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!

 

[arson]

my radiator blew and i overheated my car and warped my head a while back. i've got a used head to put on it, but is there anything else i should be worried about, or anything else i should replace? all of the gaskets involved will be bought, and the used head will be cleaned and made sure it's true. i've got the manual for the procedures (and i'll be replacing valve seals and timing belts while i'm in there) if there is anything that anyone can think of that i might need, please let me know!

 

[trbotaln]

make sure that the deck of the block is also straight otherwise it wont hold a head gasket.

 

[TooFastTooG]

Hey guys, I have 96 n/t and im havintg some trouble with my car,.

About two months ago my car was overheating at idle, it would go almost all the way up at an idle, but when I started to drive it would go back down to normal, so i took it in and the guys at the shop told me it was the Head Gasket, water pump, and timing belt, that were all going and needed to be replaced.

So I had all that work done and got the car back and it ran great and didnt overheat untill about two weeks ago, now it is doing what it used to do, overheat at an idle only. Now one weird thing I am noticing is that when the car starts to overheat, the heat in my car gets cold, and then when the temp gauge goes back down, my heat starts working again .

I do have a warranty on all the work that they did so i will be taking it back, but im just curious on your guys's input cause im kinda a newb and i dont want them to screw me. thanks guys for the help in advance.

 

['93EclipseGSX]

When the heat stops working, normally this is caused by a low coolant level. The radiator cap could be bad, and not building enough pressure at idle. When the water pump starts turning the pressure, and flow increase giving you heat. There could also be a problem with the fan causing you to over heat at idle. Then when you start driving and air flows across the radiator, the car comes back to operating temp. An air pocket in the cooling system can cause a car to overheat as well. There are a lot more possibilities than this, those are just the ones that seem more likely.
Rob

 

[buscodsm]

First off check to see that you have enough coolant in your system then head right to the radiator cap(thermostat) and replace that too. If that does not work then I would check the radiator fan and wiring to make sure that it is working. Good luck

 

[GTM]

[QUOTE='93EclipseGSX]When the heat stops working, normally this is caused by a low coolant level. The radiator cap could be bad,
Rob [/QUOTE]

You are correct to this point.
...

[QUOTE='93EclipseGSX]
and not building enough pressure at idle. When the water pump starts turning the pressure, and flow increase giving you heat.
Rob [/QUOTE]

The above is incorrect. The engine does NOT have to build pressure, you can run the car without a radiator cap and as long as it does not boil, slosh out, or evaporate it will work just fine. The water pump is always turning and pumping water as long as the engine is turning. _No if and but or nor fors about it_. With the thermostat closed or open it will, provided there is enough water, force water into the heater core and you will have heat. The thermostat determines the engine operating temp and the fans help maintain this. If the radiator fan switch is going bad or the water level is too low then the fans will not operate and the car will overheat if below 28mph. With adequate water the ram induction at higher speeds will cool the radiator and thus the engine.

The reason for the pressure cap is to extend the boiling point from 212F to 317F. This is calculated by using 7 degrees increase for each pound of pressure thus if you have a 15 lb cap in theory it would be 317 but you have a mix of water and coolant so it will change these values. The advantages of running temps higher than boiling of water is for emission control, modern engines are running 235-250+ and thus must have a pressure cap designed to extend the boiling point and yet maintain safe operation levels such as keeping oil temp below 270F-280F.

I'm sure I missed something in the above but it is factual.
................

It most definitely sounds as if the water is too low, the fact that the heater comes and goes should have been the clue. When it gets too low the pump will cavitate mixing water and air, this because the heater is the highest point collects until enough water is available to cover the pump. It then will force the little amount in the heater core back into circulation and into the top of the radiator. It gets cold water back into the engine and the temp goes down. It keeps repeating this process until it either boils because there isn't enough water or you turn it off. This can be the sign of a blown head gasket for they will introduce combustion gases into the cooling system and force water out the pressure cap. The reservoir/overflow bottle can't replace all the fluid that is lost thus it will quickly overheat.

By all means have the shop check for a blown head gasket. Did they require you to come back for a re-torque after they did the engine??

Cheers,
GTM

 

[BlknBlue2G]

Not to be picky cause you explained it well but the increased boiling point also keeps your mix of coolant and water from boiling in your hot engine after you shut if off and nothing is helping to keep things cool. Also the pressure in the system gets rid of any air pockets that could have developed in your engine while the coolant was being filled up.

