car overheating
02-11-2015, 10:21 PM
#1
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car overheating
Changed the oil and replaced cracked radiotor ... now car is overheating but it wasn't before do u think my thermostat went bad or could be air in the line... drove for like 5- 10 minutes temperature gauge went to hot but car never smoked or anything? ????
02-12-2015, 12:13 AM
#5
The air will never bleed itself out.
What you have to do is raise the front end up about a foot. If you can park on a steep hill, great. If not, jack it up or use car ramps. With the engine cold, remove the radiator cap. Start the car and let it run until the thermostat opens up. When the thermostat opens, the air will come out, usually with enough force to spray coolant, so don't be staring at the radiator filler opening.
02-12-2015, 04:38 PM
#7
In a working car, both the top and lower radiator hoses should be HOT when the engine has reached operating temperature. If you have a bad thermostat or a plugged radiator, the lower radiator hose will not be hot because there is no coolant flowing.
02-12-2015, 05:01 PM
#8
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Hopefully I figure this thing out... replaced radiator and thermostat... still overheating. .. not getting any signs of bad headgasket besides overheating... car is still at the shop... do u think it could be the water pump... again before I changed the radiator it wasn't overheating now it is after I I replaced it (Crack in radiator)
02-13-2015, 06:25 PM
#11
Since you replaced the radiator and thermostat, all that is left is the radiator cap, pressure testing the system, water pump, and possibly the heater core.
Did you install an OEM thermostat? How confident are you that you bled the system properly and got all the air out? How did you do it?
02-13-2015, 07:35 PM
#12
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I wouldn't do that. That stuff will only gunk up the system. Cooling issues are pretty easy to figure out.
Since you replaced the radiator and thermostat, all that is left is the radiator cap, pressure testing the system, water pump, and possibly the heater core.
Did you install an OEM thermostat? How confident are you that you bled the system properly and got all the air out? How did you do it?
02-13-2015, 08:06 PM
#13
Water pump is by inspection only; you'll have to pull it to see. For the heater core, you can feel the 'in' and 'out' lines by the firewall the same way Dennis instructed you for the upper and lower radiator hoses. If one is hot and the other is cold, you have a blockage.
02-13-2015, 10:15 PM
#14
One of the worst mistakes a person who is working on a car (or anything) is to assume that a new part cannot be bad. People buy new parts that turn out to be bad wayyyy to often.
When the engine is at operating temperature, check an see if both the lower and upper radiator hoses are hot. This will tell you that the engine coolant is circulating. Or not.
When the engine is at operating temperature, check an see if both the lower and upper radiator hoses are hot. This will tell you that the engine coolant is circulating. Or not.
02-13-2015, 11:26 PM
#15
One of the worst mistakes a person who is working on a car (or anything) is to assume that a new part cannot be bad. People buy new parts that turn out to be bad wayyyy to often.
When the engine is at operating temperature, check an see if both the lower and upper radiator hoses are hot. This will tell you that the engine coolant is circulating. Or not.
When the engine is at operating temperature, check an see if both the lower and upper radiator hoses are hot. This will tell you that the engine coolant is circulating. Or not.
03-30-2015, 12:44 PM
#16
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03-30-2015, 04:23 PM
#17
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Don't do anything with a low coolant that's just asking for a new headgasket. I would first turn the heat on full blast than pop the hood than add coolant to see if its low,the chances or good that you have a low coolant, due to the air and the no heat issue and your car heating up first, get the coolant level up and all the air out,than just check the upper hose to see if it gets hot and with the heat on and check the coolant temp,than see if the car has heat everything is leveled,after all this and the car did not improve than move to the thermostat and the water pump. I think you level up and take top off the radiator and check to see,if the coolant just shoots out or it would just sit there with a slow over flow,that can determine the good or bad water pump.
Last edited by vqmaxman; 03-30-2015 at 04:28 PM.
