Celica with foam and steam coming out of overflow but not overheating.
I can't figure out why I am still getting steam and foam out of the overflow but it's not overheating according to the gauge and a thermometer.
After working on this some more today, here is where I am. I flushed the cooling system with a coolant flush and drained and filled it twice with water to clear it out. I pushed water with the garden hose pressure through the top radiator hose and the heater core hoses with the thermostat removed until everything was clear. I reinstalled the thermostat and hoses and filled with antifreeze/water mix.
The book says 6 quarts total coolant. I was only able to get 3 quarts and it appeared full. I ran it to see if when the thermostat opened, the level would drop and I could add more. The problem is it really didn't let me put much more in and it keeps filling the overflow with bubbles and foam, then steam comes out of the overflow and it sounds like it is gurgling and boiling. If I run with the radiator cap off, it will spurt bubbles and coolant out the top of the radiator. Additionally the lower radiator hose that comes from the thermostat housing looks looks like it is vibrating as if the flow of water through it is not constant, but choppy. The thermostat is new and I tested it to make sure it opened fine in a pot of water on the stove.
Fearing the worst, that I somehow didn't fix the head gasket that was recently replaced, I bought a block combustion leak detector at Napa and tested the gasses at the radiator. It has a blue liquid that you draw up air through from the radiator and if there is combustion gas it will turn yellow. I tested and it did not turn yellow at all. I verified the test fluid was working, by inhaling some exhaust from the tailpipe and it turned yellow. So I believe I do not have a head gasket leak.
When I did the head gasket, the water pump showed no signs of leaking and I looked at the pump fins through the outlet pipe and also spun it and it felt fine. I always thought they should be replaced when they are noisy, leaky or had play in the shaft/pulley. Mine appeared fine based on that.
I have no idea what to try next. I feel like there might be a blockage or air in the system, but know of no way to clear or test for it.
If you did not drain the block the cooling system will take a lot less fluid. Did you also turn the heater control to max heat?
As you state the coolant system may be plugged somewhere causing the pump to cavitate the result being the lower hose pulse. Did you remove all the rags, etc from any coolant ports, did you take the head to a shop and they left something inside.
You state the engine is not overheating. But is the radiator partially plugged or lower hose collapse? This could cause the pump work harder to draw in coolant. The radiator should be able to easily flow a garden hose stream of water into the top and out the bottom without backing up.
Would think if the system passed the exhaust gas test the head gasket is not leaking exhaust gas.
Did you install the T-stat correctly so it allows the air to bleed out of the system, does this model have any special requirements for coolant system bleeding?
Suggest removing the T-stat then see if the coolant system still has these issues.
If you did not drain the block the cooling system will take a lot less fluid. Did you also turn the heater control to max heat?
First, thanks for the reply and the suggestions - I did all the work so far and replaced the head gasket actually for some of the symptoms I am describing now except it did overheat and had no power and was stalling out 10 minutes after warming up while driving. The gasket was leaking for sure and the head was warped .006 and I had it milled .008. I used an Ishino HG Set, replaced the cracked exhaust manifold and had the head pressure tested and the valve seals were replaced. Before HG Repair the warm dry compresion readings were 200 145, 135, 135 I think. I also honed cylinders and replaced rings.
I didn't drain the block, but I forced water with my garden hose through the top radiator hose into the head/block and had the other hose attached to the thermostat housing without the thermostat. Went through fine.
Quote:
Originally Posted by toyomoho
As you state the coolant system may be plugged somewhere causing the pump to cavitate the result being the lower hose pulse. Did you remove all the rags, etc from any coolant ports, did you take the head to a shop and they left something inside.
I did not leave any rags or anything in there. - I had most everything apart, that's why this is frustrating.
Quote:
Originally Posted by toyomoho
You state the engine is not overheating. But is the radiator partially plugged or lower hose collapse? This could cause the pump work harder to draw in coolant. The radiator should be able to easily flow a garden hose stream of water into the top and out the bottom without backing up.
Water will go in the top and out the bottom no problem at full force.
Quote:
Originally Posted by toyomoho
Would think if the system passed the exhaust gas test the head gasket is not leaking exhaust gas.
Did you install the T-stat correctly so it allows the air to bleed out of the system, does this model have any special requirements for coolant system bleeding?
Suggest removing the T-stat then see if the coolant system still has these issues.
The thermostat (Gates) didn't have an air bleed hole like the one that came out. I can try running without it, but here is what I did just now:
I ran it until warm and shut it off, it pulled in some coolant from the overflow as it cooled. Later I took off the cap and added coolant and added some to the overflow. I was able to let it idle until warm and the fams came on and it was "fine" As soon as I revved up the engine it was pouring coolant out of the overflow again. It does make it sound like a restriction where it will flow enough to be fine at idle, but more flow backs up? and the only place to go is the overflow. I just wonder where it could be.
