top radiator hose building pressure

[Dsmamature92]

was driving for about 30 mins and my car overheated. the reserver was filled all the way to the top. i changed the thermostat and the car dosent show that its getting hot, the needle stays in the middle of the guage. the top hose is getting really hard like its building pressure,i have a pressure rad cap and when i stop driving, i can lift the lever on the cap and it will let hot coolant back into the resivoir. what could this be?

 

[GSTurbo1]

blown head gasket?

 

[Sebba]

blown head gasket?

Affirmative.

 

[Dsmamature92]

ok finaly a straight answer..ive seen some threads but none sound like mine. how can you be so sure that it is? any at home test i can try to reassure? would it be better to just get a new engine? what are things i should do when getting the gasket changed?

 

[Sebba]

ok finaly a straight answer..ive seen some threads but none sound like mine. how can you be so sure that it is? any at home test i can try to reassure? would it be better to just get a new engine? what are things i should do when getting the gasket changed?

Compression test and a leak down test.

Check the head and block for flatness using a straight edge. Send the head off to be milled, get a good quality composite head gasket and ARP studs. Good to go.

Before you do that, confirm with the two tests. Your symptoms are classic HG.

 

[Ambitions]

I have a similar issue. I haven't been driving my car, but When I popped the hood today I could see coolant behind the intake, after a bit of looking around and talking to some people, they have been saying its a blown head gasket, so I'm guessing you would have the same issue.

 

[bryanwheat]

The hard upper radiator hose and pressure going into the reservoir when you release the cap is 100 percent normal. IF the car isn't overheating, and isn't pushing coolant into the overflow when it is running than you have nothing to worry about.

 

[jayson427]

The hard upper radiator hose and pressure going into the reservoir when you release the cap is 100 percent normal. IF the car isn't overheating, and isn't pushing coolant into the overflow when it is running than you have nothing to worry about.

Yeah my stock motor did the same a while ago. I love how people just jump right to head gasket is blown if anything try to flush your radiator if you havnt done it for a while. Just keep an eye on your temp gauge if your still worried. I'm pretty sure that is just called "boil over"

 

[Sebba]

Yeah my stock motor did the same a while ago. I love how people just jump right to head gasket is blown if anything try to flush your radiator if you havnt done it for a while. Just keep an eye on your temp gauge if your still worried. I'm pretty sure that is just called "boil over"

If an owner tells me there's an abnormal amount of pressure in the cooling system I'm inclined to believe them. Couple that with pushing coolant into the overflow and an overheat condition, I'm pretty confident that's a head gasket.

 

[bryanwheat]

If an owner tells me there's an abnormal amount of pressure in the cooling system I'm inclined to believe them. Couple that with pushing coolant into the overflow and an overheat condition, I'm pretty confident that's a head gasket.

Well first off, the car isn't overheating anymore after he changed the thermostat. Second the car didn't purge coolant into the overflow until he released the cap. The cap is a pressure regulator to the cooling system. If the pressure isn't high enough in the system to push coolant past the cap than it isn't too high.

 

[xxNocturnalxx]

I'm with Bryanwheat on this one. It is very possible there is no blown head gasket here. These are normal running conditions.

 

[Sebba]

Well first off, the car isn't overheating anymore after he changed the thermostat. Second the car didn't purge coolant into the overflow until he released the cap. The cap is a pressure regulator to the cooling system. If the pressure isn't high enough in the system to push coolant past the cap than it isn't too high.

I agree.

Time to run the tests.

 

[Diamond Star Werks]

This is normal. No problem here.

 

[pauleyman]

If you haven't done so in awhile a new rad cap isn't a bad idea either.

 

[Dsmamature92]

So how would I test it without spending money? Like a at home way to se if it is the HG. Also how would I flush out the rad? I'm preatty sure that's not a good thing. But it isin overheating. It's just that one problem with the pressure being built up in one hose. That's normal? Do all eclipses do this?

 

[bryanwheat]

So how would I test it without spending money? Like a at home way to se if it is the HG. Also how would I flush out the rad? I'm preatty sure that's not a good thing. But it isin overheating. It's just that one problem with the pressure being built up in one hose. That's normal? Do all eclipses do this?

Every water cooled car in the world will have pressure in the radiator hoses. As the coolant heats up it expands. That is 100 percent normal. If it isn't pushing coolant out the cap and isn't overheating than i wouldn't suspect anything is wrong with it.

 

[Dsmamature92]

ok cool. i will run the test just to make sure.. also the rad cap is brand new maybe a week old.. its just very odd ive never felt one so stiff. i just jumped out of the honda game because i love dsm, i guess it was a relationship that couldent be, till now. so im sure there are big differances between the two. how would i flush the radiator out, and anything else that might cause any extra stiffness? by the way the hose is not rock solid. it can be squezzed a tiny bit.

 

[RvlutionMtrsprt]

If you want to be really sure, do the dye test that detects hydrocarbons in the coolant.

 

[Calan]

If you haven't done so in awhile a new rad cap isn't a bad idea either.

I'd spend $6 and start with that ^.

It's normal for the system to build pressure as Bryanwheat mentioned. The purpose of the cap is to release hot coolant into the overflow bottle and maintain the proper pressure in the system, which will naturally cause the coolant level in the overflow bottle to rise some. As the car cools down, coolant is drawn (actually pushed from the bottle back into the system.

If the cap is defective or not opening properly, you will have excessive coolant pressure building up, which can act a lot like a blown headgasket.

Here are some links that may help:

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/articles-engine-fuel/336535-do-you-have-blown-head-gasket.html
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/articles-engine-fuel/338152-compression-leak-down-testing.html

 

[Sebba]

You can always pressure test the cooling system. Cap should relieve pressure at 15psi (IIRC).

Still wouldn't hurt to replace it. You'd be surprised how much hell a crappy cap can cause

 

[cophotoguy]

If it were a blown head gasket you would be loosing a LOT of coolant from your car. If the car isn't overheating and your not loosing coolant. Than the new thermostat may have been your fix.

 

[NHerron]

Everything is normal from what you described. I would have replaced the cap along with the thermostat though.

But if you want, and can't rent a proper coolant system pressure tester, give this article a whirl.
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/art...440201-10-coolant-system-pressure-tester.html

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