3rd & 4th Generation (1992–1996 & 1997–2001)Toyota Camry Discussion for years: 1992-1996 & 1997-2001
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Yesterday my car started to overheat, and when it did, I was pulling into a parking lot turning right. When I was trying to turn right, the steering wheel would BARELY turn (almost hit a car). I got the car cooled down and refilled the coolant (after getting sprayed in the face by hot coolant). Power steering fluid has always been full, and still is.
So I cant figure out WHY I lost steering when my car started to overheat?! Anyone have any clues?
I looked at the ps resevoir when the engine was running, and it's full, so I removed the cap (car still running) and the fluid starts bubbling. Put the cap back on, and no bubbling. Pull it off again and bubbles again. What the heck?!
Can ANYONE shed some light on these?!
Thanks!
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1993 Camry LE I4 Bone Stock - 380,000 miles (as of Aug '11)
1993 Camry XLE V6 Bone Stock - 260,xxx miles (as of July '11) Blown Head Gasket
2003 Chevy Trailblazer EXT I6 - 107,000 miles (as of Aug '11)
Have you noticed if the cooling fans are turning while the engine is running? I ask because I'm thinking that the 92/93 v6 uses a hydraulic cooling fan that is ran off the power steering pump. Perhaps the pump or something along the hydraulic path for the cooling fans are failing. I know it's a hydraulic fan, but without the shop manual in front of me, I can't 100% say that it's running off the ps pump (pretty sure, though).
__________________ Current Ride(s): 08 Pontiac G8, 02 Mitsubishi Lancer, 94 GMC Sierra
Former Ride(s): 93 Camry SE V6 5-Speed , 95 Camry DX 4-cyl
The same pump is used, but it is a two chamber pump, front part for power steering and rear part for cooling fan. It does sound like the two problems are related; does your fan go to high speed when the engine gets hot or with A/C system on high?
Is the fluid actually bubbling or just sloshing around in the reservoir?
N.E.O.
Last edited by new echo owner; 09-01-2008 at 06:21 PM.
Yeah, the PS pump runs a hydraulic motor powered fan. Goofy setup, if you ask me. Like renmike asked, did you notice if your fan was running when it overheated? If the fan wasn't spinning, perhaps your PS pump is going bad, and that's why it overheated?
As for the bubbles you saw in the reservoir, I have no ideas. Usually in mine, if it's running, I see a little plume of fluid poking at the surface from the fluid returning.
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1992 Camry LE, V6 (3VZ-FE), ABS brakes, 330k miles, dark emerald pearl, owned since new.
1996 Avalon XLS, ABS brakes, moonroof, white, acquired w/ 139k miles, now at 261k.
2001 Yamaha FZ1, Ivan's jet kit, resprung all around, Ohlins in the rear, Race Tech cartridge emulators in the forks, 45k miles.
That's just it, I dont know WHAT caused it. I filled it back up and started the car with the filler cap off so that I could get all the air out of the system and topped it off. Closed the cap and it's been running fine yesterday and all day today. This happened a few weeks ago also. Never could find a leak anywhere.
Im thinking maybe thermostat not opening properly and causing coolant to spew out of the overflow?
__________________
1993 Camry LE I4 Bone Stock - 380,000 miles (as of Aug '11)
1993 Camry XLE V6 Bone Stock - 260,xxx miles (as of July '11) Blown Head Gasket
2003 Chevy Trailblazer EXT I6 - 107,000 miles (as of Aug '11)
I forgot to mention...Ive always noticed with the XLE that it heats up to normal temp (going by temp guage, normally just under the halfway mark) REALLY fast. The LE in my sig warms up slowly, probably taking a good 5-10 minutes to reach normal operating temps (again, going by temp guage, just under halfway mark). The XLE takes just over a minute or so to get to that temp.
Could a bad thermostat cause this?
__________________
1993 Camry LE I4 Bone Stock - 380,000 miles (as of Aug '11)
1993 Camry XLE V6 Bone Stock - 260,xxx miles (as of July '11) Blown Head Gasket
2003 Chevy Trailblazer EXT I6 - 107,000 miles (as of Aug '11)
In my experience, thermostats usually fail by opening too quickly, or worse, never fully closing, which would cause the opposite; a slow warmup. So if it's bad, it would have to fail in the opposite way; slow opening. It's a cheap part and easy to replace, so it's worth a shot, I think.
Had a thought on the air bubbling you saw in your PS reservoir. Could there be a leak on the suction side of the PS pump?... in a hose or fitting? The pump would suck in air and possibly not spin the fan as fast as it should. And an air leak could be a here-today-and-not-tomorrow sort of problem, depending on how big it is. I know it's a bee-atch to get a good look down there.
__________________
1992 Camry LE, V6 (3VZ-FE), ABS brakes, 330k miles, dark emerald pearl, owned since new.
1996 Avalon XLS, ABS brakes, moonroof, white, acquired w/ 139k miles, now at 261k.
2001 Yamaha FZ1, Ivan's jet kit, resprung all around, Ohlins in the rear, Race Tech cartridge emulators in the forks, 45k miles.
Have you ever had the thermostat replace before? You do have quite a few miles on your car, won't hurt replacing it if you haven't done it before. Poor circulation can also cause it to heat up faster too.
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, 95 Camry DX 4-cyl
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