11 Max, runs warmer than normal then gets hotter
05-09-2017, 04:03 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 4
11 Max, runs warmer than normal then gets hotter
Hey all.
New to the forums but I have not been having much luck with my 2011 maxima that I got a little over a year ago.
long story short, my car started running warmer than normal, almost over heated sitting in a parking lot. Shut her off, walked around the store, came back and took it home after it cooled off. Discovered coolant was low, so topped it off.
had her checked out and the water pump leaking. Well, I'm the kind of person to get things swapped at once. So here is a list of what we did.
replaced:
water pump
thermostat (twice in case first wasn't working)
All hoses
ECT Sensor
radiator
flushed system twice (once by reverse and vaccum)
block tested 5 times now.
fans come on, they come on asap when ac is turned on.
when i start to drive over 50ish the heat builds up according to both the old and new sensor. Somestimes it jumps back down, sometimes it continues to climb.
it also starts to heat up when i drive it for long periods at slow ds around town.
i have pressure tested the system, we can't find any leaks, the block tests show no exhaust in the system. Cap is rated 20psi and i never have any coolant back up into the resivour.
me and the other techs are at a loss and a little frustrated.
so i am reaching out for help if anyone has heard of this before?
New to the forums but I have not been having much luck with my 2011 maxima that I got a little over a year ago.
long story short, my car started running warmer than normal, almost over heated sitting in a parking lot. Shut her off, walked around the store, came back and took it home after it cooled off. Discovered coolant was low, so topped it off.
had her checked out and the water pump leaking. Well, I'm the kind of person to get things swapped at once. So here is a list of what we did.
replaced:
water pump
thermostat (twice in case first wasn't working)
All hoses
ECT Sensor
radiator
flushed system twice (once by reverse and vaccum)
block tested 5 times now.
fans come on, they come on asap when ac is turned on.
when i start to drive over 50ish the heat builds up according to both the old and new sensor. Somestimes it jumps back down, sometimes it continues to climb.
it also starts to heat up when i drive it for long periods at slow ds around town.
i have pressure tested the system, we can't find any leaks, the block tests show no exhaust in the system. Cap is rated 20psi and i never have any coolant back up into the resivour.
me and the other techs are at a loss and a little frustrated.
so i am reaching out for help if anyone has heard of this before?
05-10-2017, 12:01 PM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,132
Condenser in front of the Radiator may be jammed up with dirt/soot bugs...not letting enough air through. How well does the AC work? If it's not cooling well when the car is idle, clean that condenser out. Some evaporator cleaner and a medium pressure hose nozzle should do it. Might need to remove the bumper cover/grill to get to it.
Just a thought, since it seems like you've done everything else but that.
Just a thought, since it seems like you've done everything else but that.
05-12-2017, 08:14 AM
#4
Member
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 128
Wow you are really in to this 100% only thing I can add is, the fans there are 2 both coming on when a/c is on but 1 should come on with out it. Then I have the last thing it happened to my Honda Prelude fans come on but are weak the do not pull/push the are as intended to.
05-17-2017, 12:55 PM
#5
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Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 4
I checkes and the condensor is not clogged.
i also thought it was the fans too but when I get on the highway and do over 50, that didn't matter. It would get hotter.
the other day I got on the highway and for the first time, the gauge showed the correct temp. Later that day, it got hot.
i think a wire is exposed or something because I can't find evidence of it running hot at all. I.e. coolant evacuating into the overflow.
i also thought it was the fans too but when I get on the highway and do over 50, that didn't matter. It would get hotter.
the other day I got on the highway and for the first time, the gauge showed the correct temp. Later that day, it got hot.
i think a wire is exposed or something because I can't find evidence of it running hot at all. I.e. coolant evacuating into the overflow.
05-17-2017, 02:29 PM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 1,802
I just saw one thing that kind of caught my eye...you mention that "cap is rated 20psi and i never have any coolant back up into the resivour."
This infers to me that you have a "air pocket" in the system. As the car gets warmer, coolant SHOULD expand into the reservoir. This also can account for the hot/cold aspects. Are you sure they "burped" the system? With the climate control on Max Heat do you see and feel the heat jump up and down with the sensor readings? I can't think of anything else but the key indicator to me is that the reservoir never "backs up."
This infers to me that you have a "air pocket" in the system. As the car gets warmer, coolant SHOULD expand into the reservoir. This also can account for the hot/cold aspects. Are you sure they "burped" the system? With the climate control on Max Heat do you see and feel the heat jump up and down with the sensor readings? I can't think of anything else but the key indicator to me is that the reservoir never "backs up."
05-19-2017, 12:48 PM
#8
Newbie - Just Registered
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 4
I have checked we burped the system. I check it often, just to make sure.
I cannot find evidence of the system actually boiling when it gets hot. I have no flow into or out of the resivour when I check at these times.
the gauge also sits at normal once in a while. Later the same day it will show warmer. Sometimes it climbs and then suddenly snaps back to place.
This is starting to make me think its a grounding issues or the gauge itself acting up.
I'm looking for an IR to check temps with, until then, I'm just guessing. I'm planning tonlook at wiring to see if there is a resistance issue.
I cannot find evidence of the system actually boiling when it gets hot. I have no flow into or out of the resivour when I check at these times.
the gauge also sits at normal once in a while. Later the same day it will show warmer. Sometimes it climbs and then suddenly snaps back to place.
This is starting to make me think its a grounding issues or the gauge itself acting up.
I'm looking for an IR to check temps with, until then, I'm just guessing. I'm planning tonlook at wiring to see if there is a resistance issue.