Help!! Coolant Temp Guage Redlined 360+
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On The Tree
Joined: Oct 2009
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From: West Lafayette In
Hey guys... so i went to get my gf's laptop that has all my data logging stuff on it (another story lol).. anyway I figured I could drive the car from my place to her place less than 5 miles away to pick up the computer. I also noticed that when I would hit the breaks to slow that my temp gauge would drop a bit then raise back up after to moment?..On my way back my windows started to fog up b/c its like 15 degrees out.. so I turn the defroster on to clear the windshield. I also turned on the heat on full just to see if that would do anything.
I dont know if it was coincidence when i turned the defroster and the heat on, but when i did BOOM!!! I get the car pulled over cause smoke is bellowing out from the hood and through my vents, I smell antifreeze lol.. Pop the hood and after the steam dissipates I look to see what happened.. finally I locate on the radiator drivers side top coolant hose had blown off. Well we are on Xmas break here on campus and nearly all my friends have gone home for the holidays.. the others were at work and one ****** friend had to got xmas shopping (true friend right there lol)..
Anyway so i decided to limp the car to a gas station just to get coolant... Now at this time i know the motor prolly isnt getting any coolant so gettign more at a gas station prolly wasnt going to do anything.. It took me awhile but i got the car home after about 2 hrs of stop and go driving..
So what are your thoughts now?.. Water pump?.. the water pump is stock and has 120k miles on it... since its not a electric pump what could have happend for it to just stop?.. Also if it wasnt the pump what else could it have been to build up all that pressure to blow off the coolant line?.. I dont think at this point it is the temp sensors lol.. can a stuck thermo do the above?... Thanks everyone and Merry Xmas!!
I dont know if it was coincidence when i turned the defroster and the heat on, but when i did BOOM!!! I get the car pulled over cause smoke is bellowing out from the hood and through my vents, I smell antifreeze lol.. Pop the hood and after the steam dissipates I look to see what happened.. finally I locate on the radiator drivers side top coolant hose had blown off. Well we are on Xmas break here on campus and nearly all my friends have gone home for the holidays.. the others were at work and one ****** friend had to got xmas shopping (true friend right there lol)..
Anyway so i decided to limp the car to a gas station just to get coolant... Now at this time i know the motor prolly isnt getting any coolant so gettign more at a gas station prolly wasnt going to do anything.. It took me awhile but i got the car home after about 2 hrs of stop and go driving..
So what are your thoughts now?.. Water pump?.. the water pump is stock and has 120k miles on it... since its not a electric pump what could have happend for it to just stop?.. Also if it wasnt the pump what else could it have been to build up all that pressure to blow off the coolant line?.. I dont think at this point it is the temp sensors lol.. can a stuck thermo do the above?... Thanks everyone and Merry Xmas!!
Thread Starter
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Joined: Oct 2009
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From: West Lafayette In
have not replaced the coolant sensor yet.. Nor have i datalogged anything.. The hose just blew off of the radiator... It has never happend in the last 120k miles lol.. I figured when all that happened and out spewed hot coolant.. that something was more wrong than just a sensor.. i could be wrong though.. After the charades that happened yesterday.. I have been bummed to get out and turn a wrench lol.. ill get her moved to a garage soon and start replacing sensor and working from there.. what now ramair?
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Oct 2009
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From: West Lafayette In
some guys are saying that there was air in the system.. I have not had a problem out of the car doing anything weird for 3000 miles.. can an airbubble just show up after that long?.. we burped the system but didnt use the bleeder valves.. but like i said never had a problem till the day of the this thread lol..
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From: West Lafayette In
Im going to be tearing into everything right after new yrs so will keep you guys posted... hey Joe, you said it needs to be bleed properly.. How we burped the system was a friend of mine hooked this funnel contraption up to the top of my radiator. you let the car warm up and the coolant would start to raise up out of the radiator into the funnel thing.. you could see airbubbles coming out... we did this for several minutes until it stopped... the left over coolant we just put a plug in the funnel thing. detached it from the radiator and put the cap back on.. Should we not have done it that way? or done it that way plus open up the valves?
The valves are there for a reason. 
I have always filled my system like this...if the block was drained, fill the block through the thermostat housing (2-bolts) with BOTH OEM bleeders open and the radiator cap off. When the block/pump is full, fill the radiator to the top. Put the cap back on, pack rags around the bleeder valves, start the engine, and close them when no more air comes out. Done.
If the block was not drained, disregard the first half.
Lots of people make filling/bleeding the system more than it needs to be, like picking up the front of the car, etc. Totally unnecessary steps.
If you want to follow shbox.com's instructions: http://shbox.com/1/4th_gen_tech2.html#radflush These are pretty much identical to how I have always done mine.
I have always filled my system like this...if the block was drained, fill the block through the thermostat housing (2-bolts) with BOTH OEM bleeders open and the radiator cap off. When the block/pump is full, fill the radiator to the top. Put the cap back on, pack rags around the bleeder valves, start the engine, and close them when no more air comes out. Done.
If the block was not drained, disregard the first half.
Lots of people make filling/bleeding the system more than it needs to be, like picking up the front of the car, etc. Totally unnecessary steps.
If you want to follow shbox.com's instructions: http://shbox.com/1/4th_gen_tech2.html#radflush These are pretty much identical to how I have always done mine.
I think you do have a cooling problem. The hose blowing off was the result of something overheating somewhere. How many miles on this car? Has the heater core ever been flushed out? If the coolant level is low, or it's not being pumped through the engine and radiator, the gauge can be way off as it's not immersed in coolant.
As it's an LT1 car and they're known to blow their head gaskets between cylinders 5 & 7, I'd be very careful not to overheat it.
Nice color! My '94 Formula was Quasar Blue also!
As it's an LT1 car and they're known to blow their head gaskets between cylinders 5 & 7, I'd be very careful not to overheat it.
Nice color! My '94 Formula was Quasar Blue also!
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On The Tree
Joined: Oct 2009
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From: West Lafayette In
Its nvr had a heater core flush... and its nvr had it drained completely... ive always done the coolant flushes myself... coolant level was fine right before she blew lol.. how can you tell if you have a blown head gasket besides there being coolant in your oil?... and she has 120k on her 
...
... 
you most likelyy dont have a bad head gasket however it does in fact sound like you have a cooling issue.............which if your not careful could cause a hg issue (bought my car with two blown gaskets 
).......anyway......first off id check to make sure the thermostat is infact opening and is not stuck closed.......pull it out and toss it in a pan of hot water on your stove you should see it open.......if thats not the issue id check the radiator next and make sure theres no clogs in it or in the system somewhere....then the only thing left is the pump.......a clogged heater core wont cause over heating......sounds like there is def a cooling issue though for the hose to blow off like that......
).......anyway......first off id check to make sure the thermostat is infact opening and is not stuck closed.......pull it out and toss it in a pan of hot water on your stove you should see it open.......if thats not the issue id check the radiator next and make sure theres no clogs in it or in the system somewhere....then the only thing left is the pump.......a clogged heater core wont cause over heating......sounds like there is def a cooling issue though for the hose to blow off like that...... I don't think you have a blown head gasket. If you keep overheating it like this, you will. Poor running, oil in the radiator, coolant in the oil, high oil level, bubbles in the radiator while running can all indicate a head gasket.
You have a cooling issue. Good call quik95LT1, check the thermostat.
Not related, quik95lt1, it's difficult to read your posts.
You have a cooling issue. Good call quik95LT1, check the thermostat.
Not related, quik95lt1, it's difficult to read your posts.
