Coolant/Temp

[boostedjess]

Alrighttttt, as if this week can't get any worse. Yesterday and today, not driving around for a long period of time, my temp. gauge has been at its 'normal' spot. Now just 2 hours ago, on my way home which is 20 mins away, my gauge didn't stop going up. Next thing I know, it's overheating like hell and I shut the car off.. I heard it spray from in the car and even worse outside. I looked, it was near the reservoir area. So, I sat for about 15 mins waiting for my grandpa to pick me up, he made me driveeee it home.. then 50 ft from my house, something popped and exploded alllll over my windshield and scared the shit out of me.. Still made me driveee it home. I don't have any way of towing or I would have.

I have ideas of what it may be running through my head, but I hope it could just be something stupid. I haven't checked anything yet, it's very cold over here and he doesn't like me working on my car in the first place. Anyone?! Please

Oh, any my reservoir had enough in it, I haven't checked the coolant since it poured out when I unscrewed the cap a few weeks ago.

 

[2slow4now]

you probably lost your water pump and then popped a radiator hose. Not good to keep driving it could ruin your engine. If you see temp shoot up key should aways go off it's alot cheaper to pay for a tow and a hose than have to rebuild. Sorry for your luck

 

[JFatch1890]

Radiator, Overheating Causes and Cures

 

[boostedjess]

Oh I know that, trust me.. I honestly couldn't have left it or towed if I wanted to with my Grandpa (whom I live with and the car hasn't gotten registered in my name yet..) But I really hope it's something small.

I'll check it out tomorrow, anything to keep my eye out for?

 

[Defiant]

So, when's grandpa getting you a new engine?

 

[DSM1G90]

Have him buy you a new radiator cap after you flush out the system..usually what happpens on a boilover-cap let go.

 

[gsxtasy]

Warped head? Should've left it until it cooled and filled it back up with water.

 

[boostedjess]

Yes, if it was my choice I would have let it sit. Welllll.. I just looked, or glanced because it's cold. The upper radiator hose off of it is off. Ever since I got the car that side has leaked on occasion. Hmm.. I really hope it didn't ruin anything else Whyyy me..

 

[Kyromoto]

ive had this problem too man. i doubt you warped head though seeing as ive also had that . warped head usually dont explode. But when I had coolent spray on my window it was at my first race an my coolent gauge stopped working an i didnt notice an my radiator itself exploded. Im sure that didnt happen to you though . but hey when you look at your car go where the head an block meet. if you see oil an coolent than yes you warped your head. also when your try an turn the car on if it rotates but dont combust that could be your head gasket to. well anyway imma give ya my number to text or call when you work on your car. ive rebuilt everything on it an could help you if you get confused ok man.

 

[dsmfa9nutter]

Got a lot of snow in ohio? Not good to drive with it packed against the radiator. Just a thought.

 

[pj91gsx]

I know a guy that just got a car and his radiator leaked all the water out. He felt like he could stop because he didnt want to stop on the side of the road so he kept driving it. He made it to a gas station, he tried to crank it back up and it wouldnt crank, because his head was so warped. I hope your smarter than that. Ive run my car and the radiator plug poped out but I drove it home and cut if off and coasted. I never read in the red zone but it who knows the temp because what your sensor is reading is the air temperature because there is no water in the motor. If I ever blow my head gasket i will just use it as an opertunity to port match and polish the head.

 

[knochgoon24]

Chances are that the shaking of the flimsy bumper would loosen all the snow (if there was any) before the car got overheated. Also, the fans would pull air from around the snowdam. On a stock car, easy driving, I doubt this was the cause.

I'd start buy checking you hoses to see if any have splits or cracks. It sounds like you lost all your coolant. So check the hoses then fill it up. Depending on how hot your engine actually got inside, your oil might have broken down pretty good too. If you really drove it 20 min with it overheating, I'd change that and the filter.

You could have done some serious damage driving the car for 20 minutes as it overheated. What was he thinking!?! The coolant is there for a reason!

You grandpa needs to realize that if you have a car, you have to options:
1. Pay out your a$$ to mechanics to tell them something you could have found out in 10 min.
2. Save the money and get under the car yourself.

What harm does he see in you doing something as simple as a hose change?

Not a whole lot, but still irrelevant. Any snow packed against the radiator, would melt long before it overheated an engine. It's simple thermodynamics.

I'm done arguing this snow thing. He said there was no snow.

 

[zack4g63s]

Go to the auto parts store and rent a cooling system pressure tester. Fill it with water and pump it up 15-16 psi(make sure its full or the gauge wont work)and look for leaks, they should be obviouse unless its internal via head gasket or w/e.

 

[boostedjess]

One, there was no snow at all. Two, it overheated 2 miles from my house, I drove it and about 50 ft if even did the upper hose bust off with a piece of the radiator end it hooked onto as it went all over my windshield.

I checked the plugs, they didn't seem to be any haze of green, but they looked like I could have been running lean? I took the radiator off, the bottom hose let out brown-ish 'coolant', could be rust from the block? Possible thoughts I guess.. I haven't really gotten around to it yet due to money. I probably should since it hasn't snowed yet.

 

[knochgoon24]

You should see if someone local can come look at it and help you out.

Have you flushed the coolant out yet? You should also do a compression test. Check the flushed coolant for oil and post up the numbers from your compression test.

How to do a compression test
A coolant flush kit will tell you how to flush the cooling system.

 

[boostedjess]

Wellll, I got a radiator, put it on.. I was told to put a balloon over where the cap goes and turn the car on to check the pressure. It didn't 'blow up', so I drove it for a few miles and it reached normal temp (according to the gauge on the cluster) and the heat was working. My fan hasn't ran yet, so I'm not sure if it's just the fan itself, I got it from Showdown which I'm sure some of you have heard of..

I didn't do any other sort of tests, I just hope nothing is terribly wrong.. Thanks guys for your help!