Brad2274
Well-Known Member
mnk
Last edited:
(fixed it)
- Thread starter Brad2274
- Start date
SSMNVCG3
6GA Supporting Member
Re: Cooling issue, inconsistently overheating badly
you have a leak somewhere, look at it while its running and see if you can find the leak
you have a leak somewhere, look at it while its running and see if you can find the leak
blacknight
Superman, uh mod
Re: Cooling issue, inconsistently overheating badly
definitely a leak
check the radiator and hoses...
If there's NO leak and ur still running how, the coolant is probably being mixed in the oil which indicates a head gasket problem.
Good Luck
definitely a leak
check the radiator and hoses...
If there's NO leak and ur still running how, the coolant is probably being mixed in the oil which indicates a head gasket problem.
Good Luck
001Stunna
Well-Known Member
Re: Cooling issue, inconsistently overheating badly
The easy way out would be to take it to a shop and have them do a compression, leakdown test on the engine & and a pressure test on your radiator and rad cap.
However if you want to diagnose it yourself, start with checking the easy things and move on to harder ones. I would say first of all use some water from a spray hose and clean out everything from current leaks or coolant marks(your radiator top and bottom plastic covers and fins, the hoses around the rad, the heater core inlet/outlet hoses, the back of the engine(will have to jack car up) engine bottom plastic cover etc)
Once it's all clean, and the car is cold...top up your overflow coolant reservoir if necessary. Open the radiator cap and top up the radiator as well if needed. Use a wrench and a 10mm head and open up the bleeder screw by the thermostat. Keep topping up the radiator until you see a clean stream of coolant coming out of the bleeder screw with no bubbles or etc. Close up the bleeder screw(not to tight so you snap it off) once a steady stream is coming out.
Get inside the car and turn the temp dial to Full hot, leave the fan dial off and run the car with the radiator cap off until it gets to operating temperature and bubbles stop showing/appearing. (do not worry if it overflows a bit, you can clean it up). Once so put the rad cap back on and run the car until the rad fans come on/off at least once. If the cars temp keeps rising past the halfway mark and the fans are not on...you've found your problem. Turn the car off!!!
If the fans do come on, note down and make sure that its both of them working and not just one. If both fans check out go and take the car on a drive paying attention to the coolant needle. If it reaches the halfway-mark, pull over in a safe parking area...open your hood and inspect for leaks at the radiator plastic top cover, fin tubes, bottom plastic cover, upper/lower rad hoses and heater inlet/outlet hoses. Also look at the plastic bumper/engine cover thats below the radiator for traces of coolant leaks that have fallen on it. Give the upper rad hose a squeeze and look for any coolant drips/leaks as you squeeze the hose.
If you see leak stains but cannot pinpoint the source of the leak...buy some coolant dye and once cool throw it in the radiator(not the overflow tank). Allow the car to fully cool down and then once again idle it for 5-10 minutes followed by a drive. Do not keep driving it if it reaches past the halfway mark temp. Now with the dye in, use a pair of yellow stained work glasses and a black light to inspect where the dye is leaking out from and finding your leak.
PS. Check your oil level and its condition making sure the oil does not have a milky color. Do the same for your coolant and transmission fluid.
The easy way out would be to take it to a shop and have them do a compression, leakdown test on the engine & and a pressure test on your radiator and rad cap.
However if you want to diagnose it yourself, start with checking the easy things and move on to harder ones. I would say first of all use some water from a spray hose and clean out everything from current leaks or coolant marks(your radiator top and bottom plastic covers and fins, the hoses around the rad, the heater core inlet/outlet hoses, the back of the engine(will have to jack car up) engine bottom plastic cover etc)
Once it's all clean, and the car is cold...top up your overflow coolant reservoir if necessary. Open the radiator cap and top up the radiator as well if needed. Use a wrench and a 10mm head and open up the bleeder screw by the thermostat. Keep topping up the radiator until you see a clean stream of coolant coming out of the bleeder screw with no bubbles or etc. Close up the bleeder screw(not to tight so you snap it off) once a steady stream is coming out.
