suddenly overheating today
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 131
From: Los Angeles
suddenly overheating today
Car is suddenly overheating on the highway today. I had to blast the heater to keep it in check on the way home from work. All was perfectly normal this morning going there.
It doesn't really(or at least not quickly) however get hot in traffic or stopped idling for a long time. The rad fans do run.
Coolant is new looking and tank is full, actually overfull.
The car now has 116k miles and I have no idea if the waterpump has ever been replaced. I've driven the car from 100k with no problems really.
However, does this problem seem too sudden to be the water pump? I am thinking thermostat sticking or possibly radiator cap?
What's your first guess on this?
It doesn't really(or at least not quickly) however get hot in traffic or stopped idling for a long time. The rad fans do run.
Coolant is new looking and tank is full, actually overfull.
The car now has 116k miles and I have no idea if the waterpump has ever been replaced. I've driven the car from 100k with no problems really.
However, does this problem seem too sudden to be the water pump? I am thinking thermostat sticking or possibly radiator cap?
What's your first guess on this?
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 2,974
From: Portland, Oregon
One tests proper coolant level by opening the radiator cap while the engine is cold.
Checking tge level in the over flow tank does not show how much coolant is in the system.
I'm guessing that this is one of the first warm days you have had in your area?
is there signs of leaking at the top of the radiator, or near the water pump?
Checking tge level in the over flow tank does not show how much coolant is in the system.
I'm guessing that this is one of the first warm days you have had in your area?
is there signs of leaking at the top of the radiator, or near the water pump?
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 131
From: Los Angeles
I just checked it after cooling this evening, the coolant level is up in the neck of the radiator fill, just below the cap. Everything dry under the hood and below engine, radiator, tank, hoses, etc.
Looking down into the radiator, it seems clean and not corroded, not blocked up by anything.
Yes,it is warming up since winter but the car has seen much worse without a problem before.
Honestly the cap looks like it could be new, but I'll start by testing that and pressure testing the radiator as well.
I'm just curious, how long is the waterpump usually good for in these cars?
Looking down into the radiator, it seems clean and not corroded, not blocked up by anything.
Yes,it is warming up since winter but the car has seen much worse without a problem before.
Honestly the cap looks like it could be new, but I'll start by testing that and pressure testing the radiator as well.
I'm just curious, how long is the waterpump usually good for in these cars?
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 2,974
From: Portland, Oregon
I just checked it after cooling this evening, the coolant level is up in the neck of the radiator fill, just below the cap. Everything dry under the hood and below engine, radiator, tank, hoses, etc.
Looking down into the radiator, it seems clean and not corroded, not blocked up by anything.
Yes,it is warming up since winter but the car has seen much worse without a problem before.
Honestly the cap looks like it could be new, but I'll start by testing that and pressure testing the radiator as well.
Good news so far.
The coolant is at the top of the radiator. So we can assume that there are no leaks at the pump or the radiator.
You said that the fans do run.
I'd check the radiator cap again, to confirm it's the right one.
I'm just curious, how long is the waterpump usually good for in these cars?
Looking down into the radiator, it seems clean and not corroded, not blocked up by anything.
Yes,it is warming up since winter but the car has seen much worse without a problem before.
Honestly the cap looks like it could be new, but I'll start by testing that and pressure testing the radiator as well.
Good news so far.
The coolant is at the top of the radiator. So we can assume that there are no leaks at the pump or the radiator.
You said that the fans do run.
I'd check the radiator cap again, to confirm it's the right one.
I'm just curious, how long is the waterpump usually good for in these cars?
As long as yours is not leaking at this point, there is no point in replacing it yet. There is no way to guess when it will fail.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 131
From: Los Angeles
I have a serious problem here.
I drove the car again today and it actually stayed cooler, only getting warm on the uphill stretches, which I controlled with the heater.
But when I got off the highway near home it just started to idle like ****, shaking the whole car. But somehow still drove fine and did not seem down on power above idle.
Never got any dash lights or warnings.
I checked everything when I got home, no leaks, full oil, fans running, nothing wrong I can see. No codes at all either.
Now I did replace a coil last week after getting a flashing CEL and code for #2 misfire and ignition circuit problem. New coil fixed all that. But do you think another coil problem could not set a CEL? Or what could possibly be going on that's related to overheating?
I drove the car again today and it actually stayed cooler, only getting warm on the uphill stretches, which I controlled with the heater.
But when I got off the highway near home it just started to idle like ****, shaking the whole car. But somehow still drove fine and did not seem down on power above idle.
Never got any dash lights or warnings.
I checked everything when I got home, no leaks, full oil, fans running, nothing wrong I can see. No codes at all either.
Now I did replace a coil last week after getting a flashing CEL and code for #2 misfire and ignition circuit problem. New coil fixed all that. But do you think another coil problem could not set a CEL? Or what could possibly be going on that's related to overheating?
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 131
From: Los Angeles
I just figured out the idleing problem is another bad coil, just by pulling the wires off one at a time with it running, then swapping the suspect coil with another to confirm the problem moves. It was dead dead dead.
But now I'm curious, did the ECU keep dumping fuel in that cylinder with no ignition source for up to 20 miles and give me no warning that the cat was being cooked? How could this not be detected as a misfire?
But now I'm curious, did the ECU keep dumping fuel in that cylinder with no ignition source for up to 20 miles and give me no warning that the cat was being cooked? How could this not be detected as a misfire?
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 2,974
From: Portland, Oregon
Unless the ecu is sophisticated enough to disconnect the injector, it continued doing its job.
No different than a non firing plug with a carbureter did in the 1970s. Yes, that can ruin the cat.
No different than a non firing plug with a carbureter did in the 1970s. Yes, that can ruin the cat.
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