"gp" <gpagmail-news@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1142913030.024811.286760@i39g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
> Yesterday coming home from work in -10 C, a 26 km drive,
>
> I was getting just cold air threw the heater. I was watching the temp
> guage all the way home and as I got near my home about 20 minutes in,
> the temp guage on my 88 toyota pickup was at the red line.
>
> Once parked in driveway, I noticed the rad pushing fluid into the
> overflow and could smell hot antifreeze.
>
> I have noticed the past few weeks that the temp guage has been rising
> and but then would suddenly start to go down seemed unusual at the time
> so I have been watching it. --yesterday was the first time, it did not
> go down. I went for a little drive later that evening and this time,
> the temp rose even faster -7 minute drive to move temp guage to red and
> still no heat from heater.
>
> I assumed/read that you would have one or the other,
> that is, engine overheats so thermostat is stuck in closed position
> No heat in car so thermostat is stuck in open position.
>[/color]
A thermostat stuck in the closed position will cause the engine to overheat
and can cause a no-heat condition if the coolant is not circulating.
[color=blue]
> I seem to have both scenerio's going on.
>
> Any thoughts -is it even the thermostat?[/color]
With the engine cold, you can remove the radiator cap and watch to see if
coolant circulates when the thermostat opens.
Other things that can cause overheat but generally do not cause a no-heat
condition are clogged radiator, leaking head gasket, and bad cooling fan
clutch. A bad water pump usually leaks before it causes an overheat
condition.
[color=blue]
> if so, I know the thermostat is relatively inexpensive? should I buy
> 3rd party or from dealer
> and finally, how long/shop time to replace one (I am assuming one hour
> or so) and is it worth trying to do it myself?
>[/color]
You are much more likely to get the correct thermostat from the dealer than
from an aftermarket source. When you purchase a thermostat, also purchase
additional coolant and a thermostat housing gasket. Drain the coolant from
the petcock at the bottom of the radiator into a bucket or pan. Remove the
bolts on the thermostat housing and remove the thermostat, taking careful
note of the orientation of the thermostat, i.e., spring side down.
Place the old thermostat and a thermometer in a pan full of water, place the
pan on a stove, and turn on the heat. Note the temperature at which the
thermostat opens, it should be around 60 C. If the thermostat does not
open, then that was the cause of the overheat.
Clean off the old gasket material on the thermostat housing and engine side,
install the new gasket and thermostat, and replace the thermostat housing.
Turn the heater control to hot and fill the radiator until it reaches the
bottom of the radiator neck. Start the engine, and as the thermostat opens,
the coolant level will start to drop. Gradually top off with coolant until
the level no longer drops. Replace the radiator cap and top off the
overflow bottle.
--
All was fine in that same morning, over the past few days, I have been
noticing varying lengths of time for the heat to kick in, sometimes
works well, other times, not so good. The temp guage has been also been
rising to just below the red and then it drops dramatically to well
below the normal mark. Have not paid attn to where it leveled off.
I assumed that it was the thermostat that was sticking and that was my
explanation.
head gasket sounds expensive. I will start with the thermostat and rad
flush. Any other advice to rule out the head gasket would be greatly
appreciated. Some say to run the engine and tab on the thermostat
housing.
"gp" <gpagmail-news@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1142954421.889497.87890@e56g2000cwe.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
> All was fine in that same morning, over the past few days, I have been
> noticing varying lengths of time for the heat to kick in, sometimes
> works well, other times, not so good. The temp guage has been also been
> rising to just below the red and then it drops dramatically to well
> below the normal mark. Have not paid attn to where it leveled off.
>
> I assumed that it was the thermostat that was sticking and that was my
> explanation.
>
> head gasket sounds expensive. I will start with the thermostat and rad
> flush. Any other advice to rule out the head gasket would be greatly
> appreciated. Some say to run the engine and tab on the thermostat
> housing.
>[/color]
if there is oil mixed with the coolant or coolant mixed with the oil, then
the head gasket is suspect. If you do not have either condition, then a bad
head gasket is less likely.
--
On 21 Mar 2006 11:35:46 -0800, "gp" <gpagmail-news@yahoo.com> wrote:
[color=blue]
>Sounds easy enough. Thank you.[/color]
What sounds easy enough?
--
gburnore at DataBasix dot Com
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So it seems there is a leak or at least no antifreeze to see in the rad
and little to none in the overflow. The oil is not milky and the
antifreeze overflow ( what little there is) does not seem contaminated
either. Water pump seems fine (no noise, no visible leak, no movement
of pulley), now the question of finding the leak and I have still not
ruled out head gasket --can you lose that much antifreeze via exhaust??
I have noticed some white exhaust but it is cold presently and I see
many cars with similar white exhaust.
For the moment, I am going to top up the existing fluid with a economy
antifreeze 50/50 mix with distilled water with the intent of flushing
the system once I figure out where the leak is. Of course, there is no
pool of fluid under the vehicle which is good and bad.
