Over heating?!
Over heating?! If this is the wrong area of the forums for this, please redirect it.
I have a 98 Trans Am with a few modifications, well recently the cars been getting hot. It only gets hot when I am running the a/c or on the high way. I have checked the coolant, and filled it about 5 times in the last 3 days, the problem is there are no signs of a leak and the oil is fine, no water mixed with it, and the exhaust doesn't smell like antifreeze, but you can smell antifreeze when standing in front of the car.
Also, I've noticed that the heater isn't working as well as it used to, there isn't a leak in the cabin either. I'm not sure where else to look, or what else to check for.
I've changed the plugs and wires, on cylinder 1 there was a lot of green and white build up, cylinder 3 had a lot of detonation, and cylinder 2 & 4 have a 30 psi difference in compression.
Is there anything else I need to check?
I have a 98 Trans Am with a few modifications, well recently the cars been getting hot. It only gets hot when I am running the a/c or on the high way. I have checked the coolant, and filled it about 5 times in the last 3 days, the problem is there are no signs of a leak and the oil is fine, no water mixed with it, and the exhaust doesn't smell like antifreeze, but you can smell antifreeze when standing in front of the car.
Also, I've noticed that the heater isn't working as well as it used to, there isn't a leak in the cabin either. I'm not sure where else to look, or what else to check for.
I've changed the plugs and wires, on cylinder 1 there was a lot of green and white build up, cylinder 3 had a lot of detonation, and cylinder 2 & 4 have a 30 psi difference in compression.
Is there anything else I need to check?
only thing I can suggest is getting a large clean piece of cardboard and placing it under the entire front end of the car and make sure it wont blow in the wind. Then run the car for a bit and see if any antifreeze actually does leak. If theres no leak there has to be some kind of leak internally, possibly head gasket or something.
I guess your next step is to do a simple system pressure test....leave the spark plugs in. If you locate an obvious external leak then you found the problem. If you do the test and lose coolant somewhere or the system does NOT hold pressure and you did NOT see where any coolant went......remove ALL 8 spark plugs BEFORE turning the engine over.....
If coolant filled a cylinder and you turn it over you could lose the engine by hydra-locking it.......then you need an engine rebuild.
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If coolant filled a cylinder and you turn it over you could lose the engine by hydra-locking it.......then you need an engine rebuild.
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On The Tree
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 131
Likes: 0
From: Mesa, AZ
You could have a leaky heater core, or radiator hose, or even radiator. If it's the heater core you should smell a sweet smell when you turn the heat on. You are going to have to clean up the engine bay and run it and look carefully to find the source cause there is a lot of potential leak places.
I have put down a piece of plastic and drove my car over it, so it doesn't move. The only thing I noticed was oil, which is coming from the pan gasket, there aren't any drops of anything else. As far as a sweet smell when I turn the heater on, it doesn't have one. I planned on pressure washing the entire engine bay this weekend, I did the under carriage to find my oil leak, before it started over heating.
I'll do a pressure test sometime this weekend. Hopefully that provides a bit of an answer.
I'll do a pressure test sometime this weekend. Hopefully that provides a bit of an answer.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 563
Likes: 0
From: Central,NJ
A few things to look at based on your symptoms.
Pull the trans dip stick...if it looks like strawberry milkshake its coolant mixing from the cooler in the radiator...(not likely).
Look for a bag or paper that may be covering the condenser...possibly even behind it in front of the radiator. This would explain your temp rising at high way speed and with the A/C on sitting still. The loss of coolant could be from it puking into the overflow tank from over heating and the poor heat is from an air pocket from losing coolant.
Make sure the fans turn on and are capable of both low and high speed.
Check the radiator cap, specifically the metal disc on the bottom...it should flop around freely and not have any debris behind it. Its purpose is to allow the system to "breathe". When coolant is hot it expands into the overflow and when it cools it draws from the overflow back into the radiator, the disc is the "door" that allows this to happen.
Pull the trans dip stick...if it looks like strawberry milkshake its coolant mixing from the cooler in the radiator...(not likely).
Look for a bag or paper that may be covering the condenser...possibly even behind it in front of the radiator. This would explain your temp rising at high way speed and with the A/C on sitting still. The loss of coolant could be from it puking into the overflow tank from over heating and the poor heat is from an air pocket from losing coolant.
Make sure the fans turn on and are capable of both low and high speed.
Check the radiator cap, specifically the metal disc on the bottom...it should flop around freely and not have any debris behind it. Its purpose is to allow the system to "breathe". When coolant is hot it expands into the overflow and when it cools it draws from the overflow back into the radiator, the disc is the "door" that allows this to happen.
I have put down a piece of plastic and drove my car over it, so it doesn't move. The only thing I noticed was oil, which is coming from the pan gasket, there aren't any drops of anything else. As far as a sweet smell when I turn the heater on, it doesn't have one. I planned on pressure washing the entire engine bay this weekend, I did the under carriage to find my oil leak, before it started over heating.
I'll do a pressure test sometime this weekend. Hopefully that provides a bit of an answer.
I'll do a pressure test sometime this weekend. Hopefully that provides a bit of an answer.
Did you try a new radiator cap. Thats a very common fix for coolant levels dropping with no other real problems being evident......
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Have you done any mods since it was last running well?
