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help, radiator issues.

ktmrider

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Sep 10, 2007
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Tempe, AZ
Generally that = bad head gasket.
 

ktmrider

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Tempe, AZ
Quoting MRmeeTooxD:
I swapped head gasket , rebuild 7 months ago...

Doesn't matter when you did anything related to the HG, those symptoms are classic.

Did the car recently overheat? Did you check the head AND block for flatness? What type of HG did you use ( OEM, MLS, Felpro, etc )?
 

MRmeeTooxD

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Oct 26, 2013
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chicago, illinois
Well I took it for a run on expressway, an when I got to the meet just now. It didn't over flow at all out of the reservoir. My oil doesn't even have a nasty mixture of peanut butter paste . An my coolant level in tank is low. Now real question is I have afco I recently installed. How am I really suppose to assemble it ?
 

92_talon_awd

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Most parts stores will rent you a block tester for less than $15. You will know for sure if you have exhuast gasses in your coolant. I would check that first. If the test is negative I would use a cooling system pressure tester to determine if there are leaks somewhere in the system.
 

MRmeeTooxD

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Oct 26, 2013
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chicago, illinois
When I drive normal 30 40 mph. Doesn't heat up an boil out from resevoir. And I did find exhaust leak on the 3 bolts on o2 housing. But strange thing is my passenger side floor was wet an I don't have a cracked were water comes in nor did it even ran...I'm gonna test it Monday
 

OneMoreVR4

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Nov 29, 2013
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66
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Denver, CO
do a cylinder leakdown test. if u have pressure in the cooling system before it warms up, it has to be combustion gasses. u may have a cracked block or head if everything with the surfaces and head gasket is ok
 

FlyingEagle

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Mar 5, 2005
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THE Ottawa
Okay, need to confirm what the symptom is from the start.

What makes you think there is excessive pressure in the system?
Tested for pressure?
Boiling over into the overflow reservoir?
Overheating indicated on the cluster?
Confirmed temperatures at the head and radiator hoses via infrared run?

We need to know what the symptom is, before going much further.

If there is pressure .... is it from combustion gases or is it from overheating.

I think you see where this is going ...

Also, would be good to know if there was a thermostat changed and what model/temp it is rated at.

Cooling fans come on at the appropriate temps or not, or how are they wired and setup to switch on.

So far we have a cylinder head gasket done some time ago, and a radiator ... installed recently and setup correctly or not.
 
Last edited:

manikbastrd

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Nov 19, 2009
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660
There are also testers that you can get. Basically you turn the car on, and suck up a bubble and it indicates if it has combustion gasses in it.
 

92_talon_awd

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Quoting 92_talon_awd:
Most parts stores will rent you a block tester for less than $15. You will know for sure if you have exhuast gasses in your coolant. I would check that first. If the test is negative I would use a cooling system pressure tester to determine if there are leaks somewhere in the system.



This tester. Don't be a parts changer, be a diagnostics master. Test for exhaust gasses in coolant system, this is most common for the symptoms you listed. If no gasses found, test for leaks in the system. 9/10 you will find your problem with these tests. The other 1 time is when it's something less common.
 
Last edited:

MRmeeTooxD

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Oct 26, 2013
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chicago, illinois
Well I actually Changed thermostat. And I also changed the way I had it assembled. So now, the extra small nipple is ran towards reservoir only. I turned on the car an spent 3 hours with heat switched to hot. Turned the car on, an viewed the flow of coolant an kept refilling as bubbles of air kept burping out. The flow was consistant, an it just had big bubbles gulping out in desperate need of coolant. The temperature Guage was in the center an the flow stood consistant. So I still filled it,until it was maxed out an I noticed the fold stop Goin down. I just saw a small image of a toilet flush motion. What do you guys think?
 

92_talon_awd

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I'm not quite sure what you are saying here. After letting the car run for that long while adding coolant, did you still have bubbles coming out or did they stop?
 

GSTwithPSI

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Jan 1, 2012
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SoCal
So if I'm reading what you wrote correctly (and you aren't making it easy on us), you ran the car with the heat on and radiator cap off, filling up the coolant as the car was running. In addition you installed a new thermostat and correctly routed the overflow hose to the overflow reservoir. That all sounds good to me.

The "toilet flush" you are describing is the thermostat opening, which is a good thing. That means you installed it correctly, and it is opening. At that point, you should let the car run a few more minutes and make sure the coolant level doesn't drop again, as coolant running through the system may fill pockets in the head and block that weren't getting coolant with the thermostat closed.

Everything you said sounds good, and completely normal. But, what about checking for a leak? I doubt the thermostat was the problem judging from the symptoms you initially described. Is the system leaking? Is your floorboard wet? Did you get a coolant pressure tester and check for leaks like we told you to? If there is a leak and you are constantly overheating the car, you will inevitably damage the head, or worse.

Edit:
An important note, all the things you said you did will never put the cooling system in a state that will allow you to really check for leaks. Meaning; with the radiator cap off, the system will never become pressurized even at operating temperature, and will probably never leak. What you should do at this point now that you have the system full and free of air, is put the cap back on and let the car run to see if it leaks. That is, if you didn't get the pressure tester like we told you to. In that case, you should let the system cool, and then check it with the pressure tester.
 
Last edited:

MRmeeTooxD

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Oct 26, 2013
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chicago, illinois
Yea you read correctly. I turned on car with the coolant filled up . Watched a few air pockets escape. Then as liquid kept flowing lower and lower I filled it up. Once it reached that point where it was full I stood watching to see any small bubbles but I didnt. But today I'm gonna do compression test
 
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