Coolant HELP please! WEIRD!

[ryno]

Recently my cars upper radiator hose nipple on the radiator itself broke out of know where while i was driving. I didn't even notice casue my gauge didn't say it was hot. A fellow passer by car flashed me, and i imediately look in rear veiw mirror to notice the car steaming bad from behind me. I pulled over right away and saw the problem, fixed it temporarily and drove it home. I got a used radiator from a freind and installed it today. Here lies my PROBLEM.

I got everything togeather, drained, etc and starting pouring coolant in, and to my amazement it will only allow me to pour in 1/2-3/4 of a gallon and it just simply starts overflowing at the filler. I thought it was a bad air lock but its not. I then started car and let it run for likr 30 mins, and the coolant level never went down.
I then thought it was the thermostat, so i drove down to the store and got back and drained the coolant that i got in it and proceeded to put the brand new one in. Then i poured the coolant in again and same thing. I ran the car for about thirty mins again, and also had heater on full blast, and it still wont let me poor in coolant.

One weird thing i noticed with both thermostats is that the lower radiator hose is cold even after driving the car for 10 mins and letting it idle for 20. So it seems like the thermo isnt letting anyhting get past it, therefore not letting me pour more then a 1/2 gallon in the car.

Any help or advise please.

 

[RipperXX]

did the car ever warm up or over heat? And is the one your friend gave you by any chance smaller!?

I hate to ask such an obveious question but...you never know.

 

[ryno]

its not smaller...came out of same year turbo.
It has been way warmed up with no overheating. Thats whats weird. But the bottom hose will not get warm and it only has a half gallon of coolant total.

 

[Locke]

does it flow? it could be clogged (or mostly clogged, since you can drain it.)

you could try blowing through it (while empty of course), applying compressed air would be better. it should flow anything you can throw through it, easily. almost no resistance.

somebody could have loaded it with that Stop-Leak or AlumaSeal crap or whatever its called. That stuff works too well. Ive had it clog radiators and heater cores in the past, before I smarted up to the problem.

if it is clogged, a radiator shop should be able to repair it for you.

 

[RipperXX]

Thats what I was thinking, but clogged or not, wouldn't it eventually fill? Maybe not right away but say he put as much as possible in it, and then checked it the next day, dont you think it would have seaped around and filled the rad?


Anyway Locke is correct a radiator shop is your best bet, take it to them and see what they think.

 

[beating4g63s]

what happens when you try and flush the radiator. does it let anything out or a little.

 

[drivemusicnow]

Sounds like you have some sort of blockage in the block. This may have caused really high water pressure which could be part of the reason why that nipple broke off in the first place. You're going to need to see where water will flow and were it won't through the block. I'd disconnect the front water pipe and stick a hose in it to see whether you find where it may be blocked.

 

[Locke]

Thats what I was thinking, but clogged or not, wouldn't it eventually fill? Maybe not right away but say he put as much as possible in it, and then checked it the next day, dont you think it would have seaped around and filled the rad?

Your right.

ryno, when you warm the engine up and run the heat, does it blow out hot (is there water in the heater core?)

Best I can think of, aside from the clogged radiator (which is more likely that a clogged water passage, IMO) would be a clogged/obstructed water passage. Try what Greg said. Can't hurt. I am doubting it's air locked. But, who knows.

Odd issue, for sure.

Good luck.

 

[ryno]

Yes i can get my heater to get very HOT!

Also I drove the car for about an hour last night with no overheating, and also the lower radiator hose finally got hot. Its so weird tho. I know for a fact I only have 1/2-3/4 gallons of coolant in it and thats all.

 

[brrrnntsshhhh]

take out the radiator, run a hose through it see how it works out. most likely the radiator core is clogged. either that or u got a clog somewhere else.