Cooling Question

[TotalEclipse112]

I recently bought a 90 GSX and the week before I shipped it back to the states it began loosing coolant and heating up like crazy. My first thought was that the head gasket went on me, but then I realized for the amout of coolant I was loosing the exhaust should have looked like a fog machine, but it was still clean. So I invegistated further and found out that the coolant was pouring out of the overflow bottle and not the exhaust leaving the system praticaly empty. Now because of time constraints I didn't have a chance to put a compression tester on it, but is there a chance that it could just have a massive air bubble traped in the system or does it sound like a head gasket? Thanks in advance for the help.

Tom

 

[eclipse gsi]

I ran in to a similar situation what I found was wrong was that the radiator cap was not workin right so when it heated up it would build to much pressure and blow by the cap.

 

[97cLyPsE]

does this happen everytime you run your car? if so it might be your headgasket. if it doesnt do this everytime i dont think it would be your headgasket, if it was the gasket, it would overheat everytime u run your car. this happend to me twice last year. the first time it happend i was on my way back to school from lunch and i noticed my temp gauge was was almost to the top. i pulled into the parking lot and popped my hood and coolant was pouring out of the overflow bottle. luckily the class i was going to was auto service. i put it up on the lift and visually inspected my entire cooling system. it looked ok so i just let it cool down for the rest of class and it was fine. the second time it overheated and i pulled over and i found a bag stuck in front of the radiator .

 

[x camaro owner]

i got a simple answer go buy a tester to see if Hc's are appearing in your coolant. there usually around $30 and and all you have to do is let the car run and see if the test fluid changes color.

if it doesn't you can stop being paranoid about the head gasket and go spend the $5 on a radiator cap

god poeple just love rambling on about life stories here. get to the point

so ya i was out driving the other day with my gf and all of sudden every light started going on and gauges went crazy. man i don't know i think i need a new motor or an exhaust. really i am so clueless.
ya like we want to hear the story

 

[MrBentley]

i got a simple answer go buy a tester to see if Hc's are appearing in your coolant. there usually around $30 and and all you have to do is let the car run and see if the test fluid changes color.

if it doesn't you can stop being paranoid about the head gasket and go spend the $5 on a radiator cap

god poeple just love rambling on about life stories here. get to the point

so ya i was out driving the other day with my gf and all of sudden every light started going on and gauges went crazy. man i don't know i think i need a new motor or an exhaust. really i am so clueless.
ya like we want to hear the story

If you going to be a jerk then dont post. If they like to tell stories of similar experiences so they can find a common ground and potentially make a friend, then let them. Just because people dont like your stories doesnt mean you should get all butt sore

 

[TotalEclipse112]

I replaced the cap and it was still doing it. The only reason I thought it might be air in the system is because it only somes out of the overflow bottle and the exhaust seems clean. Also the previous owner had the timing belt go on him in England the the motor was re-build by Mitsubishi about 10000 miles ago. So I didn't think the head gasket would go that quick. Also it seems fine when diven normaly but when you get on it hard it overheats, and loses coolant. Other than that it seems fine just gradualy loses coolant throught the overflow bottle.

 

[97cLyPsE]

so its not the radiator cap. its not the headgasket obviously or else it always overheat. the thermostat might not be opening up right. if u cant figure it out i would just take it to mechanic. you dont want to keep replacing things u THINK it might be. either that or talk to a dsm tuners wiseman.

 

[ben90tsi]

I had that same problem in my old 90' and it was because there was too much coolant in the overflow bottle, after it overheated and a bunch poured out i was fine. But im pretty sure youve checked your levels before but maybe not. just my .02

 

[eclipse gsi]

What LB raditor cap did you get. The blue dye block tester works I found that I had a seeping head gasket with that stuff.

 

[TotalEclipse112]

I am using the stock radiator cap. But at this point I am going to say forget it and just take it to a garage and let then deal with it. They will probally have an easier time with it than me. Plus I don't really want to be plaing the "this might be it" game.

 

[eclipse gsi]

I did have a problem with the stock cap not being able to hold the pressure so I upgraded to one with a 16lb pressure rating and havn't had a problem yet. It sounds like your on the right track with taking it to a shop. Good luck hopfully you can get it figured out.