If not, I'd first check for air flow. The fact that you are having problems with just the A/C on indicates a loss of cooling capacity. You could have a fan problem, dead bird/racoon/<insert vermin here> suck in the radiator fins, etc.
Do you know how many miles you have on your water pump. If its going bad and starts weeping coolant, you can get the smell without any indication of a big leak.
If not, I'd first check for air flow. The fact that you are having problems with just the A/C on indicates a loss of cooling capacity. You could have a fan problem, dead bird/racoon/<insert vermin here> suck in the radiator fins, etc.
Do you know how many miles you have on your water pump. If its going bad and starts weeping coolant, you can get the smell without any indication of a big leak.
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Verdad Gallardo Have you done any mods since it was last running well?
If not, I'd first check for air flow. The fact that you are having problems with just the A/C on indicates a loss of cooling capacity. You could have a fan problem, dead bird/racoon/<insert vermin here> suck in the radiator fins, etc.
Do you know how many miles you have on your water pump. If its going bad and starts weeping coolant, you can get the smell without any indication of a big leak.
If not, I'd first check for air flow. The fact that you are having problems with just the A/C on indicates a loss of cooling capacity. You could have a fan problem, dead bird/racoon/<insert vermin here> suck in the radiator fins, etc.
Do you know how many miles you have on your water pump. If its going bad and starts weeping coolant, you can get the smell without any indication of a big leak.
A few things to look at based on your symptoms.
Pull the trans dip stick...if it looks like strawberry milkshake its coolant mixing from the cooler in the radiator...(not likely).
Look for a bag or paper that may be covering the condenser...possibly even behind it in front of the radiator. This would explain your temp rising at high way speed and with the A/C on sitting still. The loss of coolant could be from it puking into the overflow tank from over heating and the poor heat is from an air pocket from losing coolant.
Make sure the fans turn on and are capable of both low and high speed.
Check the radiator cap, specifically the metal disc on the bottom...it should flop around freely and not have any debris behind it. Its purpose is to allow the system to "breathe". When coolant is hot it expands into the overflow and when it cools it draws from the overflow back into the radiator, the disc is the "door" that allows this to happen.
Pull the trans dip stick...if it looks like strawberry milkshake its coolant mixing from the cooler in the radiator...(not likely).
Look for a bag or paper that may be covering the condenser...possibly even behind it in front of the radiator. This would explain your temp rising at high way speed and with the A/C on sitting still. The loss of coolant could be from it puking into the overflow tank from over heating and the poor heat is from an air pocket from losing coolant.
Make sure the fans turn on and are capable of both low and high speed.
Check the radiator cap, specifically the metal disc on the bottom...it should flop around freely and not have any debris behind it. Its purpose is to allow the system to "breathe". When coolant is hot it expands into the overflow and when it cools it draws from the overflow back into the radiator, the disc is the "door" that allows this to happen.
It shouldn't make a difference what coolant I am running if I've completely bled the system of the Dex-cool?
Also, the plastic I had under the car has no new drips.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 563
Likes: 0
From: Central,NJ
I'll go check on the transmission fluid after I reply. I've had to fill the over flow tank twice, in the last week. The fans run both low and high speeds just fine, in fact they don't like to turn off when the car is running, only when I shut it off. When I changed the thermostat, I bled the system, and took about 30 minutes to stop getting bubbles in the coolant.
It shouldn't make a difference what coolant I am running if I've completely bled the system of the Dex-cool?
It shouldn't make a difference what coolant I am running if I've completely bled the system of the Dex-cool?
How long ago did you replace the thermostat? Air pockets can be stubborn and can suck the overflow bottle down a few times.
Another thing to check is the air dam, make sure its there and not cracked, missing a piece or ground down.
Since the system is pulling from the overflow we'll assume the cap is good.
For this issue the coolant type does not matter. The mix ratio can have a slight effect on temps...50/50 is adequate for AZ.
How long ago did you replace the thermostat? Air pockets can be stubborn and can suck the overflow bottle down a few times.
Another thing to check is the air dam, make sure its there and not cracked, missing a piece or ground down.
Since the system is pulling from the overflow we'll assume the cap is good.
How long ago did you replace the thermostat? Air pockets can be stubborn and can suck the overflow bottle down a few times.
Another thing to check is the air dam, make sure its there and not cracked, missing a piece or ground down.
Since the system is pulling from the overflow we'll assume the cap is good.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 563
Likes: 0
From: Central,NJ
Unfortunately, I think you will be looking for an internal problem. It could be a blockage in the cooling system or a head gasket issue. Green and white build up on the plug is an odd combination to see. White ashy/flakey residue is oil burning in the cylinder. Green could be coolant if you use green coolant BUT when coolant enters the combustion chamber it turns to steam and blast away carbon leaving the chamber including the plug looking very clean. At this point I would try to borrow or buy a combustion detector to determine if you need to pull the heads. Make sure you do the test twice, once from cold start during warm up and once its up to operating temp. If no combustion gases are detected in the cooling system its time to start looking at the possibility of a coolant path blockage in the radiator. If stop leak has ever been added to the system or if dexcool has been in there forever the chance of a blockage is very high and will also explain the poor heat. The heater core is usually the first casualty followed by the radiator, cap and thermostat.