit with the lower intercooler pipe down by the ALT. so no shroud.

 

[TSiAWD666]

Add some ducting for the radiator.

 

[moving-violatio]

There is an old way to tell if its the thermostat or not. When going down the road turn the heat on full blast. Its gonna get hot, haha so make sure you have window down. If the car cools back down then it has something to do with the thermostat. as for the LICP just cut a few rungs out of the bottom and put it on its there for a reason.

 

[98GSX-WI]

I can tell you that ever since my FMIC install, I've had overheating problems (whether moving or not). I went through many slimline fans, they just didn't seem to move enough air, and a few of them ended-up with burnt-up wiring.

My overheating problems were finally solved with TWO 12" Spal fans running at all time on high. I got the fans from ebay (see link).

Spal 12" High Performance Fan Puller Curved 1451 CFM | eBay

 

[talontsi1216]

See thats what i was thinking is the fans. I cant fine the CFM rating for the fans that came with the kit nor the kind a of fan they are. Ill have to contact PR on monday to try and find out. But im thinking its the fans.

 

[punishment]

9 times out of 10 this ends up being an air in the cooling system issue. Did you burp it properly after installing the radiator and try replacing the radiator cap?

Tim
Punishment Racing

 

[talontsi1216]

No i have not done that yet but im going to give it a shot as soon as i get a chance.

Thanks.

 

[GofaST4life]

Is it me, but a little over half way on the gauge is not overheating...maybe running a bit hot but not the point where you cant drive the car, its hurting anything or it shuts off.

Hell, sometimes on hot days, mine will go a little above half way at a stop, but thats not overheating and if drops back down to normal after a few minutes of driving.

What was the actually temp?? Do you have any numbers to go from?

Just my .02.

 

[talontsi1216]

hmm wow i geuss your right ill just drive it until it goes into the red.

 

[GofaST4life]

hmm wow i geuss your right ill just drive it until it goes into the red.

Im not saying drive it till it goes red. But keep an eye on it. A little over half isn't overheating (if im wrong correct me, but provide some explanation)...you said its hot out in FL. Could just be the day.

Check your fluids like everyone is saying and report back. Maybe flush the system.

Good luck!

 

[Calan]

There is an old way to tell if its the thermostat or not. When going down the road turn the heat on full blast. Its gonna get hot, haha so make sure you have window down. If the car cools back down then it has something to do with the thermostat.

No...that just means you provided another source of air (the heater fan) blowing over the coolant to help remove heat, assuming the coolant is circulating. It tells you nothing about why it's overheating in the first place.

But since you mentioned it... that is a good way to buy yourself 10* or so and a little bit of time to make it to a place you can pull over and let the car cool off.

A little over half isn't overheating (if im wrong correct me, but provide some explanation).

Not necessarily. The temperature gauges in these cars are all over the map; on one car, straight up may be 206*, and on another it may be 170*.

Put it this way...I've seen my coolant temperature spike to well over 240* and the dummy temp gauge was reading just a little bit more than halfway. That temperature is well past my comfort level...but it was "perfectly safe" according to the gauge.

You shouldn't trust that gauge at all.

 

[GofaST4life]

^^ You know, I was kinda thinking that after I wrote it. Like how the stock boost gauge is garbage.

Good to know.

 

[Jstue]

No i have not done that yet but im going to give it a shot as soon as i get a chance.

Thanks.

Take the Radiator cap off and let it run. Your going to have to get all the air out of the system wich meens you have to wait for it to get hot so the thermostat opens up and circulates the air bubbles. I had a overheating problem and just fixed it with ac delete and a mishimoto radiator. Let it hang out with the cap off for a while. You might have to put more coolant/water in it afterwards. Let it get all hot and ready so that t stat opens up. If a little bit burps out no biggie, just brake clean it off.

Also feel your top and bottom radiator hoses so you can tell if and when the thermostat opens up. If your top hose stays cool or has no pressure then replace the t stat. I would do that anyway tho. only 15 bux..
good luck.

 

[DruSkeez]

My gsx is misfiring out the exhaust when I push down alot on the gas ...can anyone help with that ?
and the car seems to overheat after 45 to a hr of driving .. Fans wrk and I just put coolant..

Can anyone help ?

 

[monster4g63tawd]

There is a whole thread about the coolant system on here just look it up. Either "coolant system" or "overheating". When mine was overheating it turned out to be just a bad radiator cap but mine would get hot alot faster than that.