Get inside the car and turn the temp dial to Full hot, leave the fan dial off and run the car with the radiator cap off until it gets to operating temperature and bubbles stop showing/appearing. (do not worry if it overflows a bit, you can clean it up). Once so put the rad cap back on and run the car until the rad fans come on/off at least once. If the cars temp keeps rising past the halfway mark and the fans are not on...you've found your problem. Turn the car off!!!
If the fans do come on, note down and make sure that its both of them working and not just one. If both fans check out go and take the car on a drive paying attention to the coolant needle. If it reaches the halfway-mark, pull over in a safe parking area...open your hood and inspect for leaks at the radiator plastic top cover, fin tubes, bottom plastic cover, upper/lower rad hoses and heater inlet/outlet hoses. Also look at the plastic bumper/engine cover thats below the radiator for traces of coolant leaks that have fallen on it. Give the upper rad hose a squeeze and look for any coolant drips/leaks as you squeeze the hose.
If you see leak stains but cannot pinpoint the source of the leak...buy some coolant dye and once cool throw it in the radiator(not the overflow tank). Allow the car to fully cool down and then once again idle it for 5-10 minutes followed by a drive. Do not keep driving it if it reaches past the halfway mark temp. Now with the dye in, use a pair of yellow stained work glasses and a black light to inspect where the dye is leaking out from and finding your leak.
PS. Check your oil level and its condition making sure the oil does not have a milky color. Do the same for your coolant and transmission fluid.
Brad2274
Well-Known Member
Re: Car wont start, something caught fire, not getting fuel!
thanks for all the help with the cooling issues, i was about to try all your advice when i ran into more problems, it wont start now, thread was updated
thanks for all the help with the cooling issues, i was about to try all your advice when i ran into more problems, it wont start now, thread was updated
Brad2274
Well-Known Member
Re: Car wont start, something caught fire, not getting fuel!
any ideas? ive got power going to the fuel pump(i doubt its bad, that wouldnt explain the electrical problems, ive got spark, and i smell fuel when trying to start
any ideas? ive got power going to the fuel pump(i doubt its bad, that wouldnt explain the electrical problems, ive got spark, and i smell fuel when trying to start
001Stunna
Well-Known Member
Re: Car wont start, something caught fire, not getting fuel!
When you turn the key to 2nd position, does the main relay click(touch it with your hand as you turn the key to feel the click)? Do you hear your fuel pump prime? Do you see any obvious leaks of fuel when you turn the key to second position either underneath or at fpr or fuel rail?
Since the car is now cold im assuming top off on your engine oil, coolant, tranny fluid if necessary.
Could be you overheated bad enough that the HG warped and coolant got inside your cylinders. Take all four sparkplugs out (stay away from front of car), disconnect distributor connector and fuel pump fuse and crank the car. In a perfect world, nothing should shoot out.
Start with checking all the fuses, then all the relays in the fuseboxes. Check the main relay as well and if necessary remove the driver kick panel and use a flash light to look at all the wiring for any clear burnt marks.
When you turn the key to 2nd position, does the main relay click(touch it with your hand as you turn the key to feel the click)? Do you hear your fuel pump prime? Do you see any obvious leaks of fuel when you turn the key to second position either underneath or at fpr or fuel rail?
Since the car is now cold im assuming top off on your engine oil, coolant, tranny fluid if necessary.
Could be you overheated bad enough that the HG warped and coolant got inside your cylinders. Take all four sparkplugs out (stay away from front of car), disconnect distributor connector and fuel pump fuse and crank the car. In a perfect world, nothing should shoot out.
Brad2274
Well-Known Member
Re: (fixed it)Car wont start, something caught fire, not getting fuel!
updated, cars fixed
updated, cars fixed
