Overheating!!!

[Superfly4943]

I was driving back from my buddy's house and I notice some smoke come out of my tailpipe. I came to a stoplight and noticed i had smoke coming from out of my engine bay. I pulled over and opened the hood to seed that I had coolant on top of the valve cover and on the back side of the motor. I didn't have a CEL so I don't know what happened. Can anyone please help me!!!

 

[loser_635]

Did you check anything?

White smoke right?
Sounds like your radiator or the hoses got a leak or flat out busted.

I had it happen to me,but smoke wasnt coming out the tail pipe,just from coolant landing on teh REALLY REALLY REALLY hot engine.


If you wana play it safe replace your radiator,the upper and lower hoses,thermostat,and maybe your cap. you can do it yourself for less than 200.

 

[Superfly4943]

Yea it was white smoke. I know it wasn't my radiator it's almost brand new and there wasn't coolant on that part of the engine bay, it was all on the back side, like against the firewall. I think it is a leak somewhere but I don't know where to look.

 

[loser_635]

near the firewall? im stuck there if you got repair manual you can see if any coolant lines run back there? I doubt it but maybe.

 

[VelocitàPaola]

There are two coolant lines going into the firewall: they go to the heater core; a feed and a return. Check to see if they've been punctured. If you need to remove them, carefully work them loose after removing the hose clamps. If you use pliers or too much force, you'll crush the fittings.

Hopefully the heater core itself hasn't ruptured, because that's a real pain to get to.

 

[RSTeclipse97]

+1 on the heater hoses thats the only coolant lines near the firewall

 

[arturo74r]

Yes. You have to be very careful with that Paola said. If you are going to replace the hoses, I would recommend to replace them all (or at least those two in the back). But of course, if you don't have money I guess you will have to be stuck with replacing the bad one. If you can do a leak test, if not, then start your car and look where is leaking. And make sure after replacing the hose, check every day for leaks. After that you're good to go

 

[ortorc]

ok, I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong but i've been tought that coming from the exhaust would lead me to believe a head gasket would be leaking. it's possible that a leaking line took all the coolant from the head and overheated the head causing a coolant leak into one of the cylinders thus the white smoke.
Did the car start running rough as the white smoke was coming out?
It may be possible though to have leaked some of the coolant into the intake mani and smoking from that way as well just not as likely i guess.

 

[Superfly4943]

Well the coolant is around where the intake manifold is so maybe it did get inside.

Where are those coolant lines located that go to the heater core? are they closer to the top of the firewall or bottom? I don't think the head gasget blew because somehow I only had coolant on the backside of the motor and on top of the valve cover around the spark plugs.

How could one of those heater lines bust? I noticed earlier when i was looking that I had no fluid in my coolant reservoir.

 

[Superfly4943]

ok, I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong but i've been tought that coming from the exhaust would lead me to believe a head gasket would be leaking. it's possible that a leaking line took all the coolant from the head and overheated the head causing a coolant leak into one of the cylinders thus the white smoke.
Did the car start running rough as the white smoke was coming out?
It may be possible though to have leaked some of the coolant into the intake mani and smoking from that way as well just not as likely i guess.

Yes it was white smoke but wouldn't the CEL come on if the head overheated, plus how would that explain coolant on top of the valve cover. The majority, if not all of the smoke coming from under the hood seemed to be coming off of the coolant that got onto the valve cover and was getting burnt off.

The car was running just fine that's why I'm confused!!! If I hadn't noticed the smoke I would've never known anything was wrong.

 

[VelocitàPaola]

The heater lines could rupture just from age and wear and tear. It would make sense that the coolant reservoir is empty, as all the coolant is leaking from these hoses! They're more easily accessible from the top of the engine bay. Just trace the hard line that originates on the thermostat housing and goes over the exhaust manifold.

Also, you wouldn't get a CEL because of low coolant, a blown headgasket or a ruptured coolant line. At the very worst, your low coolant light should come on, but that's about it.

 

[Superfly4943]

Ok I'll try to check those tomorrow after I get out of classes and work. By any chance would you have a guess to how much those lines cost?

 

[VelocitàPaola]

I have no clue... maybe $20-$30 brand new. I have several extras if you want them; PM me about it if they're the problem.

 

[RSTeclipse97]

Just to help out if you remove your intake pipe and battery you can access the lines pretty easy. And if your a bigger guy like me remove the battery tray as well to get you the most accessibility to them. I have leaned that once i get the clamps off to use a small flat screwdriver and go around the inside of the hose to break them free, but be careful not to poke a hole in the lines from to much force

 

[Superfly4943]

Well you certainly got that one right Paola. I have about an inch and a half cut in one of the lines close to where they change from hard lines to tubing. How do I know if that's all that's wrong and my heater core hasn't gone bad?

 

[RSTeclipse97]

9 times outa 10 your heater core wont be bad. If you smell antifreeze while driving then its your heater core or if the windsheild fogs up with the defrost. You said yourself that there is a cut, replace the hose put it back together and go for a drive. I would suggest changing both hoses since your already at them so you know you wont have another prob

 

[kqodprez]

Just to add on.

When removing the old heater hose's, remove (loosen) the clamp, take a razor and slit a line in the hose from the end (on the metal) to the rubber and peel it off. It's much easier this way versus twisting or yanking on it.

Be happy now that it's simple!

 

[nedmonds86]

That doesn't mean his head gasket isn't blown and that his head isn't warped. His car was obviously overheating and there was WHITE smoke coming out of the tail pipe, that means only one thing where I'm from... Blown head gasket, if it is blown, make sure you take your head in to get milled and pressure tested, will cost about 50 bucks and could potentially save you another 3 days of work. If you need any advice I just finished changing my head gasket two days ago in my 99 420a.

 

[SuzukiRidr326]

it could jus be a simple bad thermostat?