Overheating issue, searches suggest BHG but i'm not convinced!!!

poboy69 · 04-28-2009, 04:05 AM

So I just bought an 88 N/A from out of state with plans of a 2JZ swap sometime in the future. Im driving home and about 60 miles from the dealer I hear a buzzing noise comming from the dash on the passenger side. At that time I look at all of my gauges and hear a clunking sound. I look in my rearview and see something black and about the size of my fist fly out from underneath the car.

At that moment I didn't know if I had ran something over or if something had fallen off of the car, but I did notice that the coolant temp gauge started flickering like crazy. It wouldn't go past normal operationg temp, but it would go up to it and back down at random times, like a shorted wire or something. I pulled over, inspected the vehicle, and found nothing wrong. No fluid pissing anywhere, no leaks, and the car was running fine.

I got back on the road with the temp gauge still flickering and about 10 miles later the gauge started flickering toward the hotter side. Then just like that it spiked to red. I immediatly pulled the car into a rest area only to find that when I stopped, there was steam comming up from under the hood. I popped the hood and noticed the steam comming from the firewall/back of the engine.

I called the dealer and they suggested that it could be a blown heater core, but I never noticed steam comming up from under the dash or a wet PS floorboard!!!

We checked all of the hoses and found 1 small 4in "L" shaped hose to be torn. The hose was in the back of the engine and ran from the block to the head. 1 hr later we replaced the hose and started her up. she started right up and it took her about 5-7min to warm up. She was running fine and the only coolant that I could smell was the burnoff from the block. I closed the hood and got in. As soon as I started driving the temp gauge spiked all the way up in the red and I stopped. I popped the hood again and this time the steam looked like it was comming from the center of the engine, around the intake plenum!

After that the car would crank but not start. I left it at a gas station and drove 4 hours home with a friend. Today I called the dealer and to make a long story short the said that they would offer to pay and see what the problem is but not give me my money back. The mechanic that got to the vehicle said that it started right up with no problems. They have yet to find the issue.

So I don't get what the problem could be. There was never any signs of a blown head gasket! The exhaust never poured out white smoke!!! The car started right up after sitting for a day. it will idle all day long, but as soon as you start driving the temp gauge goes crazy!!!

Any help would be appreciated!!!

04-28-2009, 04:05 AM	#1
poboy69 Intake Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: DF-DUB Posts: 36	Overheating issue, searches suggest BHG but i'm not convinced!!! So I just bought an 88 N/A from out of state with plans of a 2JZ swap sometime in the future. Im driving home and about 60 miles from the dealer I hear a buzzing noise comming from the dash on the passenger side. At that time I look at all of my gauges and hear a clunking sound. I look in my rearview and see something black and about the size of my fist fly out from underneath the car. At that moment I didn't know if I had ran something over or if something had fallen off of the car, but I did notice that the coolant temp gauge started flickering like crazy. It wouldn't go past normal operationg temp, but it would go up to it and back down at random times, like a shorted wire or something. I pulled over, inspected the vehicle, and found nothing wrong. No fluid pissing anywhere, no leaks, and the car was running fine. I got back on the road with the temp gauge still flickering and about 10 miles later the gauge started flickering toward the hotter side. Then just like that it spiked to red. I immediatly pulled the car into a rest area only to find that when I stopped, there was steam comming up from under the hood. I popped the hood and noticed the steam comming from the firewall/back of the engine. I called the dealer and they suggested that it could be a blown heater core, but I never noticed steam comming up from under the dash or a wet PS floorboard!!! We checked all of the hoses and found 1 small 4in "L" shaped hose to be torn. The hose was in the back of the engine and ran from the block to the head. 1 hr later we replaced the hose and started her up. she started right up and it took her about 5-7min to warm up. She was running fine and the only coolant that I could smell was the burnoff from the block. I closed the hood and got in. As soon as I started driving the temp gauge spiked all the way up in the red and I stopped. I popped the hood again and this time the steam looked like it was comming from the center of the engine, around the intake plenum! After that the car would crank but not start. I left it at a gas station and drove 4 hours home with a friend. Today I called the dealer and to make a long story short the said that they would offer to pay and see what the problem is but not give me my money back. The mechanic that got to the vehicle said that it started right up with no problems. They have yet to find the issue. So I don't get what the problem could be. There was never any signs of a blown head gasket! The exhaust never poured out white smoke!!! The car started right up after sitting for a day. it will idle all day long, but as soon as you start driving the temp gauge goes crazy!!! Any help would be appreciated!!!