Help... my car is overheating

suprra_girl · 08-19-2004, 06:49 AM

If your car is overheating it can be due to many things

When people hear 7mgte... they immediately think they have a blown head gasket.. this is not always the case

it's a good idea to run through a few other things before you think the worst

overheating generally only happens when stopped in traffic, on the highway the temp comes back down but here's a few things to check anyhow

check your water pump
your viscous fan
make sure your thermostat is opening properly (if in doubt, just buy another one they're only $15odd nzd)
make sure your radiator isn't blocked
check for any split hoses
check for any water leaks
your heater core might have air bubbles in it so you need to burp your cooling system (best way i found is jack her up so the radiator is at the highest point... make sure the engine is warm at this point and start her, get the hose or bottles of water and start topping her up... she might bubble a bit while air locks are being cleared, once the bubbles stop cap her up and set her back on the ground)

if none of this has solved your problem get a "TK head check" and check for exhaust gasses in the cooling system... if the blue liquid changes to a greeny colour then it's possible there's exhaust gasses in the water, if it turns yellow there's a definite sign you have exhaust gasses ( i think thats the right colours... it will say so on the instructions anyhow )
if it does confirm exhaust gasses in your water you have absolutely blown your head gasket so get ready to pay out :P

also check your oil, make sure it's not discoloured at all.. milky or chocolate milkshake... if this is the case... you have blown your head gasket or you may have a crack in the block or head... you need to strip her down and get the engine reconditioner to check this for you... usually you can tell by looking at the head gasket.. if the head gasket has definite signs of blowing between galleries usually you don't need to worry bout cracks but you still need to get it all checked.... last thing you want is to buy all the parts, slap her together only to have it happen again

well that's all i have to add for now.... anyone else like to add

GOGS · 10-25-2004, 12:10 AM

very good report
must confess most probs seem to derive from one or more of the faults youve given .often then ending up as gasket failure,or worse.
Never trust a new t/stat or gauge when circulation probs exist + new t/stats dont always work .They sometimes need help to open for the first time.

suprra_girl · 10-25-2004, 08:36 AM

ahhh yes lol, did i forget to mention the thermostat thing... i think sometimes it's a good idea to maybe just drill a 1/4 hole in the top by the little toggle

i figure if it's really really bad and the info isn't up above then they can email me hehe

extendor · 12-01-2004, 09:15 PM

I ha a gurgling sound in the engine when revving away so I took it to the local shop. I said about needing the system burping and about removing the thermostat and drilling a hole in to ease the problem and they initially agreed.

They split the thermostat housing away and there was no thermostat fitted at all.

They did a HG check and said it was OK. They did not have any thoughts apart from the system needed burping once and for all.

Does anyone have any thoughts.

Thanks

suprra_girl · 12-01-2004, 09:39 PM

does you car overheat with no thermostat?... i would stick a new one in.. burp it... and make sure your radiator isn't blocked... to hear gurgling in the dash you definitely have air bubbles there somewhere

extendor · 12-03-2004, 08:32 PM

A little bit more information for you all to ponder. I collected the car this afternoon from the shop and had a really good report on the engine etc. The shop said they had test driven the car and she was still warm so I guess that was true. Within a mile of leaving the car started to overheat and I pulled in and stopped just as the needle touched the red. I just could not get in any sooner because of the road and it would have been suicide to stop.

I had the shop come out and their mechanic let it cool off, topped it up with about 1.75l water from a 2 litre bottle started her fine and drove back.

He took her out for a test drive of 8 miles and she was fine. Got her back to the shop and let her sit with the heater fan off and engine on tickover. The secondary fans came on OK and she behaved as normal.

I have let the shop keep her for a few more days as I want them to do a few cold starts and run ups to see if this happens again.

My own feeling is that they forgot to connect the fan sensor but i was wondering if there was any chance of any damage especially after such a good report on the engine beforehand.

Many thanks to anyone who thinks about this and makes a comment.

Inlinesix · 09-18-2007, 02:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by extendor

A little bit more information for you all to ponder. I collected the car this afternoon from the shop and had a really good report on the engine etc. The shop said they had test driven the car and she was still warm so I guess that was true. Within a mile of leaving the car started to overheat and I pulled in and stopped just as the needle touched the red. I just could not get in any sooner because of the road and it would have been suicide to stop.

I had the shop come out and their mechanic let it cool off, topped it up with about 1.75l water from a 2 litre bottle started her fine and drove back.

He took her out for a test drive of 8 miles and she was fine. Got her back to the shop and let her sit with the heater fan off and engine on tickover. The secondary fans came on OK and she behaved as normal.

I have let the shop keep her for a few more days as I want them to do a few cold starts and run ups to see if this happens again.

My own feeling is that they forgot to connect the fan sensor but i was wondering if there was any chance of any damage especially after such a good report on the engine beforehand.

Many thanks to anyone who thinks about this and makes a comment.