03-31-2015, 10:02 AM
#18
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Don't do anything with a low coolant that's just asking for a new headgasket. I would first turn the heat on full blast than pop the hood than add coolant to see if its low,the chances or good that you have a low coolant, due to the air and the no heat issue and your car heating up first, get the coolant level up and all the air out,than just check the upper hose to see if it gets hot and with the heat on and check the coolant temp,than see if the car has heat everything is leveled,after all this and the car did not improve than move to the thermostat and the water pump. I think you level up and take top off the radiator and check to see,if the coolant just shoots out or it would just sit there with a slow over flow,that can determine the good or bad water pump.
03-31-2015, 10:05 AM
#19
Let's go back to the original post. You replaced the radiator and that is when the overheating started. Was this a brand new radiator or was it from a junkyard? A used radiator could be plugged.
Changing a radiator should not have any effect on the thermostat or water pump. About the only thing I can think of that would cause this would be if there was some debris in the radiator (like a piece of paper) that is now plugging up the thermostat. Not too likely, but a possibility.
You said that the lower radiator hose does not get hot like the upper hose. That certainly says no coolant circulation.
But there is one thing I am curious about. Have you or someone actually measured the coolant temperature? You are saying the car is over heating - based on what? The dash gauge? Or is the coolant coming out of the radiator and filling up the over flow tank?
If I have to take a guess right now, I say pull the radiator and see if it is plugged.
Changing a radiator should not have any effect on the thermostat or water pump. About the only thing I can think of that would cause this would be if there was some debris in the radiator (like a piece of paper) that is now plugging up the thermostat. Not too likely, but a possibility.
You said that the lower radiator hose does not get hot like the upper hose. That certainly says no coolant circulation.
But there is one thing I am curious about. Have you or someone actually measured the coolant temperature? You are saying the car is over heating - based on what? The dash gauge? Or is the coolant coming out of the radiator and filling up the over flow tank?
If I have to take a guess right now, I say pull the radiator and see if it is plugged.
03-31-2015, 02:50 PM
#21
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This can also be a possibility, that the radiator might have a debris in it,the other fact can be the radiator is a defect,it happens in the parts world. I think the best thing is for you to do is, just take the radiator back out and inspect it for debris. The water hose test, put the water in the top of the radiator and check the flow for the water it should come out from the top part and the bottom part of the radiator or to make easy to understand where the top hose and the bottom hose go on the radiator.
04-01-2015, 12:59 AM
#22
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Let's go back to the original post. You replaced the radiator and that is when the overheating started. Was this a brand new radiator or was it from a junkyard? A used radiator could be plugged.
Changing a radiator should not have any effect on the thermostat or water pump. About the only thing I can think of that would cause this would be if there was some debris in the radiator (like a piece of paper) that is now plugging up the thermostat. Not too likely, but a possibility.
You said that the lower radiator hose does not get hot like the upper hose. That certainly says no coolant circulation.
But there is one thing I am curious about. Have you or someone actually measured the coolant temperature? You are saying the car is over heating - based on what? The dash gauge? Or is the coolant coming out of the radiator and filling up the over flow tank?
If I have to take a guess right now, I say pull the radiator and see if it is plugged.
Changing a radiator should not have any effect on the thermostat or water pump. About the only thing I can think of that would cause this would be if there was some debris in the radiator (like a piece of paper) that is now plugging up the thermostat. Not too likely, but a possibility.
You said that the lower radiator hose does not get hot like the upper hose. That certainly says no coolant circulation.
But there is one thing I am curious about. Have you or someone actually measured the coolant temperature? You are saying the car is over heating - based on what? The dash gauge? Or is the coolant coming out of the radiator and filling up the over flow tank?
If I have to take a guess right now, I say pull the radiator and see if it is plugged.
.
