Overheating 96 teg

luckyse7ens

New Member
Well, I know many threads have been started here on this subject, and I have read through all the ones that I can find. Heres the skinny


Both fans work, I have replaced the primary fan, radiator cap and thermostat

~Primary fan was not functioning previously, works fine now
~Thermostat was hogged out by some fly by night mechanic


Seems to slowly boil off coolant until most of it is gone and then temps climb until it hits the red and no coolant remains in the radiator.


I can't find a leak, outside of coolant spraying out from the radiator cap, maybe the cap isn't sealing to radiator?


No milky oil, and no bubbles in the radiator when idling with the cap off, which makes me think that just maybe the headgasket is still ok.


All help is appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
 

nuenjin

Professional Ametuer
Assuming that you bleed the air out each time you refill, and you don't see a water leak, which rules out the water pump, then I suggest renting a coolant pressure tester from the parts store. Make sure you get the import adapter as well. I had to secure the reservoir tank hose with a pair of vise grips.

I had been tracking down this leak for a long time but I had never heard anyone mention the pressure tester before. As it turned out it was the metal/plastic seam in the radiator that would only leak at high pressures.

Good luck
 

Aussie

Zoom-Zoom
Yea, waterpumps do go bad without leaking
 


Merlins Beard

*Beard not included
Coolant spraying from the radiator cap does happen, and will leave a white residue over everything the coolant gets onto.
If the cap leaks then replace it.

Sent from my Batphone
 

luckyse7ens

New Member
nuenjin said:
Assuming that you bleed the air out each time you refill, and you don't see a water leak, which rules out the water pump, then I suggest renting a coolant pressure tester from the parts store. Make sure you get the import adapter as well. I had to secure the reservoir tank hose with a pair of vise grips.

I had been tracking down this leak for a long time but I had never heard anyone mention the pressure tester before. As it turned out it was the metal/plastic seam in the radiator that would only leak at high pressures.

Good luck
Click to expand...
I have a feeling that this may be it.

I tried to rent a pressure tester this weekend, hopefully i can pick it up tonight. I have replaced the CAP twice, as they are cheap, and I have seen coolant spray from under the cap, but it must be the radiator.

I guess if the pressure test is fine then I will look @ the waterpump.
 
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luckyse7ens

New Member
I guess if they pressure test is fine then I will look @ the waterpump.

Shoot rockauto has bosch waterpumps for $20... I might just replace it anyways.
 

72Spitfire

Member
It's building pressure because the water pump is not circulating coolant. The pressure will escape in the easiest path. Radiator cap, blown hose, blowing hole in a weak radiator etc. You can sometimes remove the radiator cap, start the car and let it get to operating temperature and watch to see if the coolant is flowing when the thermostat opens.
I only kept saying water pump because i have had them fail, changed them and while viewing the old one NOTHING seems wrong with it. No bearing play, no leaks around the rubber gasket, no worn impellers etc. Yet they do not circulate coolant. This has happened more than once. It's best to always change them at 90K miles for piece of mind. Good luck to you. (And change that timing belt and tensioner while you are in there)
 

luckyse7ens

New Member
72Spitfire said:
It's building pressure because the water pump is not circulating coolant. The pressure will escape in the easiest path. Radiator cap, blown hose, blowing hole in a weak radiator etc. You can sometimes remove the radiator cap, start the car and let it get to operating temperature and watch to see if the coolant is flowing when the thermostat opens.
I only kept saying water pump because i have had them fail, changed them and while viewing the old one NOTHING seems wrong with it. No bearing play, no leaks around the rubber gasket, no worn impellers etc. Yet they do not circulate coolant. This has happened more than once. It's best to always change them at 90K miles for piece of mind. Good luck to you. (And change that timing belt and tensioner while you are in there)
Click to expand...



So I drove it 45 mins home from work yesterday (~90* F) and it was fine. Let it idle in the driveway with the a/c for half an hour after and that was fine too. Stumped. May have simply been the radiator cap not fully sealed. I'll likely just replace the water pump this weekend since its probably never been done and its @ 230k miles.

Recommend a particular vendor or brand? Rockauto generally has good prices, and I'm looking @ these ATM:

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=4781109&cc=1000427

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=978635&cc=1000427

Or

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=2455132&cc=1000427
 
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