Overheating when Stopped??

[SergMSP]

Hey guys, got a little problem...for some reason my temp. gauge rises slowly closer to H, when I am stopped, but then comes back to the middle when I am driving. I checked the fans and i can hear them so i am not sure where to start on searching for the problem...coolant level is fine, there seems to be spillage and hoses have some of that green residue so maybe a leak? i dunno...im worried..any ideas? I also have an aftermarket billet coolant can from PG...

[BOOSTR]

You may have a blown head gasket or cracked head. Be very careful driving around with this condition as it is not good for the aluminum head, gasket, and headbolts.

I'm not saying that is what it is, but it could be the case and the extreme worst case scenario. Other items to check would be your thermostat and fan relay.

[SergMSP]

You may have a blown head gasket or cracked head. Be very careful driving around with this condition as it is not good for the aluminum head, gasket, and headbolts.

I'm not saying that is what it is, but it could be the case and the extreme worst case scenario. Other items to check would be your thermostat and fan relay.
greaatt(pissed) ...so what are my options if it is a blown hg? how can i verify this? damn, i have no idea how to check or tell if the thermostat and fan relay is malfunctioning...any help on that?

[randyscycle]

Even if you hear the fans running, that doesn't mean they are coming on at the correct time. They may be running too late. When you are moving, there is air flowing through the radiator, and it keeps it cool, so a fan isn't necessary. When stopped however, there is no air and a fan is needed to keep the air flowing.

The fan is activated by a thermal switch that senses the coolant temp and turns it on at the proper time. If a thermostat is stuck open, it could also cause erratic operation as well. You'd need to either manually check the coolant temp with a thermometer, or install a mechanical temp guage. The electric guage you have in the dash isn't accurate enough to do this. If you aren't somewhat familiar with this, have a competent tech check it out for you.

I wouldn't condemn the head gasket right away.

[nvmsp]

I think it's something cooling related. You said you can see a coolant leak and you have an aftermarket tank and the hoses have a little leak or something like that.


My dads Focus was having very similar problems and it was cooling related, and fan related. Shit like that you know. Probably nothing major just expensive possibly.

[BOOSTR]

When you first start the car after its been sitting overnight, how long does it take the needle to sit in the middle? Once the car reaches about 180-190 degrees, the thermostat should open and the fans kick on. to test the fan relay, you could jump it to see if it works by starting the car and taking a wire or paper clip and touch it to a ground spot. The fan will come on and stay on, unless its the fan motor itself. You could remove the thermostat and boil it in water to see if it opens. I'd just replace it as they are under $20. Take off your oil cap and look to see if it has a milky residue around it and also check your dipstick to see if the oil looks normal or watery. Have the coolant system pressure tested.

Believe me, I hope you don't have a blown head gasket or warped head. My point to you is not to drive the car around with the gauge hitting H or you will if that is not your problem already

[SergMSP]

thanks guys...i guess i have no choice but to have the dealer take a look at it...just hesitant to do that since i have all these mods that i know they will bitch about and blame on....

[Alejo_NIN]

dude, don't be stupid
bring me your car today

we'll take a look at it

but please, take the car to my house before going to the dealer and spending mad unessesart money

they'll void ur warranty with the upgraded side mount, coolant catch can and hard pipes and relocated maf

don't even dare taking it to the dealer

call me...laterz

[SergMSP]

Well, we found out what it was!:) i recommend anyone who has an aftermarket coolant can, make sure the coolant can get sucked back in!!! Alejo and I opened up my radiator and found it bone dry!(shocked) Yet, the coolant can was full. For some reason, weapon r designed their coolant can for the hole/hose that sucks the coolant back into/also overflows into the can, is all the way at the top, so unless the coolant level reached high enough to get it sucked back in from that hole, it will only be able to overflow coolant in, but not be able to suck it back.

We have PICs of the solution, this was recommended a while ago by Pirana, but i never got a chance to do it. You have to make a "straw" that will reach the bottom of the can, so when the radiator needs coolant, it can get it from that hose...Alejo, post the pics when you get a chance, its on your camera!

be careful, whoever has one, you could be overheating and not even realize...

[BOOSTR]

Glad that it was not a major problem.

[SergMSP]

Glad that it was not a major problem.
thanks dawiv, for your help!

[Kooldino]

So the hose from the radiator overflow has to go to the bottom of the can?

[Mark94]

I have a Weapon R coolant tank and there is a plugged hole at the bottom. I removed the plug and found a screw in nipple at home depot to take its place. I ran my radiator return line to this and used the nipple up top as the dump tube in case it ever gets too full and needs to release some of the coolant.

Glad you figured it out though and caught it before it did some serious damage.

