Cooling Problem! Need help fast!
Cooling Problem! Need help fast! ok it's weird. The car has NEVER had a problem with cooling before but after winter i took it out and drove the crappy gas outta it. Anyway cruisin' down the road the car heats and stays at the right temp. well i stop in traffic and it comes up a little bit more then it used to. Well i got out and popped the hood and checked coolant level and it was about where it should be. Now to the problem. I'll go into the gas station to get a Mountain Dew after driving around town and come back out and there's coolant on the ground under the overflow tank. Pop the hood and it was coming outta the cap on the reservior a little but when i pulled the cap it was level. It let it cool down and popped the radiator cap and it didn't seem to have much pressure. So i called my dad since he's pretty good with this stuff. I thought maybe the system needs a flush. Drove it to his house and he looked at it. He's not sure about what it is but when the car runs and idles it doesn't come outta the tank but when i shut it off and let it sit after driving for a while it will come over the top of the OF tank. i drove it alot today and it never got OVERLY hot but i wanna figure out the problem. Should i flush it, replace the radiator cap and change the T-stat? Or is it something more serious? My dad smelled the coolant to see if he could smell exhaust, thinking it was possibly the headgasket going but he doesn't think it is. God i HOPE that's not it. Car has a little less then 80k on it. I don't see ANY smoke outta the exhaust and the oil looked good as i dropped it out tonight. Really want to tackle this problem guys. Thanks for the help ahead of time~Cole~
I also thought that maybe the radiator is just THAT dirty and not allowing the coolant to flow well and it goes to the overflow and runs out. When i pulled the cap on the radiator there was plenty crap under the cap. Really would like to fix this so help is VERY appreciated.
could be thermostat... thats a classic, hard to tell. I test them putting them in a coffee can with water...and torch the bottom to heat it up and see if the Valve opens.. that or your water pump. the radiator clogging up doesnt happen very often... good luck
well that's the thing is it doesn't really overheat. It just starts to come outta the overflow when i shut it off. it's only did it twice after a whole day of drivin' yesterday. kinda strange. I did notice that there was no pressure in the system when i took the radiator cap off. It was still pretty hot and i did it with a towel so it wouldn't spray me and it was almost loose. Would that cause air to get in and push the coolant out the reservior? Thanks guys. i hope to fix this Monday with a new t-stat, radiator cap and a bleed. Appreciate the help guys.
Cooling Systems 101 Cole -
Are both your fans functioning in both speeds (low and high)?
How about your ECT sensor?
Fans relays?
Check your schematics, then, using a thick wire (12/10 gauge), with the key in RUN / engine off, jump the High speed fan relay. Do both fans come on high? (that tests the fans) Switch a fan relay with a headlamp relay then turn on the lights - Do they work? (that tests the relay) Check your fuses and wiring - Any blown fuses / opens / shorts to ground?
If all these electrical tests prove out your fans, then the problem is either the thermostat or the water pump.
Replace the t-stat with a 160 degree unit or leave it off completely (if you feel lucky!) then run the car. Does the engine cool / do the fans run? If the fans run and your temp is still going up with a 160 t-stat, you have a blockage (unlikely) or a bad water pump (more likely).
If I had to diagnose it over the net, my first guess would be your t-stat.
There, I've just given you cooling systems 101 in less than 30 minutes (yeah, I know, I type SLOW!), now go, spend the $$$ and buy the GM Service Manuals for your car and READ them.
MIKE
Are both your fans functioning in both speeds (low and high)?
How about your ECT sensor?
Fans relays?
Check your schematics, then, using a thick wire (12/10 gauge), with the key in RUN / engine off, jump the High speed fan relay. Do both fans come on high? (that tests the fans) Switch a fan relay with a headlamp relay then turn on the lights - Do they work? (that tests the relay) Check your fuses and wiring - Any blown fuses / opens / shorts to ground?
If all these electrical tests prove out your fans, then the problem is either the thermostat or the water pump.
Replace the t-stat with a 160 degree unit or leave it off completely (if you feel lucky!) then run the car. Does the engine cool / do the fans run? If the fans run and your temp is still going up with a 160 t-stat, you have a blockage (unlikely) or a bad water pump (more likely).
If I had to diagnose it over the net, my first guess would be your t-stat.
There, I've just given you cooling systems 101 in less than 30 minutes (yeah, I know, I type SLOW!), now go, spend the $$$ and buy the GM Service Manuals for your car and READ them.
MIKE
Originally Posted by ColeTrains'96Z28
ok it's weird. The car has NEVER had a problem with cooling before but after winter i took it out and drove the crappy gas outta it. Anyway cruisin' down the road the car heats and stays at the right temp. well i stop in traffic and it comes up a little bit more then it used to. Well i got out and popped the hood and checked coolant level and it was about where it should be. Now to the problem. I'll go into the gas station to get a Mountain Dew after driving around town and come back out and there's coolant on the ground under the overflow tank. Pop the hood and it was coming outta the cap on the reservior a little but when i pulled the cap it was level. It let it cool down and popped the radiator cap and it didn't seem to have much pressure. So i called my dad since he's pretty good with this stuff. I thought maybe the system needs a flush. Drove it to his house and he looked at it. He's not sure about what it is but when the car runs and idles it doesn't come outta the tank but when i shut it off and let it sit after driving for a while it will come over the top of the OF tank. i drove it alot today and it never got OVERLY hot but i wanna figure out the problem. Should i flush it, replace the radiator cap and change the T-stat? Or is it something more serious? My dad smelled the coolant to see if he could smell exhaust, thinking it was possibly the headgasket going but he doesn't think it is. God i HOPE that's not it. Car has a little less then 80k on it. I don't see ANY smoke outta the exhaust and the oil looked good as i dropped it out tonight. Really want to tackle this problem guys. Thanks for the help ahead of time~Cole~
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try replacing your cap. after i replaced mine my heat gauge stayed a little lower.
i had the same thing happen to me i drove on the freeway and it spit coolant out of the overflow.
leaking cap will show little or no pressure in the radiator.
i had the same thing happen to me i drove on the freeway and it spit coolant out of the overflow.
leaking cap will show little or no pressure in the radiator.
Last edited by Revelation Z28; Apr 22, 2007 at 03:05 PM.
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appreciate the tutorial
i will do all this and test the system. It's raining right now so i'll have to wait 'til tomorrow. or maybe get it in the garage quick and try it. thanks again~Cole~
appreciate the tutorial i will do all this and test the system. It's raining right now so i'll have to wait 'til tomorrow. or maybe get it in the garage quick and try it. thanks again~Cole~