04-01-2015, 01:00 AM
#23
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This can also be a possibility, that the radiator might have a debris in it,the other fact can be the radiator is a defect,it happens in the parts world. I think the best thing is for you to do is, just take the radiator back out and inspect it for debris. The water hose test, put the water in the top of the radiator and check the flow for the water it should come out from the top part and the bottom part of the radiator or to make easy to understand where the top hose and the bottom hose go on the radiator.
04-01-2015, 04:25 AM
#24
Easiest and simplest way to bleed the air out of your cooling system is to put the car on 2 jackstands. Your headlights are pointing towards the stars and the exhaust pipe is nearly touching the ground. Remove the radiator cap. Start the engine and let it warm up where the temp gage reads in the middle. Inside the car,put the heater on HOT, fan on full blast. Now, race the engine (2000-3000 rpm) every couple of times to force the engine to push the air bubbles up and out. if you watch the open radiator you should see bubbles every so often. Do this for at least 30-40 minutes. Then, when you are satisfied that there are no more bubbles, bleeding complete.
Remember, head gasket replacement on a DOHC, timing chained V6 is nearly the equivalent cost (in labor) of replacing the motor. Spend a little now rather than a whole lot later.
Last edited by dwapenyi; 04-01-2015 at 07:18 AM. Reason: vqmaxman mentioned heater part...forgot that:)
04-01-2015, 06:46 AM
#25
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Location: Fuk 301 it's 410 Bal Md black/purple.
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What is this?
Easiest and simplest way to bleed the air out of your cooling system is to put the car on 2 jackstands. Your headlights are pointing towards the stars and the exhaust pipe is nearly touching the ground. Remove the radiator cap. Start the engine and let it warm up where the temp gage reads in the middle. Then race the engine (2000-3000 rpm) every couple of times to force the engine to push the air bubbles up and out. if you watch the open radiator you should see bubbles every so often. Do this for at least 30-40 minutes. Then, when you are satisfied that there are no more bubbles, bleeding complete.
Some things you can go aftermarket with. For this car, don't mess around with the thermostat. OEM only Remember, head gasket replacement on a DOHC, timing chained V6 is nearly the equivalent cost (in labor) of replacing the motor. Spend a little now rather than a whole lot later.
Easiest and simplest way to bleed the air out of your cooling system is to put the car on 2 jackstands. Your headlights are pointing towards the stars and the exhaust pipe is nearly touching the ground. Remove the radiator cap. Start the engine and let it warm up where the temp gage reads in the middle. Then race the engine (2000-3000 rpm) every couple of times to force the engine to push the air bubbles up and out. if you watch the open radiator you should see bubbles every so often. Do this for at least 30-40 minutes. Then, when you are satisfied that there are no more bubbles, bleeding complete.
Some things you can go aftermarket with. For this car, don't mess around with the thermostat. OEM only
Remember, head gasket replacement on a DOHC, timing chained V6 is nearly the equivalent cost (in labor) of replacing the motor. Spend a little now rather than a whole lot later.This is a good post, I forgot to mention the reving part and keep it reving, tell the coolant doesn't bubble with air. When your reving at 2/3rpms make sure all the air is out with the heat on full blast. So the heater core can get coolant when your using the heater.
04-01-2015, 06:55 PM
#26
Nissan does not use any kind of water valve on the heater core. Water flows through the heater core all the time. Heating the inside of the car is accomplished by diverting air either through the heater core or around it. There is no need to touch the heater controls when working on the cooling system.
04-02-2015, 07:58 PM
#27
Nissan does not use any kind of water valve on the heater core. Water flows through the heater core all the time. Heating the inside of the car is accomplished by diverting air either through the heater core or around it. There is no need to touch the heater controls when working on the cooling system.
Sent from my XT1060 using Maxima
04-03-2015, 12:43 PM
#28
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Location: Fuk 301 it's 410 Bal Md black/purple.
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If the heater switch is not on,the heat selector on hot or cold the thermostat will not open unless the heat is on therefore the coolant is not completely flushed until the whole cooling systems flushed. To most vehicles.
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