Overheating problem - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

Lee250 · 01-29-2012, 09:01 PM

My 86 with the 2se has developed an overheating problem. I drove yesterday about 80 miles to the other side of the island and when it started overheating I was going up a steady slight incline, enough that it couldn't hold overdrive, and I wasn't paying attention and I looked and the temp gauge was almost touching the red, this car runs perfect right at dead center on gauge. I pulled over and got the cap off but there was no water but the system was pressurized and there wasn't any leaks. It's like the pressure blew all of the water out. So I filled it up and ran it with the cap off and it started blowing all the water out. I thought it was the head gasket as I have changed it a few times already. But it stopped blowing out water and I managed to drive it back home with the heater on.

Today I changed out the radiator, with another spare I had, because it was plugged up, I changed the thermostat, and the cap. I also flushed out the engine and added coolant, didn't have before probably why it was rusty. I ran it till the fan came on, so I know the fan is good and decided to test drive it. Was doing good downhill but on the way home it started heating up again but I caught it this time and turned on the heater then it was fine. Any ideas as to why it still overheats.

dem2757 · 01-29-2012, 10:14 PM

possibly your water pump

Lee250 · 01-29-2012, 11:12 PM

It was changed about 40,000 miles ago. I'll change it when I do the timing belt pretty soon. But it was changed once, do they wear out that fast?

Grego 92 · 01-30-2012, 12:51 AM

Sure you don't have a bubble trapped in the system? The way I fill up mine is putting a very big funnel that fits snugly in the radiator fill hole (I use electric tape to wrap around the end of the funnel until its the same diameter as the hole and snug), open the venting screw (v6), fill up the overflow wit coolant, pour the remaining coolant in the radiator, top it off with distilled water, turn the heater on in the highest temp setting and fastest fan speed, start up the engine and let it idle. Then all these bubbles start coming out and the coolant starts to rise inside the funnel with more bubbles. Pretty soon all the bubbles are out and the water keeps rising and steam is coming out the venting screw. Shut the engine off, close the venting screw, and let the coolant drop below the funnel. Then top it off again with distilled water and close the cap. Come back in a half hour and you'll need to top off the overflow container with distilled because it keeps sucking in more water. You just keep filling the overlfow container until it doesn't take anymore after driving.

white90dx · 01-30-2012, 11:54 AM

It sounds like you have done all the right stuff so far. Is it still holding water?

If you are loosing coolant, it is probably the head gasket.

-Charlie

Lee250 · 01-30-2012, 04:04 PM

I checked this morning and the coolant level was fine. It's not leaking any water either.

nevada · 01-30-2012, 04:41 PM

how well does the heater work?
and how long did it go without antifreeze?
it very well could be the WP. the impellar may have rusted off...

Lee250 · 01-30-2012, 07:56 PM

Couple years without coolant, heater works great, gets really hot.

dem2757 · 01-30-2012, 07:58 PM

coolant has anti corrosion elements in it. but old coolant is corrosive. go figure.
if you have a blockage anywhere in your system however, it will also overheat it.

Lee250 · 01-30-2012, 08:55 PM

I'm thinking of just buying a new radiator because it's possible that the one I put in is partially plugged since it was out of a parts car. I was also going to do timing belt, water pump, and head gasket just in case. I would think all that would fix any problem.

dem2757 · 01-30-2012, 09:04 PM

well no need to tear your engine apart again!

turn your heat all the way on (full) but have the fan off. if you have exhaust being pushed into your coolant system by the HG enough to overheat it, youll hear the bubbles.

ALSO not sure if anyone has suggested this, but possibly the radiator cap?

Lee250 · 01-31-2012, 01:16 AM

I did buy a new cap and I'm not sure if it helped. I did drive the car today and now all of a sudden it has no problem. the gauge stayed right below half and never moved.

66conv6 · 01-31-2012, 04:42 AM

I've had a brand new aftermarket thermostat get stuck and cause my car to overheat. Also a new aftermarket radiator cap that didn't hold pressure and have had a radiator pressure cap of the wrong pressure rating specified by the manufacturer.

Grego 92 · 01-31-2012, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee250

I did buy a new cap and I'm not sure if it helped. I did drive the car today and now all of a sudden it has no problem. the gauge stayed right below half and never moved.

Sure you don't have an air bubble trapped? that's what my truck was like, intermittent temp gauge going up....sometimes fine, sometimes going up. For my truck I just drove up onto a cement piling to get the front raised to help burp the system.

or could be worse...hg leaking air into the system and then bubbles getting trapped causing the gauge to show intermittent over heating.

Guido Anchovy · 01-31-2012, 08:57 PM

I solved a nagging overheating problem last year by cleaning my throttle position sensor.

I had done every other trick in the book, including: a new water pump, thermostat, antifreeze (twice, and flushed the system), a new radiator, and new temp sensors. I finally ended up taking my TPS apart and cleaning it with some radio "Tuner Cleaner" spray.