If you have problems like this or any other heating problems check ur car, if you have 100k+ miles and you replaced the thermastat... and it still over heats go to a parts store and just buy a new fan-clutch! many people think the fan is just the fan, IT'S NOT! the round metal part that the fan it self bolts to is the fan clutch. to test if it is your fan clutch, simply turn the fan by hand, if you can turn it with eas, replace the fan clutch, i garanty that it will fix your heating. a good fan clutch will have a strong resistance to being turned. it should not be easy to turn. P.S... it will fix your overheating, even with a blown head! i buy supras for cheap from people who think the head is blown. then just replace the fan clutch. trust me it works!

mrnickleye · 09-18-2007, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inlinesix

replace the fan clutch, i garanty that it will fix your heating. P.S... it will fix your overheating, even with a blown head! i buy supras for cheap from people who think the head is blown. then just replace the fan clutch. trust me it works!

What kind of guarantee?? $$$ ?

All the 'cooling' in the world did not 'repair' my BHG.

extendor · 12-03-2004, 11:57 PM

I have spent the last few hours really thinking about this.
The car was ready for a new timing belt and had slooshing water noises behind the dash. I sent it into the shop for a new timing belt, water pump check and to check the thermostat and drill a venting hole in the thermostat if needed.
The first thing the shop did was a test on HG reported HG=OK. On that basis they did the belt and thermostat and refilled with new coolant mix. I dont know if they burped the system with the nose raised but I did mention this to them beforehand.

Within a mile of starting (warm start) the temp started to climb too fast and too high and I stopped as soon as was safe.

This all begs the question of how did the air get into the system in the first place so I heard the slooshing sound. Could it have been sucked back from the expansion tank? Is the HG blown even if the shop says otherwise.

Why would the engine overheat. The shop said they had a long test drive prior to me taking it away. I drove steadily for two minutes and nearly cooked it. The danger is that I got it too hot and have destroyed the HG and/or twisted the head. Bloody Hell.

When the car was back at the shop the car showed no signs of overheating and behaved normally.

I am wondering if I should just bite the bullet and put in a new HG. Do I have any arguement with the shop. I have used the car for about 10 days (200 miles since purchase) and not lost any coolant during that time. I really think the HG was OK.

Thats about all I can add for now. Any thoughts would be useful so many thanks in advance.

suprra_girl · 12-04-2004, 01:15 AM

seems like you're having a bit of fun then hehe

when does it start overheating.... hills... traffic... highway.. which?
does your heater blow hot air?
how fast does the temp go up...
why other than the gauge do you think its overheating... is it bubbling and spewing out water or what?
when you lift the hood... can you smell anything abnormal?
does it feel hot.. when you lift the hood does alot of hot air ram at you?
and you still got the waterfall? drive your car to the nearest steep hill so the radiator is at the highest point... make sure the engine is still cool... turn off... take off radiator cap... start the car... keep topping up the radiator while it's running (with the heater on full blat) and keep doing this till you don't see any bubbles come out... put the cap on and see how she goes

what colour is the oil on your oil cap?
pull out your dipstick... is it normal coloured oil?

lemme know how you get on

08-19-2004, 06:49 AM	#1
suprra_girl 7M POWAH! ;) Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: New Zealand Posts: 2,312	If your car is overheating it can be due to many things When people hear 7mgte... they immediately think they have a blown head gasket.. this is not always the case it's a good idea to run through a few other things before you think the worst overheating generally only happens when stopped in traffic, on the highway the temp comes back down but here's a few things to check anyhow check your water pump your viscous fan make sure your thermostat is opening properly (if in doubt, just buy another one they're only $15odd nzd) make sure your radiator isn't blocked check for any split hoses check for any water leaks your heater core might have air bubbles in it so you need to burp your cooling system (best way i found is jack her up so the radiator is at the highest point... make sure the engine is warm at this point and start her, get the hose or bottles of water and start topping her up... she might bubble a bit while air locks are being cleared, once the bubbles stop cap her up and set her back on the ground) if none of this has solved your problem get a "TK head check" and check for exhaust gasses in the cooling system... if the blue liquid changes to a greeny colour then it's possible there's exhaust gasses in the water, if it turns yellow there's a definite sign you have exhaust gasses ( i think thats the right colours... it will say so on the instructions anyhow ) if it does confirm exhaust gasses in your water you have absolutely blown your head gasket so get ready to pay out :P also check your oil, make sure it's not discoloured at all.. milky or chocolate milkshake... if this is the case... you have blown your head gasket or you may have a crack in the block or head... you need to strip her down and get the engine reconditioner to check this for you... usually you can tell by looking at the head gasket.. if the head gasket has definite signs of blowing between galleries usually you don't need to worry bout cracks but you still need to get it all checked.... last thing you want is to buy all the parts, slap her together only to have it happen again well that's all i have to add for now.... anyone else like to add __________________ Please use the forum to ask your questions as they will get replied to much faster than pming me Pics of my build. "Good girls are just bad girls that don't get caught" Do a diagnostic first!

