[RESOLVED] Running Hot!

[Mike98GS-T]

This just started happening today.

As I was driving home from work today at about 5 p.m. I noticed that the temp gauge was starting to steadily rise. I've never had problems with overheating before, so I'm stumped by this. Before I went home, I stopped at an auto parts place and picked up some coolant. Upon installation of my oil catch can, I had spilt some of the coolant out, so I figured maybe I was just running low. I got the car home and let it cool down. I took the radiator cap off, and noticed that there wasn't much, if any, coolant in the housing! Almost all the coolant was in the overflow! Now the radiator fan is working, but maybe I have a bad radiator cap? Instead of it pulling the coolant out of the overflow it's putting it back in?

The car has never had any problems with overheating, the temp gauge has always read under the half-way mark.

 

[stevetalon]

Same thing happened to me and it was my radiator cap

 

[BIGBLAZE79]

I would replace the radiator cap and if it still overheats then it's prob your water pump. How many miles does it have on the water pump since replacement?

 

[Mike98GS-T]

How many miles does it have on the water pump since replacement?

I would say close to 10,000 miles, maybe around 9,000. Rough estimate.

 

[BkzProblem]

Radiator Cap is most likely the culprit... You should change that A.S.A.P.

 

[Mike98GS-T]

Blown head gasket?

No oil was found in coolant, no coolant was found in oil.

Compression Test:
120-120-120-120

Seems way to low to me.

 

[lacroixdp]

Before you panic, do a hydrocarbon test on your antifreeze. I'd also put a oil-cap 'cap on quart of oil - VERY small' amount of oil in your spark plug hole and re-do those compression numbers.

 

[Mike98GS-T]

I'd also put a oil-cap 'cap on quart of oil - VERY small' amount of oil in your spark plug hole and re-do those compression numbers.

Ya, I was going to say... Those numbers just don't seem right. It's a pretty fresh block and head. I have not been driving it around with higher temps for a long period of time either. It just happened today and I got it home before the gauge was 3/4 of the way to pegged.

 

[AWD_Hybrid]

Blown head gasket?

No oil was found in coolant, no coolant was found in oil.

Compression Test:
120-120-120-120

Seems way to low to me.

Were those comp readings made with your pedal @ wot ?
Rad cap, sticky thermostat or heater hose near t/b ?
Cheers !

 

[brassc2007]

Ya i had the same problem luckily mine was just the head gasket though, go to a shop and they can to a test that only takes five minutes after the car has cooled down. Does the cars temp ever raise up a ways then drop back down?

sorry not the head gasked i meant radiator cap i need to replace my head gasket i guess the thought is starting to haunt me

 

[kahl23]

How were you driving? We had an issue with a warped head that would push coolant into/through the coolant catch can whenever we got into boost. As long as there was no boost, the temps would stay withing reasonable levels, but as soon as there was positive pressure we would push coolant through the catchcan. Definitely check the radiator cap, as stated above, it is possible that might be the cause of your issues and it definitely is an easy fix. While your comp #s do seem low, if there is no oil in your coolant and you aren't blowing white smoke out of your exhaust, I would think your HG is in good condition. That leaves the possibility of a warped head or a head that is pushing coolant. I would change the rad cap and report back, overheating and a lot of coolant in the catch can is usually a tell tale sign on either a bad rad cap or pushing coolant.

 

[Mike98GS-T]

I just replaced the radiator cap, now it is not pushing coolant back into the coolant overflow, but the temps still rise. How do I tell if I have a bad water pump?


EDIT: After replacing the cap, I drove Moderate. Normal driving/some boost. The gauge was a tad higher then normal, then began to rise after driving for 10-15 minutes. When I pulled into my driveway I pop'ed the hood and there was still the same amount of coolant in the overflow that I had put in before I went on the drive.

What other problems can persist if not the water pump?

 

[AWD_Hybrid]

What other problems can persist if not the water pump?

The thermostat can get sticky & cause a lack of flow. Cheap & takes 10mins to swap.
At least you will know the thermo is working fine.
Cheers !

 

[Mike98GS-T]

The thermostat can get sticky & cause a lack of flow. Cheap & takes 10mins to swap.
At least you will know the thermo is working fine.
Cheers !

Sounds good! I'll grab one tomorrow at Advanced Auto and swap it in.

 

[aaronhawk60]

yea if you aren't ####ing into the over flow now and it's still overheating then the thermostat is probably sticking I had to change mine for pretty much the same reason

 

[Mike98GS-T]

yea if you aren't ####ing into the over flow now and it's still overheating then the thermostat is probably sticking I had to change mine for pretty much the same reason

I sure hope that is the solution!

 

[Mike98GS-T]

New Radiator Cap + New Thermostat = Problem fixed!

No coolant is being pushed back into the overflow. After I drained the coolant to install the new thermostat, I added the coolant into the system, ran it to get all the bubbles/air out of the system and took it for a drive. I ran the car pretty normal then I pulled about 12-14 psi in the 3rd gear to see if the temp gauge would change at all under boost, it did not move! Upon returning home I checked the coolant level once again after the drive and it was at the same exact level before I had gone on the drive! YAY!

 

[AWD_Hybrid]

Mike from cold, switch the heater to heat & run it with the cap off for a while.
Put the cap back on for a while. Top up the rad & overflow. 25% coolant only.
Cheers !

 

[Mike98GS-T]

Gotcha.


I just drove the car around for about an hour... Temp gauge did not move one bit and there is still the same amount of coolant in the overflow as there was before I went on the drive.

I'd say it's fixed.