TooFastTooG check to see if your fan comes on while idling. I couldnt find what temp they are supposed to come on at. Haynes manual also has a method to see if your fan is working by skipping the relay and giving it 12V

Hope you solved it already, too bad you probably didnt need all that work done unless it was time for some maintenance.

 

[yoshimitsuspeed]

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1395339#post1395339
This thread will probably help.

 

[Defiant]

Now, i think my headgasket is really FU#ked up, as there are bubbles in my coolant.

So do I.

 

[1Gtuner1G]

A very good idea would also be to check the fins on your radiator, check for a large area of smashed fins and check for some that disinigrate (spelling?) when they are touched. Take your radiator to get flow checked, too. Do not just use a garden hose and think that it flows well enough, most likely it does not in that case.

 

[TooFastTooG]

Hey guys thanks for your replies, you've all been very helpfull. I fixed the problem and im gonna feel dumb for posting this but my coolant was low . I put some antifreeze and water in there and its running like champ now. The temp gauge stays a little below half way now, and STAYS THERE. Also the heat is running great again. Boy do I feel dumb, but im glad it was something simple like that. Thanks again.

 

[GTM]

Hey guys thanks for your replies, you've all been very helpfull. I fixed the problem and im gonna feel dumb for posting this but my coolant was low . I put some antifreeze and water in there and its running like champ now. The temp gauge stays a little below half way now, and STAYS THERE. Also the heat is running great again. Boy do I feel dumb, but im glad it was something simple like that. Thanks again.

Thanks for letting us know the simple outcome, we all have had opportunities to wipe egg off our face. When thing happen to your transportation it's not always possible to be objective for the ramifications can be severe and cloud the simple solutions. No where is this more applicable than with this product which has what seem as inordinate issues thus reasonable to assume the worst. My not original quote but applicable is "awfully nice car, just hard to get use to" still applies, anyone thinking this is transportation is flirting with danger for they are high maintenance.

Glad it turned out so simple, it also points out the need to lift the hood and spend a few minutes checking things which wear or can be consumed. The fact it's gotten hot should warrant due divergence in keeping an extra eye on this. I had asked the question about re-torquing the head and I strongly advise this should be done especially now. "An ounce of prevention..."

Just to make sure you are clear on this, it won't _prevent boiling_ it will increase the boiling point. The latent heat built up in the block and head will continue to exchange and frequently will boil at local levels or even throughout much like a pot will behave just before it starts to boil where steam bubbles form and then rapidly collapse when it encounter cooler temps. The pressure does not get rid of gases (not vapor), with a 15lb cap it can reduce them by 1/2 but the fallacy in that is it's still 2 quarts low and not flooding the top of the radiator for adequate distribution and circulation.

Cheers,
GTM

 

[BlknBlue2G]

Just make sure that you let the thermostat open before putting the cap back on to let the air out. Dont worry if some spills over before it opens. Also turn your heat on high.

 

[GTM]

Just make sure that you let the thermostat open before putting the cap back on to let the air out. Dont worry if some spills over before it opens. Also turn your heat on high.

That's only if he has to bleed the system because it had gotten low. If he's checking it cold and it only takes a splash he won't have to start and warm up the engine just because he took the cap off. The overflow bottle should be able to handle normal expansion and contractions if the cap is functioning correctly and the system doesn't have any leaks.

Cheers,
GTM

 

[diab0liK]

Can anyone point me in the right direction of the heater inlet hose? I think I recall the heater core is on the passenger side, but I'm just having some difficulty locating the inlet, so I can try to flush (what I hope is) an obstruction in my heater core.

Pics would be amazing, but I'll take what I can get


diab0liK

 

[turbolover2]

Look on the firewall, to the right of the battery. You should see it right there. Might be hard to get to with the battery in though.

 

[diab0liK]

Yeah, thanks, I actually found it already.

Dirty bastard cleverly hid it by marking on it "heater hose".....very sneaky

Anyway though, here's my next q. I hooked up this POS flushing kit that I got, ran the hose over to my car, and let it go. The package says to hook this little splash guard thing to the radiator fill cap area (which is obviously a bit different on a dsm) and to open the radiator empty cap. I couldn't find the cap (car lowered to about 4-5" clearance, w/ no jack that will fit under it), and I can't really get to where the lower radiator hose hits the radiator on the bottom.

So,

I turned the hose from the radiator to the cap upright, and wedged the splash thing in there, and then ran the hose for awhile. Water was just coming out from the aluminum piping that the cap is attached to. I let it run until clear, and then reconnected that hose, and disconnected the lower radiator hose, whwere it goes into the tstat housing, but I'm not sure if that's a good idea either.

