Quick Question on coolant

[Umaro]

I took the Rad cap off above the therm housing and I cant see any water in there, is that normal or should water be filled up to a point where you can see it if you take the cap off.

thanks.

 

[psychlow]

Normal. You check the coolant level by looking at your coolant overflow reservoir (usually on left side of the radiator)

 

[Umaro]

Alright,. I just took the cap off the over fill tank and the coolant is ALL the way to the top of that thing, like less then an inch from the very top of the tank.

My car has been over heating so any suggestions???

 

[spyder dst]

your cap may not be letting coolent back in
test it or get a new one

 

[Umaro]

What do you mean check my cap, which one? The first time it over ehated I thought I seen water on the top of the rad cap.

 

[Umaro]

So a quick list of what is happening.

If I drive it around the block, stop and park there is well, I wouldnt say smoke I would stay maybe steam coming from what looks like in the general area of under the rad cap.

Now I found out the coolant is all the way to the top of the over fill tank.

Would a stuck therm do this because the car doesnt warm very ffast either.

 

[psychlow]

A stuck open thermostat would cause your car to warm up slowly, but would not cause your problem. A stuck closed thermostat would cause your coolant to boil back into your overflow reservoir, because the coolant isn't flowing through the radiator or the block, but is being overheated by the turbo (coolant cycles through the turbo regardless of whether the thermostat is open).

A bad radiator cap (the one near the engine that says "13PSI" on it) would also cause that to happen. Water boils at a higher temperature if it is under pressure. The same is true for any liquid. If your radiator cap is letting pressure leak out, your coolant may be boiling inside the block/coolant lines, which would cause the expanding air to force the coolant into your overflow.

A blown headgasket can do the same thing by allowing cylinder pressure to escape into the coolant, causing the same scenario.

On my car, I didn't fill the coolant up correctly (burping the system, etc) and this led to a coolant bubble near my thermostat, evident because the temp gauge in the car didn't read the correct temp (your engine will be overheating, but because the temp sensor's reading the temp of the bubble, it'll misregister).

 

[Defiant]

Originally posted by Umaro
I took the Rad cap off above the therm housing and I cant see any water in there, is that normal or should water be filled up to a point where you can see it if you take the cap off.

It should be to the very tippy-top at the radiator cap on the engine, and about half in the overflow tank by the radiator. Replace your stuck thermostat, replace the radiator cap, and hope for the best.

 

[Umaro]

Would the therm make it do that (fill up the overfill tank and so on)

My fans are not turning on at all, would that make it fill up?

 

[psychlow]

Yes, a stuck closed thermostat would cause this.

 

[Umaro]

ok, the stuck therm will cause the coolant to be off balance like that, or the stuck therm will make it so no fans turn on? Or both?

Or are the fans a seperate problem.

 

[oldman]

The fan is not suppose to be on all the time, Are you sure it never comes on at all?

 

[Umaro]

I turned AC and what not on, neither fan went on.

 

[dets]

from what i believe (someone correct me if i'm wrong)


the fans are controlled by the ecu. The ecu turns them on when the thermostat gets to a certain level. I remember reading this somewhere,but i could be wrong. Mods, correct me if i am.

 

[Umaro]

dets, but the fans do not turn on even when I force atleast the a/c fan on.

 

[dets]

The engine cooling fans are controlled by a fan motor relay which is controlled by a left engine compartment relay center. check that motor relay with an ohmeter, then check the motor.