5th Generation Maxima (2000-2003) Learn more about the 5th Generation Maxima, including the VQ30DE-K and VQ35DE engines.

Overheating Issue

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 04-02-2012, 04:34 PM
  #1  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Berto210's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 92
Overheating Issue

01 Maxima 5spd.. have a little overheating issue. Not a major one, but concerning nonetheless. Driving on short trips, highway of course, the engine seems to slowly increase in temperature, slowly getting pass midway through the range. This happens driving at highway speed (about 70 mph, but more noticeably the RPMs were at 3000). If the RPM guage were to surpass 3000 RPMs, the temperature starts to rise. If the RPM goes lower than 3000, the temperature goes back to normal (a little less than 1/2 way on the guage). Im not sure what it could be. Ive replaced the radiator few years back, thermostat a few times since then, and most recently the fan motor assy. Everything was running well during the colder months, but now that its getting hotter during the days, Im starting to notice this issue, again. Could it be the water pump? Anyone else has had this problem before? Im about to hit 160,000 miles and dont want it to be anything major.
Berto210 is offline  
Old 04-02-2012, 05:16 PM
  #2  
Senior Member
 
2damax's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 836
Did you check coolant level?
2damax is offline  
Old 04-02-2012, 06:03 PM
  #3  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Berto210's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 92
coolant level is good. and there is no indication of a leak anywhere.
Berto210 is offline  
Old 04-02-2012, 10:42 PM
  #4  
Senior Member
iTrader: (3)
 
Laevateinn's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Riverside, CA
Posts: 349
Water pump?
Laevateinn is offline  
Old 04-03-2012, 03:34 PM
  #5  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Berto210's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 92
Originally Posted by Laevateinn
Water pump?
Thats what Im asking? I heard it could be a real pain in the ***. Anyone has had this problem before?
Berto210 is offline  
Old 04-10-2012, 09:08 PM
  #6  
Newbie - Just Registered
 
adrianguti's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 1
hey berto, i have the same problem, haver you resolved the issue? i just changed the thermostat and still having the issue
adrianguti is offline  
Old 04-11-2012, 10:19 AM
  #7  
Senior Member
iTrader: (2)
 
DennisMik's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Plano, TX
Posts: 10,649
1- check coolant level with engine cold and not running. Remove radiator cap and the radiator should be 100% full.

2- Do both of your radiator fans work? Start the car and turn on the a/c. Both fans better be running.

3- Check the space between the radiator and the a/c condenser coil. Should be clear with nor build-up of leaves and other debris.

4- Is the coolant cloudy? It should be crystal clear.

If all is good, you may have a radiator plugging up or the water pump is going bad. Unfortunately, I don't know how you would test either of them.

You can try flushing the cooling system and the radiator, but there is nothing you can do for a bad water pump except replace it.

Here is a link to a thread for you to read through. The photo in post # 31 should worry any one having overheating problems.

http://forums.maxima.org/5th-generat...-speeding.html.
DennisMik is offline  
Old 04-11-2012, 03:25 PM
  #8  
Senior Member
 
Love_00_Max's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Pleasanton,CA
Posts: 1,136
Simple exercise.... I can bet it is a radiator.

clean the bottom drain of the radiator, take a clean pan, open radiator cap, and then open the bottom drain. The coolant should flow very quickly and then trickle towards the end. If you think the entire 4G came off in no time, then you have another problem. Refil raidator with collected coolant and purge air of the system.

When my radiator partially clogged it would drain, stop, drain, stop... etc
Love_00_Max is offline  
Old 04-11-2012, 03:46 PM
  #9  
Senior Member
iTrader: (3)
 
ShocknAwe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Atlanta, Ga
Posts: 3,292
Since you say its only a mild movement, it could be normal. Usually when driving hard the gauge is exactly half way between C and H. Normal leisurely driving, you are right, it is slightly lower than half. If it moves more than this or you think there is an issue try these things: You could have air trapped in and you need to bleed it again(the proper method is placing the car on a steep incline). You could have a bad mixture ratio. 50/50 is what is used by most but in my 4th gen FSM it calls for 70/30 if it only gets down to 5 degrees and 50/50 if its gets down into neg temps. YOu could have a slight clog. YOu can fix all of these in one fell swwop by draining, flushing and then refilling. GL
ShocknAwe is offline  
Old 04-11-2012, 08:52 PM
  #10  
Junior Member
 
Domepiece's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Chicopee, MA
Posts: 25
Similiar issue

I am having an overheating problem too. Sorry if i chime in asking for help too. MIne is having an issue where its fine if I am moving then when I stop the fans go full bore and begins to rise after a minute or so. Once im moving again it will climb and got pretty high tonight. Any thoughts on it? thermostat? Also there is coolant in my engine bay cannot find where its coming from though.

Last edited by Domepiece; 04-11-2012 at 09:00 PM.
Domepiece is offline  
Old 04-11-2012, 09:31 PM
  #11  
Junior Member
 
BlueMaxSE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Jacksonville, florida
Posts: 28
just a question, do you have an oil leak?? i noticed my temp rising every now and then come to find out the oil pan seal had a leak and it got almost to the point a seized motor. i know stupid mistake letting the oil get low. lesson learned.replaced seal no leak runs fine now, even sitting in traffic.
BlueMaxSE is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
RWCreative
4th Generation Maxima (1995-1999)
9
09-21-2015 11:01 AM
97_GXE
4th Generation Maxima (1995-1999)
20
09-17-2015 08:12 PM
97_GXE
4th Generation Maxima (1995-1999)
5
09-15-2015 06:47 AM
asianstyle
5th Generation Maxima (2000-2003)
4
09-10-2015 11:30 AM



Quick Reply: Overheating Issue



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 11:46 AM.