Mark

[Alejo_NIN]

we were discussing baout what would be the best way of doing it

and yes, i saw the bolt on the bottom too and wanted to ad an L shapped fitting and attach the hose there since it would have the best access, thing is that the weight of the water would create pressure and maybe leak from the radiator, tho kinda impossible to do, it may happen.

we decided it was best to try and fit another hose thru the little nipple and have it long enough to reach the bottom
and to keep the hose from being closed by the bottom of the can, i made a diagonal cut to the end of the hose so that it will always suck water in

the design of the car, materials wise, is great...but i dunno in what kind of cars this thing goes that it was designed like that...
another thing i did notice was that there is no difference between the design of the OIL catch can and the COOLANT overflow can

serg has both and they look exactly the same.

have fun

worst 50$ spent on a useless mod....i still bug serg about it


I have a Weapon R coolant tank and there is a plugged hole at the bottom. I removed the plug and found a screw in nipple at home depot to take its place. I ran my radiator return line to this and used the nipple up top as the dump tube in case it ever gets too full and needs to release some of the coolant.

Glad you figured it out though and caught it before it did some serious damage.

Mark

[SergMSP]

pics of the solution

[Alejo_NIN]

we forgot to mention
the size of the vaccum line used is the same as the size of the windshield waher lines on the MSP

i just don't remember what size they are

[TheMAN]

that's what happens when you buy something weapon-r

[MrDiggler]

I recently dealt with this problem on my wife's 95 Accord. The original down tube in the overflow tank had rotted and broken off, leaving only an inch or so. I put new hose on there that went down fairly close to the bottom, and it fixed the coolant loss and erratic temp problem. Common sense says the hose should go most of the way down. I can't believe anyone would design one any other way.

[SergMSP]

ok guys...bringing this thread back from the dead...im still fuckin overheating...i find myself adding coolant once a week...iknow its bad for the car to drive it while it's close to the H but its wierd, it goes back down to the middle when i start driving..then when i stop and its idle, it goes back up to H...my engine bay reeks of coolant...taking it to the dealer is really not an option cuz of all the mods...shit has me stressed man...i replaced the thermostat and it was fine for a bit, i just bought a new rad cap (1.3 bar from pg)...but could that really be it?? I also have that piece of shit coolant can, im buying a stock one asap...so what would u do if your close to H but u have to keep driving to bring it down?? fuckin help please...(pissed)

[s6m1l88]

Could have a bigger problem... warped head... blown HG... compression check won't tell you if your headgasket is shot either... a coolant system pressure check might... i would do that.

get your coolant system pressure checked. $35.

[terbow]

is your rad dry again? start there. If you have no coolant it will overheat, plain and simple. IF its empty, fill it, get a stock or comprable resevoir and then trace the leak. If its overheating and you have coolant, as said above its a more complicated issue. start with tests. dont drive it when its overheating. ill bet ur rad is empty again.

[BOOSTR]

Oh man that sucks. But driving around with the gauge at H is possibly going to warp your head and allow water into the cylinders. You don't want either to happen. And just because its going back to normal doesn't mean that the head bolts have not stretched and casting is warping.

Can you see coolant leaking between the top of the block and head under the valve cover after you have refilled it and have driven around? If so you have a warped head.

Worst case scenario, your going to have to pull the head and take it to a machine shop to be pressure tested for cracks and as long as the warpage is .008 or less they might be able to fix it.

I had a similar situation with my Probe GT, the gauge was going up to H but the fans were not working. Replaced the sensor and then fans worked. However from driving it, the head became severly warped over cylinders 3 & 4. Its at the machine shop now getting pressure tested. Not that it matters but the gasket was still intact. Now its time for a head gasket set, new head bolts, and a new or machined casting.

I hope that yours is a simple fix again.

[SergMSP]

Oh man that sucks. But driving around with the gauge at H is possibly going to warp your head and allow water into the cylinders. You don't want either to happen. And just because its going back to normal doesn't mean that the head bolts have not stretched and casting is warping.

Can you see coolant leaking between the top of the block and head under the valve cover after you have refilled it and have driven around? If so you have a warped head.

Worst case scenario, your going to have to pull the head and take it to a machine shop to be pressure tested for cracks and as long as the warpage is .008 or less they might be able to fix it.

I had a similar situation with my Probe GT, the gauge was going up to H but the fans were not working. Replaced the sensor and then fans worked. However from driving it, the head became severly warped over cylinders 3 & 4. Its at the machine shop now getting pressure tested. Not that it matters but the gasket was still intact. Now its time for a head gasket set, new head bolts, and a new or machined casting.

