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Radiator catch can overflowing

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Old 09-11-2003, 12:23 PM
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Default Radiator catch can overflowing

About 1 week ago, the coolant level low light came on. I added coolant to the car, and opened the radiator and the level in the radiator was low. I added coolant directly into the radiator too.

2 days ago the light comes on again. I noticed that coolant was being forced out the radiator overflow bottle.

I was immediately thinking about a blown head gasket. I did not notice any oil in the coolant, or coolant in the water.

I drove around yesterday and the light came on again within 15 minutes. After I parked the car, I could hear the water boiling or something in the radiator and coolant was coming out the overflow.

The car is stock internals. The heads have never been off.

Thanks
David
I parked it. This seems like a head gasket problem, but doing a search someone has suggested that it might be a bad waterpump. The person never replied about what the real problem was.
Old 09-11-2003, 12:48 PM
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Default Re: Radiator catch can overflowing

Same symptoms as my friends car, and his was head gasket related. Car still ran fine, but coolant was blowing out the resevoir on hard acceleration. Pull those heads and swap gaskets. FelPro's are only $50 for the pair at autozone or similar shops.
Old 09-11-2003, 12:53 PM
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Default Re: Radiator catch can overflowing

I didn't drive it today because I don't want to screw up the heads or block.
Old 09-11-2003, 02:52 PM
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Default Re: Radiator catch can overflowing

Have a leak down test ran before doing anything. That will tell you if it's your head gasket.
Old 09-11-2003, 03:08 PM
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Default Re: Radiator catch can overflowing

You might just have a faulty radiator cap??

For a head gasket leak,just start the car,fill the radiator and look for alot of air bubbles in the radiator.
Old 09-11-2003, 03:59 PM
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Default Re: Radiator catch can overflowing

I have already replaced the radiator cap. I will start it up and look for bubbles. If there are no bubbles, I am going to do a leakdown test and see what happens.
Old 09-11-2003, 04:52 PM
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Default Re: Radiator catch can overflowing

Somebody at work thinks it might my thermostat is stuck shut?
Old 09-11-2003, 04:55 PM
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Default Re: Radiator catch can overflowing

does this occur prior to or after any kind of overheating according to the factory guage?

Has anyone been in a position ot accidently swap the two small lines going to the upper passenger side of the radiator?

chris
Old 09-11-2003, 08:15 PM
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Default Re: Radiator catch can overflowing

The factory gauge was reading 210 and was moving up to about 215 and down to about 200 every once in a while.

I don't think the two small lines have been disconnected. I wouldn't have disconnected them doing the header install?
Old 09-11-2003, 08:52 PM
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Default Re: Radiator catch can overflowing

The 2 small lines aren't hooked up backwards and there are no bubbles in the coolant.
Old 09-11-2003, 11:05 PM
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Default Re: Radiator catch can overflowing

I pulled out the thermostat and it is stuck shut. I put it into boiling water and it did not open, then I put it directly on the eye of the stove and it still did not open. The bummer is that I can look down in the radiator while the car is running and see bubbles.
Old 09-12-2003, 12:17 PM
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Default Re: Radiator catch can overflowing

Once you swap in a new t-stat, top up the radiator cold, and let it run for a few minutes and keep topping it up.

If you loose 1-2 qts over a week you have a blown headgaskest IMO (or a leak somewhere).
Old 09-20-2003, 12:24 AM
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Default Re: Radiator catch can overflowing

Just an update. I didn't blow the head gasket as I feared. The bubbles must have just have been air trapped in the block. It was a stuck thermostat.

I still don't know why my temperature gauge didn't read high? The gauge tracks properly, so I don't think it is broken.
Old 09-20-2003, 12:29 AM
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Default Re: Radiator catch can overflowing

The last time that happened to me I swapped to the SLO high flow radiator and switched the hoses from the throttle body and the hose for the overflow can and the car overheated and ran hot frequently until I swapped the hoses to their respective positions
Old 09-20-2003, 01:47 PM
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Default Re: Radiator catch can overflowing

After some driving when I come home sometimes I can hear the radiator fluid boiling. I have checked the level constantly to make sure there is enough and yep its topped out. I have checked it several times.

Could I be suffering from the same problem?



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