The Problem
On the way up here from Houston tonight, a little after I got onto Hwy 6, my temp guage started going nuts. It kept spiking in the red, going back to normal, over and over randomly. Sometimes when it would spike, you could feel the car lurch a tiny bit. I just put a new thermostat in it a week ago after some mild overheating issues. So I'm assuming that the water pump is going dead. When the temp jumps, you can also sometimes hear a funny noise. Sucks, cause I just got a damn new water pump from O'Reilly's at the end of last summer... damn thing sure didn't last long!

What I need
Mainly... TOOLS! All my tools are in Houston! I have no sockets, no ratchets, no jacks, nada! I'd also really like it if someone who knows a bit more about cars then me could CONFIRM that it is the water pump that's dead before I go buy a new one, but if not I'm just gonna go get one. But I need someone to let me use their tools for an hour or so. A decent socket set and some pliars are all I really need, and some jacks, cause I'd like to drain the radiator when I put the new pump on. If you have a drain pan that'd be nice, but otherwise I can just go buy one.

I'm up here until Sunday, but I'd really like to do this tomorrow (Thursday), as I have stuff to do over the weekend. Where I put on the pump doesn't matter to me, if you'd want me to do it at your house that's fine, or if you're busy and trust me with your tools (I can leave you collatteral if you want, lol... some people on here have met me!) I can do it at the house I'm staying at.

Shoot me a PM! Or you can call me at 281-923-2507.
I'm not exactly bathing in money right now, so I can't really pay anyone for help... but I can get you a case of beer!

EDIT
Ok, I've talked to a few people.. and one person suggested a blown head gasket. That reminds me, a while back my mom told me about a problem with her minivan, and the temperature going up and stuff... and it turned out to be a blown head gasket. So now I'm SCARED! lol... cause with the lurching the car is doing, this kinda sounds plausable... I just didn't even think about it... is there anyone who can do a pressure test, or whatever you have to do to confirm this?

 

damn i'd love a case.... too bad I dont have any tools here either. You can buy me one anyway and I'll split it with you! haha

 

pm sent.

 

Hmm i'm going to be swamped tom otherwise i'd help. You sure your full on coolant? I just did a waterpump w/ Jerry the other day and it took us alittle over an hr to get it swapped out.

You could run a compression test to see if its a head gasket, but you should be burning coolant if you blew your headgasket. How often does the temp spike and the car bog or whatever?

 

The temp spikes and car bogs 4-5 times a minute, rough estimate.

I've never done a compresion test... what does it involve? From what I understand you plug some guage into a spark plug socket and crank the engine?

I have a feeling that I won't be needing to borrow anyone's tools tomorrow though, cause if it is the head gasket, I'll get the car back to Houston and do it there... but we'll see what culprit ends up being the problem!

If someone wants to come checkout the car tomorrow... still, feel free! The case of beer is still on the table.

 

what about the sensor?

 

yup me and fstblkz28 swaped out my water pump in about an hour. it was nothing. autozone, lifetime warranty, $145.00 w/ tax

jerry

 

Ya, I know a waterpump is an easy swap, I've done it before. What I'm worried about now though, is that it's a head gasket though, since I seem to be losing compression when my temp spikes.

 

this wont help right now..but when i get back up there all my tools will be at my house..in august..lol..it sounds like a head gasket..so dont drive it to houston..if u were gooing to..

 

Sounds like you have an air pocket in your cooling system, possibly from a blow head gasket?? This will suck in this heat, but when you drive around, turn your heater on and see iff it blows hot, then blows cold repeatedly.. Then you have air in your cooling system

 

I've also got a couple jackstands, a decent socket set, and some other tools that might be helpful. Just give me a call if you need anything, I'm here all weekend.

Kevin
979-422-0972

 

I say make sure you have no air in the system, its the cheapest and easiest thing to do right now.