coolant leak, someone help!

[TLP_280ZX]

thats what im about to do. hopefully this fixes it!

[TLP_280ZX]

how long do u guys usually let rtv dry? i did rtv bead to hold thermostat and i caked the gasket and goose neck elbow like a bday cake. if it doesnt fix it i guess ill park it until i do an SR swap

[TLP_280ZX]

success! i dont think its leaking anymore. bled and re bled the cooling system several times. basically did searches and did every single bleeding tip there was. vented bleeder screw, incline, heat on high, etc. but... i think ill want to drive it and see if i truly got all the air out. didnt get a chance to because it was pouring out

[KantMatchMe]

how long do u guys usually let rtv dry? i did rtv bead to hold thermostat and i caked the gasket and goose neck elbow like a bday cake. if it doesnt fix it i guess ill park it until i do an SR swap

Hahaha....I'm glad everything worked out, SR sounds nice too tho, good luck with the swap.

[TLP_280ZX]

FML, now the radiator is leaking... or at least thats what i think.notice the puddle on the bottom?here's a closer look, it flows over that lipits a 20 year old radiator, i think its time for a new one.so now the big question, should i A) get a used one B) get a new OE or OE style one C) get a performance one like Mishimoto or Koyo.im leaning more toward the performance one, and i can sell it for when i do swap. what u guys think?

[PapaSmurf2k3]

Looks like it might be coming out of your radiator cap or that overflow coolant line. I'd look into those before replacing the radiator.

[TLP_280ZX]

i dont think so, it flows out pretty fast. and i lifted the overflow coolant line and looked at it. its not leaking. i dont think the cap is leaking either.

[TLP_280ZX]

great! bought a new mishimoto radiator and obx racing upper and lower hoses. no more leak but.... now i cant bleed the freaking system. i used a coolant bleed tool like this:

but bubbles starting gushing like a beoch and filled the funnel full of coolant so i had to shut down the motor. the next technique i tried was start the motor and let it run for a bit until operation temp. let it sit for a little bit more, and i know theres air in the system because the temp jumps like a b**** on my autometer gauge and it rises on the factory gauge. so i shut off the motor and crack open the bleeder screw about halfway and i can hear air coming out. did this step about 3 times and theres still air, i mean i wait until i dont hear air anymore and i close it and repeat. is there something im doing wrong to try and bleed the system?

[ProjectGarage]

I have a coolant tool like that. It works great. Either get one of those or get a Bleeder tank (swirl pot) And have it bleed your cooling system for you constantly! Its seriously what every s13 needs with their slanted front radiator mounting design.

[TLP_280ZX]

i used it and it kept shooting bubbles out and overflowed the tool's funnel?

[S133P3R]

my screw is snapped clean off in the manifold so i just used some ramps and used the inclone method -basically the messiest bleed method possible.

[ProjectGarage]

Oh really? You need to keep the funnel at about less than half full and you should be fine. Did yours just fill it up and that was it?

[Future_gohan]

Wait.

You people honestly buy a coolant bleeder tool? what has this world come to.

Theres a bleeder bolt on the intake mani of the ka. Take it off. fill it till water comes out and as water is coming out screw it back on. No more air problems.

[TLP_280ZX]

yes i used the funnel correctly. filled it half way with coolant etc etc. but when engine warmed up the bubbles came out insane and the level in funnel rose to almost top and i had to hurry and shut motor so it wouldnt overflow. looks like im gonna try the fill till fluid comes out and incline method and see wassup.

[TLP_280ZX]

great i think the caking of rtv was a bad idea. might have messed up the thermostat. it rises above operating temp basically almost overheating and the upper hose is completely hot whereas the lower hose is cold. and the cap spews coolant everywhere

[Future_gohan]

put it in wrong? lol

[PapaSmurf2k3]

The upper hose is supposed to be hot, and the lower hose is supposed to be cold...

If you turn your heat on (when its overheating), does it blow hot, or not hot?

Hot suggests a bad thermostat, not hot suggests air bubble.

[TLP_280ZX]

im pretty sure the heater air is hot. so its a bad thermostat? for some reason i thought both hoses were suppose to be hot.

[DriftX]

This is troy's friend..

Went over, rebled the system and noticed coolant all over the core support and shroud.

Pulled the new mishimoto radiator.. capped off the end tanks and crap and filled it with water.. water was leaking out of 30-40 of the fins.. Junk radiator.

weeeee

[TLP_280ZX]

yeah, now i gotta get a replacement. great...

[steve s14]

That sucks! Feel bad for you having to do a seemingly basic job several times.

When you get the new radiator back in, make sure the thermostat was installed with the jiggle valve or the little hole at the top and you've removed the bleeder screw and reinstalled it when coolant starts to flow out while filling the system.Ka's can be notoriously hard to bleed so just be patient with it. Sometimes it helps to raise the front of the car while trying to bleed the air out.

[TLP_280ZX]

got it steve s14, whats funny is i did all that on the previous radiator lol. but thermo is good, re did it like 5 times. but ill let u guys know what happens. i mean if i had the money i'd do a SR swap now and not have to deal with all this cooling crap lol

[TLP_280ZX]

ok still having issues. upper hose is hot as hell and lower hose is cold as ice. is there a reason for that? i know the lower hose should be cooler but not cold. thermostat cant be stuck closed because it doesnt overheat. it will get about 3/4 when u drive it though. water pump is new. im about to do a leak down test. $183 for the freaking tool. what else can be up with my KA24DE cooling system?

[PapaSmurf2k3]

Have you taken off your lower hose to look for any blockage?

Again, your lower hose should be pretty much the same (A little hotter) temperature as the air outside, if you have a nice new, efficient radiator.

If the lower hose was hot... what would be the purpose of the radiator? Does your heat work when it is overheating?

[TLP_280ZX]

ok i used the leak down tester and theres this area thats leaking fluid. its not the head gasket. its under the waterpump. right there at the lower crank. it loses .5psi every 5 min. i think its the oil pan leaking fluid?

the hose isnt a little hotter. its ice cold lol. radiator is a mishimoto aluminum one. heat does work.
Modified by TLP_280ZX at 11:41 AM 10/30/2009

[PapaSmurf2k3]

Dude I don't know... you MUST be missing something. Did you not put your water pump on right? It might be time to break down and bring it to a shop. This stuff is NOT that hard.

[TLP_280ZX]

water pump is on right lol. if i cant put 6 bolts and a gasket on i shouldnt be working on cars. i think thats what i might have to do is take it into a shop.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

well if you said its leaking at the water pump then yeah... either you did something wrong or the mating surfaces aren't clean/flat.

[Metal Angel]

My water pump is leaking and I have to replace it soon... this thread makes me so scared

[steve s14]

My water pump is leaking and I have to replace it soon... this thread makes me so scared

If you have some mechanical ability, it's not too difficult. The most important thing is what Papasmurf said. Just make sure the pump surface on the engine is cleaned well and not gouged or have any deep scratches.

If the upper hose is hot and the lower hose is not, that means there is a flow problem. If the heater is hot, that means the pump is circulating the fluid in the engine but, in your case, not to the radiator. If the thermostat is new, then there is an air pocket keeping coolant from circulating. You can spend more time bleeding it but i would fix that water pump leak first.