Overheating Problems. - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

Mattx · 03-05-2003, 10:32 PM

I have been having major overheating problems with my car lately. By the way its a 95 Camry about a month ago I replaced the radiator and also through on a new cap everything was fine for a while until one day one of the hoses popped and all the antifreeze leaked. After I fixed that problem everything was all right for about another week then I noticed when I drive on the highway my temp needle was perfect a little under half way but as soon as I got into the city where I had to slow down and stop at lights the needle shot straight up to the red zone. I just took it to Toyota this past weekend they said they checked everything out and said the hoses were bad and flushed out the system and everything was fine cost me $300. So one day later the car is doing the exact same thing needle goes crazy in the city but on the highway its perfect. Anybody know what it might be? Any info would be helpful and appreciated. Oh yea I also checked the fan sensors to make sure they were coming on and they were fine I even replaced one just to be positive. Thanks in advance.

03-06-2003, 08:03 AM

It's a shot in the dark but I think your thermostat might be bad. If it's not opening then the engine will overheat when you're in stop and go traffic and the radiator can't get enough cool air to compensate.

rezzle · 03-06-2003, 10:40 AM

I am no mechanic but this is what I would do.

Make sure the coolant level is topped up if not have it checked for leaks.

If the coolant level is ok

Start the car and idle it. Sit in the car with the window open and watch the temperature gauge. If the needle starts to rise abnormally high and the electric fan doesn't run get that looked into. Could be one of several things. (Temp switch, fan motor etc.)

If the fan starts (It will be heard through the open window if it does) but the temp. remains high turn the car off and let it cool. One should be able to rest a hand on the rad for at least 30 seconds, then remove the themostat completely and try again, without the thermostat. You may wish to around the block a few times to help it warm up faster with no stat. If the temperature still rises there may be a blockage in the coolant lines (unlikely) or a faulty water pump.

That is all I can think of, good luck.

ryan7373 · 03-06-2003, 11:11 AM

I was told to replace the thermostat and water pump if I changed out my radiator. Most likely the thermostat...

ryan

rezzle · 03-06-2003, 04:14 PM

Check it out at idle like I said before spending any money. My bet is a cooling fan problem. On my older cars that didn't have an electric fan I used to remove the fan completely during the winter and the symptoms you are describing match exactly how my cars would act without a fan if it got warm outside.

... But your problem 'could' be something else - so check every item systematically before spending any precious money that you should be saving for a turbo

Mattx · 03-06-2003, 05:45 PM

Okay so I went back to Toyota and finally got them to do the proper tests and this is what they found out. Head gasket needs to be replaced along with the Radiator temp switch and the radiator cap. So the total for all the parts is $339.72 and they wanna charge me $1310.28 for labor but since they messed up the first time around there willing to take off $240! I'm done with Toyota Dealers they never pick up the problem on the first time around. Time to buy a damn WRX especially with this never ending snow this winter!

***Eye8Pussies*** · 03-06-2003, 10:51 PM

hmmm....don't think the subaru dealers are much better either....it's just luck of the draw sometimes.....

you should go and find a good mechanic....ask some people on the board here and see if they use any mechs around your area....then if anything, the labor'll be cheaper, and they'll be less impersonal and uncaring....

good luck with your prob.

rezzle · 03-07-2003, 12:21 AM

Head gasket???

Again I must reiterate I am not a mechanic ... but ...

I just dunno, I'd get a second opinion on that one unless your car has been modded.

Are you losing fluid? is your exhaust unusually white? Does your oil look kind of greyish? Can you see oil in your coolant? Buy a compression gauge and do your own compression test, is there a large difference between any of the cylinders?

If answer is no to all of these methinks they are trying to bilk you.

Head gaskets do go but it just sounds fishy. (My opinion)

Mattx · 03-07-2003, 12:24 AM

When the car first over heated I was told the way it overheated I might have a head gasket problem in a couple of months then someone else told me the same thing and with Toyota telling me this today I am gonna have to go with getting it fixed I mean the car does have 170,000 miles on it somethings got to give.

rezzle · 03-07-2003, 12:34 AM

I would still get a second opinion from someone else.

Phone around and see if there is anyone who can do the work cheaper. Or even ask/beg someone on the boards to check it for you. The checklist I gave (I think) covers most head gasket trouble indicators, and a compression test gauge is cheap, and nice to have. The test is as quick as changing your sparkplugs.

Unless of course when it overheated the last time, you really drove it a good distance with no coolant. In which case all I can think of to say is ... Shame!

Best of luck, thanks for keeping us updated

Mattx · 03-07-2003, 12:36 AM

I'm gonna get the car fixed at my uncles garage so I pretty much have to just pay for parts.

rezzle · 03-07-2003, 12:46 AM

Mattx · 03-07-2003, 12:50 AM

thanks for the help!

Mattx · 03-10-2003, 03:45 PM

Just wanted to update everyone on the overheating problem.

This past weekend my dad and I decided to go ahead and
change the head gasket ourselves since we found the whole head gasket kit for around $80 from http://www.gasketpro.com/ so we went ahead and took the whole head out in about 2.5 hours and we found the problem.

Antifreeze is leaking into one of the cylinders but there's nothing wrong with any of the gaskets. So it seems like there's either a crack in the engine block or the head itself this is turning out to be a nightmare.

I'll keep you guys posted with what happens.

Nico · 09-02-2003, 09:54 AM

Hello,

I noticed you left this message a very long time ago so I don't know how things eventually happened with your overheating problem.
I am actually experiencing exwactly the same problem as yours (see "1992 Camry 2.2 overheating" thread) and I am now thinking of replacing the cylinder head (since I "happily" have another (used) one) but some people now tell me it could also be a crack in the engine block. So I would be very interested in knowing what was finally the problem you had.

Thank you again !