 

[darrinevans253]

Alright guys I'm going to be honest here I screwed up bad, trust me I'm kicking my self in the nuts right now because of it. So I get up this morning (430am) for work and go and put a little bit of water in the radiator than let the car warm up for about 10 to 15 min. I go and drive about 20 miles to my work and I start spuddering/misfiring. The car smells hot, but the temp gauge reads at normal temp. so I pull it over and open the hood and turn it off, I look after the steam calms down.... I forgot to put the damn radiator cap on when I filled it. Now I let it cool down put water in the radiator and it won't start. It look like I'm leaking from the waterpump? And I have a huge hole in the radiator. But when I try and crank it over it seems to turn over a bit slower than normal. Check the oil no water but smells like fuel. Can someone please tell me why it won't start?? Some of my buddys at my work think its the water pump but a few other say its the head gasket Thx guys!

 

[g4ebguy90]

Ok, the reason why it was steaming and boiling is because, without pressure water and coolant boils at a lower temperature so that explains that. I mean as long as the gauge didn't get hot I cant belive it would have damaged the engine.

It's probaly turning over slower because, you kept trying to start it, and the battery is dieing.
As for the no start..... Worst case scenerio you somehow blowed the headgasket, and coolant is in the combustion chamber, fouling out the plugs.

Start with basics, Fuses, spark, Fuel, Compression

Car will start with a bad water pump.

 

[STLskater92]

Sounds like a blown headgasket. Compression test should show you more. Test it and get back with the results

 

[g4ebguy90]

Sounds like a blown headgasket. Compression test should show you more. Test it and get back with the results

I agree, but I have fixed numerous headgaskets on cars, usually compression tests did not pin point the leak. The only time that would be worthwhile is if the leak was from a burnt out peice betwen cyl's.

I had a civic do numbers around 120-125-125-130 The 120 was the bad cyl.

I have also fixed headgaskets, were the gasket looked un damaged.

One way I always tests for headgaskets, Is I fill the radiator fill with fluid, start the car, and see if 1. Steam comes out. 2. Lots of bubbles. 3. Actually pushes fluid out.
4. Shoots coolant in air.

 

[miguelmcv]

Ok, the reason why it was steaming and boiling is because, without pressure water and coolant boils at a lower temperature so that explains that. I mean as long as the gauge didn't get hot I cant belive it would have damaged the engine.


When there is no water passing by the cooling sensor, the gauge will not go all the way up, Because there is no water heating the sensor, the sensor will not send the wright signal.

 

[g4ebguy90]

Ok, the reason why it was steaming and boiling is because, without pressure water and coolant boils at a lower temperature so that explains that. I mean as long as the gauge didn't get hot I cant belive it would have damaged the engine.


When there is no water passing by the cooling sensor, the gauge will not go all the way up, Because there is no water heating the sensor, the sensor will not send the wright signal.

Whos to say there was no coolant in the car, he said he added it when he left.
Yes what you said is a possibility. I understand that.
I think if it was that low he would have mentioned he added like 2 gallons of water.

 

[miguelmcv]

I agree, but I have fixed numerous headgaskets on cars, usually compression tests did not pin point the leak. The only time that would be worthwhile is if the leak was from a burnt out peice betwen cyl's.

I had a civic do numbers around 120-125-125-130 The 120 was the bad cyl.

I have also fixed headgaskets, were the gasket looked un damaged.

One way I always tests for headgaskets, Is I fill the radiator fill with fluid, start the car, and see if 1. Steam comes out. 2. Lots of bubbles. 3. Actually pushes fluid out.
4. Shoots coolant in air.

There are so many ways for a gasket to go off..

Bubbles in the water is when a gap is between the cylinder and water lines,

But there could be a gap between one cylinder to another cylinder.

There could be a leak at the head when crack and pass water to the oil, and so on.

Your method is very usual, But it needs the car to be on, which his car is not running.

The best way to find the leak is doing a leak test..


To the OP.

Do a compression leak test to find out where is the leak.

That's your best route to go.
Also, you can check for fuel, and spark.

 

[g4ebguy90]

, I added my 2 cents good luck. I'm just saying on every car I had to fix a headgasket on, Compression was so close, it wouldn't even be a clue to which cyl was getting leaked into.

Btw I did mention leaks between cyls.

Cranking the car should throw air in the coolant, and there you go. Doesn't have to run. Just look for the coolant to jump.

 

[miguelmcv]

Whos to say there was no coolant in the car, he said he added it when he left.
Yes what you said is a possibility. I understand that.
I think if it was that low he would have mentioned he added like 2 gallons of water.

Yes, he filled the radiator before leaving his house, But, He spend 10, 15mn on warming the car, and spend 20 miles of driving which is about 20 or 30 mns of driving with out the radiator cap on.

So that is plenty of time to drain all the water that was in the system.

That's why the gauge didn't when all the way up.