Can someone recommend what's the best way to go about this? The directions say to run the motor for 10 mins w/ the water running through it, and the heat on high, but I just want to make sure I have flow going through the motor for sure...

Thanks in advance,
diab0liK

 

[diab0liK]

Ok, hooked everything back up, and let the water flow out of where the cap is. Flushed and clamped everything back up, and refilled w/ 50/50. Car wasn't overheating (idled for 10-15 mins) but there were lots of little, almost frothy bubbles. I checked the upper radiator hose, nice and hot, lower one was still cold though, and the heater hose was also cold. I took some pics/movies w/ my digicam, but I'm going to need to get a buddy to host the files for me, I'll post links when I can, drop me a pm or email @ [email protected] if you can host a few small mpg's for me, definitely under 50mb total.

So is the heater core suspect then? Am I going to need to pull it and replace, or can I get it flushed out some other way or something?

I'm getting desperate here, might be blown hg, or worse I suppose, but wouldn't it be overheating, and fast if that was the case? I haven't tried driving it yet, since something is obviously wrong when there is no heat to the lower radiator hose, and none to the heater inlet.

Suggestions?

I have to go take care of a couple of things, I'll hopefully be able to post pics when I get back.

Lates,
diab0liK

 

[diab0liK]

friend of mine is coming over in awhile to take a look, and tell me if he thinks it's my HG, or what. I'm starting to think bad heater core, but that doesn't seem to explain why the heater hose wouldn't be getting hot liquid at all...and even w/ a BHG wouldn't it be overheating quickly, and wouldn't there still be SOME flow to the heater core?

I'm lost, confused, and beginning to get desperate.....any help would be amazing.

diab0liK

 

[Bostedquest]

Ok...
Well what is the actual problem?
Overheating? No interior Heat? what?
I think I picked up somewhere that it was overheating... so I will go with that...

Ok...
1. Have you replaced the thermostat?
2. Have you bleed the air out of the system?
3. After that did you run the car to normal operating temps and turn on the interior heat? If so, what were the results, and hose temps/conditions?
4. What makes you think it is the HG?

If the issue is interior heat...
1. Have you checked for any possible bad hose switches?
2. With the system completely drained, can you blow air through the H/C with both hoses open? (IE) You remove the feed and return hoses. You then blow into one while the other is uncovered. Does any fluid move? if not it is clogged, but fluid show be easily blow through with lung power.
3. Have you checked for propper switch operation? Do the gizmos actually move opening flow to the H/C and to the interior?
4. Is the blower fan operating?

You really did not give much of a description of the prob...

 

[diab0liK]

Sorry, this is kind of a follow-up to a previous problem.

It's a combination. On Thursday, I was driving for abuot 30 mins, and I had no heat, but no overheating. Then I parked it at a friends house for about 30-45 mins to work on the stereo, and after I left there, after 5 mins or so, I noticed the car was starting to run hot. Another 10 mins, and it was getting really hot, so I got it home (about a min from where I was) and when I got there, I had steam pouring out the overflow tank (much more severe than normal). I then flushed the radiator with just a hose, and then refilled the system, and no change.

So I then pulled and replace the tstat, refilled, and no change. At this time I observed the upper radiator hose was getting hot, but not the lower radiator hose, or what turns out to be the return from the heater core. I'm still not sure about the heater hose inlet, which I thought I had found earlier, but which turns out to be the heater hose outlet. This having been realized a couple hours ago, I've been trying to get the heater hose inlet off the motor, but can't seem to, for some reason or another (it is on there really fking good, took the screw for the clamp completely out, and still can't pull it out for shit). I was going to pull the battery to make it easier to get to the heater hoses, but unfortunately, the bolt on the negative post on my battery comes out the back too far, and my 1/2" socket isn't deep enough, and the nut is tightened down so far, I can't even get an adjustable wrench around it. I would go to meijers for a 1/2" socket that's deeper, but my roommates gf is out of town, and apparently they're at her parents house or something, and hence, being 12:30am, I am without a ride. If nothing else, I'll be out in the goddamn snow tomorrow, splicing another one of these awful TEES into my heater hose inlet, to try and flush the heater core out good (since that is looking increasingly like the problem). I suppose I could just replace the heater core for good measure, but it might be difficult to find locally on the weekend, and it's sure a helluva lot more difficult than dealing with some hoses that are hard as hell to pull off, especially with a battery in your way.