It's an airlock problem the water pump isn't circulating the coolant properly.
Not familiar with this - Is an airlock problem FROM the waterpump not working or are you saying it's an airlock and the water pump isn't circulating, or is an airlock preventing the water pump from working?
I thought cooling systems were not so complicated as this. I guess I thought wrong. Any tips on how to go about fixing this? I am off to search on "airlock"
It's an airlock problem the water pump isn't circulating the coolant properly.
Going with the Airlock theory, I removed the thermostat and put the o-ring back in the housing and this time I took off the top radiator hose at the radiator and slowly filled the block and head with coolant/water. I was able to pour in more that I was before and I kept filling until I got no more in AND coolant was pouring out of the upper radiator outlet which should mean that the block, head , lower hose and radiator are full. I put the hose back on and ran the car with the radiator cap off. Same problem, only I didn't have to wait until it warmed up. Foam comes out of the radiator and fine bubbles. If I rev it up, coolant comes out of the radiator in bursts. It did not get better as it ran longer.
I did notice leaking of coolant from the water pump so it is getting replaced anyway at this point so we shall see if it is the cause of the problems. After that there is nothing much left besides the radiator. At least this eliminated the thermostat as the cause.
Following up here with the (hopefully permanent) solution to my issues from the past two months. When we left off, I had purchased a Celica at auction with unknown repair history. I had just finished a head gasket repair and was running the car for the first time and was getting foam and steam pouring out of the overflow and constant bubbles from the overflow with the cap on. (new cap I should add) It was not overheating per the gauge or an IR thermometer.
Turns out there were several things wrong that I overlooked. When I did the repairs, I was only replacing as few things as possible to keep costs down. Someone told me "I'm still going with leaking combustion into cooling systme based on your video, unless the radiator cap is shot and not holding any pressure." I had replaced the cap, so I thought this could not be the issue but it was..
Here's how it went down:
I ordered an Aisin complete water pump with housing, was shipped the wrong part, sent back, received correct one and installed on the car. I read up on my after market thermostat and discovered that there was a bleed "notch" that needed to be installed in the 12oclock position. This was in place of the OEM Thermostat bleeder jiggle valve. With the new pump, Immediately the system started acting close to normal. The air bled out in large bubbles and the interior was blowing warm air almost as soon as I opened the heater valve. (before when I was getting all the foam, it took a long time to get heat in the interior) Once the thermostat opened, the water began to circulate in the radiator and all appeared normal. I put on the cap and went for a test drive to my neighbor that is a mechanic. All appeared normal except when I revved up the engine, I could see the coolant rise in the overflow and spill out a little bit. What the heck? At the same time, the upper and lower hoses collapsed a little bit and my mechanic neighbor said "you need new hoses" So I went to Autozone and got some new hoses that the counter guy said were "already cut-to-fit your specific car" brought them home and they didn't fit at all and even with cutting would have been a horrible fit. Returned those and bought new from dealer, but...the hoses from the dealer new were just as soft as my old hoses. Going with the neighbor mechanic's theory that soft hoses were my problem, I was back to square one. So I started to look at things more carefully with the voice in the back of my head saying "check the cap..." Upon careful examination I noticed that the seating surface inside the neck of the radiator was worn and corroded and the cap's inner sealing plunger was not sealing. see picture here: http://picasaweb.google.com/mjzraz/C...80560663752418
I ordered a new Koyo plastic/aluminum radiator and it came this week. I installed it, hooked up the new hoses, bled the air and took it for a test drive. All appeared well. My daughter has been driving it the past few days without a problem. I will probably drive it to work a longer distance a few times before I let her have it full time. I am wondering if I should get a Toyota cap to replace my aftermarket (gates or stant) one. When installing it, I barely had to compress the spring to lock it in place. It appears to hold pressure. She just stopped by and I checked the overflow level and the level was fine and the hoses were firm as if they were under slight pressure.
So far so good - Thanks for the advice!
Yeah, always remember this rule of thumb ,as long as you have heat in the car then the water is circulating and there is no air trapped. If you don't have heat then always remove the highest water hose or temp switch whichever is easiest to get to then fill till water comes out there.
some cars have the hoses deteriorate from thw inside
this leads to over heat but not total overheat...the needle sits at 7/8's or so..
then...you warp the head or pop the gasket.
remember this process i you wanna be cheap
thermostat, waterpump, RAD.
if you do the rad...do the hoses at the same time all the time...unless you are sure they are ok...
why??? cause your pulling them off anyway..check em as if your thinking about replacing them...
just as a C.Y.A.
just remember, they are making some seriously crappy hoses these days...and its getting more and more common to see some really weird crap happen to these hoses..
ive seen them delaminate like they were wrapped in a thread like pattern.
i have my car converted to Aluminum tube...looks kinda like a turbo setup with the rubber connections on the ends...cause it looks cool...but those tubes will never pop
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