I hope that yours is a simple fix again.
holy shit dude...im fuckin freaked now...how much would it run me on average if its already warped since it happened multiple times?
So i decided to look around and squeeze the rad hoses to maybe let air out but guess what? as soon as i grabed it my hands were drenched in coolant, then i look under the rad and sure enough also drenched in coolant...so honestly i was relieved that it might just be a radiator replacement and new rad hoses...im takin it to pep boys first thing tomorrow morning...i wrapped the hose in duct tape so cover up that wierd cut/slice which was leaking coolant...but there really isnt much i could do with whatever is causing to leak from under the radiator...im f--n screwed...i might have to end up going to the dealer to buy the rad and try to install it myself..i found this on ebay:
carpartswholesale (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=014&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=330086796298&rd=1,1)...now i have to debate to either wait or pay the stealer if they have one in stock..

but thats just the beginning of my worries man...fuck..

[MrDiggler]

We have a radiator shop here in town that orders good aftermarket replacements in for a lot less than OEM parts. I've bought two or three over the years and have been pleased with the quality. You should have a shitload of places like that in Miami. Glad to hear it's probably not the head/engine.
BTW, check the F/S section. Someone had a MSP radiator for sale in there the other day.

[chaos2015]

unless you have a fmic (even some fmic)that one wont work.the msp rad is not as wide and the only place to get it is the dealership and they run, if i remember correctly) $370

[BOOSTR]

Glad to hear that you sourced the problem. Swapping a radiator out is a piece of cake. I have seen a few threads on here indicating that the dealer right now seems to be the only option for an oem radiator. Don't let Manny, Moe, and Jack work on your car!

After you get it fixed, just keep an eye on the temps. As long as it stays in the middle and never starts going up to H again, you may not have a problem.

If you need to replace the head and do all of the labor yourself, you'd be looking at say $350 for the casting with valves/springs installed, $54 for headbolts, $100+ head gasket set, and $14 for coolant. Depending on your miles, you might want to change your belt and water pump since you'd be right there during the process. That would be another $100 or so in parts. Again that is worst case scenario and hopefully not your situation.

[SergMSP]

Glad to hear that you sourced the problem. Swapping a radiator out is a piece of cake. I have seen a few threads on here indicating that the dealer right now seems to be the only option for an oem radiator. Don't let Manny, Moe, and Jack work on your car!

After you get it fixed, just keep an eye on the temps. As long as it stays in the middle and never starts going up to H again, you may not have a problem.

If you need to replace the head and do all of the labor yourself, you'd be looking at say $350 for the casting with valves/springs installed, $54 for headbolts, $100+ head gasket set, and $14 for coolant. Depending on your miles, you might want to change your belt and water pump since you'd be right there during the process. That would be another $100 or so in parts. Again that is worst case scenario and hopefully not your situation.
Guess what fellas? Looks like it might have been the radiator...i swapped with Alejo for his MSP rad (since i still have my SMIC) and i bought him a brand new p5 rad...he did his magic to make it fit perfect, and we are both happy...so far i have not had any spills or that sweet smell of coolant, which used to reak inside the damn cabin....so far so good...hopefully that was the problem...now for the other question...what should i do my used MSP rad, it was only 40k miles...anyone know if they can be fixed?

[MrDiggler]

Possibly by a good shop. I wish I had my FMIC installed, cuz I would have been more than happy to do that same swap with you!

[JCell]

The exact thing was happening to my moms Galant.

it would overheat the minute you stopped at a light but as soon as the car startted rolling again, it was fine.

found out the colant had never been changed, did a quick flush and the problem went away instantly. she drives 40 miles days in traffic with no problems

something to consider

[540James]

i am feeling your pain right now. my car started to overheat the other day and ive tried a few things and its really pissing me off. i put a new thermostat, i have a p5 radiator on my msp that is about 5 months old, its full of coolant, as far as i can see, no cracks in the hoses and its still overheating. i guess i have to go your route, get a new radiator, a msp radiator, and change the hoses out. i am also going to replace the water pump. if those two things dont fix it looks like im up that creek eh?
oh yeah, and my fans are coming on as well, how do i check to see if they are coming on at the right time and staying on long enough? and how to do fix it?

[540James]

oh yeah, i noticed that my fuel gauge in the dash was fluctuating a little bit as well, probably 1/8th of an inch for a few seconds, up and down

[96franco]

Check The Heating System I Had The Same Thing Happen To Me And The Problem Is That I Didnt Do Anything About It And After A Few Weeks Vapoor Started To Come Out Of My Dash , Took It To The Mechanic And It He Fix It But Now The Heter Wont Work

[540James]

wtf are you talking about