My car hasn't been overheating while idling, but I'm quite certain there's a blockage in the heater core, so I suppose it's looking like I'll have to replace the heater core at worse. Does anyone know if it would be worth trying to pull the heater core, and flush it at that point? Hopefully I'll have some luck flushing it out via the cooling system.

Anybody have suggestions for how to get this damn hose off? I removed the screw completely, and the angle/cramped nature makes it hellaciously difficult to remove, not to mention the fact that it probably never has been.

Thanks for the reply though, I was starting to think nobody loved me

diab0liK

edit: as far as where did I get the idea I have a bad HG, it's b/c several ppl have told me they're nearly certain that's what it is, even though I honestly don't find there to be much evidence backing this up. I have yet to see a sign of oil in my coolant or vice versa, and while I haven't driven my car since I've been messing w/ it, I didn't notice any performance loss before/while this was happening.

 

[Bostedquest]

Ok... Heres a suggestion.
How are you about cutting the H/C feed line? cut it at a nice open spot and when your done just get one of those plastic hose connector/patch things?
If your willing to do that, try this...

You said you had one of those T flush connectors? Do you have anything to block the flow on one side? Hose cap, duct tape, a nice fat thumb?
Anyway, you remove the "outlet hose" from the H/C, and hook that flush T (that I will assume hooks to a house water hose tap?) and have one way blocked and reverse flush the H/C.
Hopefully what ever clogged it, did not make its way between the fins and really got it hosed up. That way when you hook the house hose to it, about 30 GPH of pressure will hit it and hopefully push it back out the way it went in.

Also how old is your water pump?
Have you tried taking the H/C out of the loop?
Just removing the line that attached to the water pump hard line and running the car momentarily? To check for fluid flow...
You need to find out if the blockage is in the block, the H/C, the Radiator or possibly the lines.
That is one of the things I do not like about the DSM's is that the H/C are not easily bypassed like other cars are. Just for trouble shooting purposes.

 

[diab0liK]

Well, I was just going to disconnect the H/C inlet from the block, and flush w/ the hose through there, but I couldn't get the damn thing to come off for shit last night. i'm going to get a deep enough 1/2" today, and get that damn hose off if it costs me my left hand.

I also have roommate with unnecessarily skinny hands, that might help as well. I have good flow everywhere else in the cooling system, so I'm pretty sure it's either a fixable clog, or I'm going to have to replace the heater core. Replacing the core is quite a bish, but when compared to the head gasket, it's hard to complain

Thanks for the replies, it's snowing like mad outside right now, but I'm going to make an effort to get this done today, freezing my sack off or not.

diab0liK

 

[GTM]

Well, I was just going to disconnect the H/C inlet from the block, and flush w/ the hose through there, but I couldn't get the damn thing to come off for shit last night. i'm going to get a deep enough 1/2" today, and get that damn hose off if it costs me my left hand.
...
Thanks for the replies, it's snowing like mad outside right now, but I'm going to make an effort to get this done today, freezing my sack off or not.
diab0liK

These cars are a pain in the backside to bleed because the heater hoses/core is above the engine. If you can get the car on an incline facing up hill, run the engine while adding water through the rad cap until the lower hose is warm. Put newspaper in front of the radiator to block off air circulation. Obviously the heater temp should be set to high and the fan to low, you may use defrost position. Feel the bottom of the radiator core if you can't reach the hose.

Even if the radiator is frozen solid the heater circuit bypasses the T'stat so if your heater water control valve is opening and you are properly bled you should have heat.

With all your plastic fittings you might be able to bleed through the heater hoses but if you can get no flow through the core then it's either the valve or the core is plugged. Be careful with city water pressure for it can reach 90psi.

Keep us posted.

Cheers,
GTM





.

 

[diab0liK]

Ok, well, I finally got a ride, got a deep 1/2" socket, got the battery out, and finally got the lower heater hose off the block (the inlet hose). I also got another janky flush kit, and then put the tee in the open end of the hose, and attached the hose to it, and ran it, pluggint the open end of the tee with my thumb. I then proceeded to open different segments in the cooling system, to get make sure I have flow everywhere, and I do. The only place where it seemed a little low, was when I disconnected the lower radiator hose on the block side, but then again, the water had to travel like 12" vertical, and it WAS still flowing, just slowly, so I think I'm good. It's ####ing snowing like a beast, and I not only have no garage, I have no gloves, so i'm taking a quick smoke break, and then I'm going to reconnect everything, refill her, and see if I can't get a car that doesn't overheat with no heat in the car

I'll let you know how it goes, and thanks to everyone for the help and suggestions.

Late,
diab0liK