The responses have been very helpful and if anyway would like to offer
suggestions for the next step, it would be greatly appreciated.
"gp" <gpagmail-news@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1142991673.185067.27800@v46g2000cwv.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
> So it seems there is a leak or at least no antifreeze to see in the rad
> and little to none in the overflow. The oil is not milky and the
> antifreeze overflow ( what little there is) does not seem contaminated
> either. Water pump seems fine (no noise, no visible leak, no movement
> of pulley), now the question of finding the leak and I have still not
> ruled out head gasket --can you lose that much antifreeze via exhaust??
> I have noticed some white exhaust but it is cold presently and I see
> many cars with similar white exhaust.[/color]
Yes, you can lose a lot of coolant through the exhaust if there is a head
gasket problem. The white exhaust should be reduced as the car warms up.
If it doesn't and the exhaust has the odor of anti-freeze, the head gasket
is the likely cause.
The low coolant level can also cause the lack of heat.[color=blue]
>
> For the moment, I am going to top up the existing fluid with a economy
> antifreeze 50/50 mix with distilled water with the intent of flushing
> the system once I figure out where the leak is. Of course, there is no
> pool of fluid under the vehicle which is good and bad.
>
> The responses have been very helpful and if anyway would like to offer
> suggestions for the next step, it would be greatly appreciated.[/color]
Someone with an exhaust gas analyzer can stick the probe into the radiator
and check for exhaust gases bubbling through the radiator.
--
On 21 Mar 2006 17:41:13 -0800, "gp" <gpagmail-news@yahoo.com> wrote:
[color=blue]
>So it seems there is a leak or at least no antifreeze to see in the rad
>and little to none in the overflow. The oil is not milky and the
>antifreeze overflow ( what little there is) does not seem contaminated
>either. Water pump seems fine (no noise, no visible leak, no movement
>of pulley), now the question of finding the leak and I have still not
>ruled out head gasket --can you lose that much antifreeze via exhaust??
>I have noticed some white exhaust but it is cold presently and I see
>many cars with similar white exhaust.
>
>For the moment, I am going to top up the existing fluid with a economy
>antifreeze 50/50 mix with distilled water with the intent of flushing
>the system once I figure out where the leak is. Of course, there is no
>pool of fluid under the vehicle which is good and bad.
>
>The responses have been very helpful and if anyway would like to offer
>suggestions for the next step, it would be greatly appreciated.[/color]
What does the oil look like?
--
gburnore at DataBasix dot Com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
How you look depends on where you go.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gary L. Burnore | ÝÛ³ºÝ³Þ³ºÝ³³Ýۺݳ޳ºÝ³Ý³Þ³ºÝ³ÝÝÛ³
| ÝÛ³ºÝ³Þ³ºÝ³³Ýۺݳ޳ºÝ³Ý³Þ³ºÝ³ÝÝÛ³
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| ÝÛ 0 1 7 2 3 / Ý³Þ 3 7 4 9 3 0 Û³
Black Helicopter Repair Services, Ltd.| Official Proof of Purchase
===========================================================================
On 21 Mar 2006 17:41:13 -0800, "gp" <gpagmail-news@yahoo.com> wrote:
[color=blue]
>So it seems there is a leak or at least no antifreeze to see in the rad
>and little to none in the overflow. The oil is not milky and the
>antifreeze overflow ( what little there is) does not seem contaminated
>either. Water pump seems fine (no noise, no visible leak, no movement
>of pulley), now the question of finding the leak and I have still not
>ruled out head gasket --can you lose that much antifreeze via exhaust??
>I have noticed some white exhaust but it is cold presently and I see
>many cars with similar white exhaust.
>
>For the moment, I am going to top up the existing fluid with a economy
>antifreeze 50/50 mix with distilled water with the intent of flushing
>the system once I figure out where the leak is. Of course, there is no
>pool of fluid under the vehicle which is good and bad.
>
>The responses have been very helpful and if anyway would like to offer
>suggestions for the next step, it would be greatly appreciated.[/color]
Oh, and what's coming out of the tail pipe.
If the head gasket is damaged near a cylinder, it could miss an oil
jacket. The antifreeze would leak into the cylinder and mostly burn
away.
--
gburnore at DataBasix dot Com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
How you look depends on where you go.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gary L. Burnore | ÝÛ³ºÝ³Þ³ºÝ³³Ýۺݳ޳ºÝ³Ý³Þ³ºÝ³ÝÝÛ³
| ÝÛ³ºÝ³Þ³ºÝ³³Ýۺݳ޳ºÝ³Ý³Þ³ºÝ³ÝÝÛ³
Official .sig, Accept no substitutes. | ÝÛ³ºÝ³Þ³ºÝ³³Ýۺݳ޳ºÝ³Ý³Þ³ºÝ³ÝÝÛ³
| ÝÛ 0 1 7 2 3 / Ý³Þ 3 7 4 9 3 0 Û³
Black Helicopter Repair Services, Ltd.| Official Proof of Purchase
===========================================================================
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