10-25-2004, 08:36 AM	#3
suprra_girl 7M POWAH! ;) Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: New Zealand Posts: 2,312	ahhh yes lol, did i forget to mention the thermostat thing... i think sometimes it's a good idea to maybe just drill a 1/4 hole in the top by the little toggle i figure if it's really really bad and the info isn't up above then they can email me hehe __________________ Please use the forum to ask your questions as they will get replied to much faster than pming me Pics of my build. "Good girls are just bad girls that don't get caught" Do a diagnostic first!

12-01-2004, 09:39 PM	#5
suprra_girl 7M POWAH! ;) Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: New Zealand Posts: 2,312	does you car overheat with no thermostat?... i would stick a new one in.. burp it... and make sure your radiator isn't blocked... to hear gurgling in the dash you definitely have air bubbles there somewhere __________________ Please use the forum to ask your questions as they will get replied to much faster than pming me Pics of my build. "Good girls are just bad girls that don't get caught" Do a diagnostic first!

12-04-2004, 01:15 AM	#10
suprra_girl 7M POWAH! ;) Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: New Zealand Posts: 2,312	seems like you're having a bit of fun then hehe when does it start overheating.... hills... traffic... highway.. which? does your heater blow hot air? how fast does the temp go up... why other than the gauge do you think its overheating... is it bubbling and spewing out water or what? when you lift the hood... can you smell anything abnormal? does it feel hot.. when you lift the hood does alot of hot air ram at you? and you still got the waterfall? drive your car to the nearest steep hill so the radiator is at the highest point... make sure the engine is still cool... turn off... take off radiator cap... start the car... keep topping up the radiator while it's running (with the heater on full blat) and keep doing this till you don't see any bubbles come out... put the cap on and see how she goes what colour is the oil on your oil cap? pull out your dipstick... is it normal coloured oil? lemme know how you get on __________________ Please use the forum to ask your questions as they will get replied to much faster than pming me Pics of my build. "Good girls are just bad girls that don't get caught" Do a diagnostic first!

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10-25-2004, 12:10 AM	#2
GOGS Intake Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: aberdeen scotland Posts: 44	very good report must confess most probs seem to derive from one or more of the faults youve given .often then ending up as gasket failure,or worse. Never trust a new t/stat or gauge when circulation probs exist + new t/stats dont always work .They sometimes need help to open for the first time.

12-01-2004, 09:15 PM	#4
extendor Stock Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Devon UK Posts: 14	I ha a gurgling sound in the engine when revving away so I took it to the local shop. I said about needing the system burping and about removing the thermostat and drilling a hole in to ease the problem and they initially agreed. They split the thermostat housing away and there was no thermostat fitted at all. They did a HG check and said it was OK. They did not have any thoughts apart from the system needed burping once and for all. Does anyone have any thoughts. Thanks

12-03-2004, 08:32 PM	#6
extendor Stock Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Devon UK Posts: 14	A little bit more information for you all to ponder. I collected the car this afternoon from the shop and had a really good report on the engine etc. The shop said they had test driven the car and she was still warm so I guess that was true. Within a mile of leaving the car started to overheat and I pulled in and stopped just as the needle touched the red. I just could not get in any sooner because of the road and it would have been suicide to stop. I had the shop come out and their mechanic let it cool off, topped it up with about 1.75l water from a 2 litre bottle started her fine and drove back. He took her out for a test drive of 8 miles and she was fine. Got her back to the shop and let her sit with the heater fan off and engine on tickover. The secondary fans came on OK and she behaved as normal. I have let the shop keep her for a few more days as I want them to do a few cold starts and run ups to see if this happens again. My own feeling is that they forgot to connect the fan sensor but i was wondering if there was any chance of any damage especially after such a good report on the engine beforehand. Many thanks to anyone who thinks about this and makes a comment.

12-03-2004, 11:57 PM	#9
extendor Stock Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Devon UK Posts: 14	I have spent the last few hours really thinking about this. The car was ready for a new timing belt and had slooshing water noises behind the dash. I sent it into the shop for a new timing belt, water pump check and to check the thermostat and drill a venting hole in the thermostat if needed. The first thing the shop did was a test on HG reported HG=OK. On that basis they did the belt and thermostat and refilled with new coolant mix. I dont know if they burped the system with the nose raised but I did mention this to them beforehand. Within a mile of starting (warm start) the temp started to climb too fast and too high and I stopped as soon as was safe. This all begs the question of how did the air get into the system in the first place so I heard the slooshing sound. Could it have been sucked back from the expansion tank? Is the HG blown even if the shop says otherwise. Why would the engine overheat. The shop said they had a long test drive prior to me taking it away. I drove steadily for two minutes and nearly cooked it. The danger is that I got it too hot and have destroyed the HG and/or twisted the head. Bloody Hell. When the car was back at the shop the car showed no signs of overheating and behaved normally. I am wondering if I should just bite the bullet and put in a new HG. Do I have any arguement with the shop. I have used the car for about 10 days (200 miles since purchase) and not lost any coolant during that time. I really think the HG was OK. Thats about all I can add for now. Any thoughts would be useful so many thanks in advance.