KADE Overheating please help!!

[240ShaneX]

I have searched and read over 20 overheating topics and cant find a solution to my problem.
My radiator blew a week ago and I replaced it along with a new thermostat, water pump, cap and new hoses. I bled the system using a bleeder funnel that keeps the coolant elevated to the highest point in the system for about 20 mins.

For some reason it was over heating. The top rad hose was hot, and the intake mani where the water flows thru got as hot as 260F (using an IR thermometer). The bottom hose however remained at ambient temp the whole time. I figures the t stat wasnt opening, so I bought a new one and tried it again. Same problem. I then tested both stats in hot water and they opened fine. I decided to run the car with no t stat and see what happened. The water was then circulating thru both hoses fine, but when I drove it the temp gauge dropped too low (almost to baseline). Then I decided to try a 3rd stat of a different brand and still have the same problem! Its like the water isnt getting to the back of the stat to open it or something. I had my friend whos been a mechanic for 15 years look at it too and he cant figure it out either.

Now get this, If I drive the car with the stat in it doesnt over heat (but the bottom hose is still cold), and when I check the upper water neck on the intake right after driving the temp is right about 200; BUT if I then park it and let it idle for 5 mins it heats up to 260 again!

Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated!!!!!!

[moso]

jack the nose of the car up when you bleed out the coolant system.

[ShouldaHadaV8]

^ that...agreed
more info..... stock fan, or electric??? coolant is a basic function system. The problem is testing at those temperatures could blow your headgasket so be careful. make sure there is no air in the system, its obviously not the thermostat, you replaced the hoses, and radiator. soooooooooooo hopefull its not a major problem.
But my radiator did the exact same thing, it ran hot ( due to a small crack at the bottom) and blew up. so I replaced the radiator and burped the system,bought new hoses, thermostat, and coolant temp sensor but it still ran hot, so I burped it a few more times and prestochange-o. dont be scared to test just dont allow it to run too hot too long.
did you find any GUNK when you replaced the radiator, how was the fluid, were you running water, 50/50????????info info

[240ShaneX]

Stock fans. The basic function is what was driving me so crazy! It should be simple! lol. BUT I just bled the CRAP out of it for over an hour, and I stated to get flow thru the bottom hose!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There must have been a huge air pocked behind the stat. Didnt see any gunk the 5 times I drained it lol.

I was planning on running 30water/70af (I live in FL and dont see temps below 30F) but Ive been using so much water to test it its prob like 90% water now lol and I DONT want to drain any now! Im going to add some Redline water wetter and hope im ok i think...

[hoffmanestates]

i have a kae and im in your boat, jsut the thermo stat is removed and it runs at 180-190 consistent. which is weird.

[moso]

ka series motors will hold an air pocket behind the thermostat unless you jack the front end up to bleed it. its a well known fact among ka series familiar mechanics.

[240ShaneX]

Thanks so much moso. Guess I had to learn this the hard way lol. I noticed a ton of people seem to have the same problem when they don't know.

[driftneil]

Its most likely a clogged radiator...due to "leak fixer" try pulling both hoses, and shooting water in the top hose hole....See if it comes out the bottom...

[240ShaneX]

thanks neil, it was an air pocket behind the t-stat tho.

[driftneil]

Nice, to rectify that next time...Take the bleeder screw out when filling the car, fill till it squirts out a bit then insert the screw. Have the car on an incline, raised in the front(a steep hill works great). Start the car with the rad cap open, and run the heat on full blast till the tstat opens. Then top off the rad, and cap up. Works every time for me. Congrats on the fix bro....Enjoy the car.

[1KleenS13]

You can also drill a small hole in the t-stat and install it with the hole on top.

[240ShaneX]

Thanks for all help everyone! This was a very good lesson to learn. I appreciate all the input!!

[hoffmanestates]

You can also drill a small hole in the t-stat and install it with the hole on top.

this might be true as the OEM has that little hole with brass pin that hanges in place

[JKL1031]

I just put my car in the shop assuming it was a leak from the head. Ive bled the sytem a few times myself, and had a mechanic do it. could drive for an hour or so before it would overheat. does anyone have any idea? Id hate to get a head job and that not be the problem. hes thrown a new pump radiator and fan clutch to it as well. been working with this since december.

until now im just now starting to hear about burping multiple times after it overheats.

[240ShaneX]

JKL, do you notice any oil in your coolant when you drain it, or constant bubbles when burping? If not then you prob have the same problem I did. BLEED the crap out of it. rev it at all different rpms for like a minute or two each time (make sure your thermostat is good by dropping it in boiling water and see if it opens up).

When bleeding, open the bleeder bolt (10mm on the top of the intake mani by the top hose) and fill your rad with the car off until it pours out the bolt hole. then squeeze your hoses to get all the air out of them while continuing to top the rad off to keep it full (a funnel with some electrical tape at the bottom shoved in the rad hole helps ensure that air doesnt get back in as its bleeding). keep the funnel about 1/4 or so full. then start the car and when you see coolant gushing out the bleeder bolt hole put the bolt back in. then with the funnel in the rad, rev it a bunch of times til you see no more air. I did this for almost an hour to make sure ALL the air was gone.

one way to see if theres still a lot of air is to squeeze the rad hoses while the car is running and hot. you should be able to feel the pressure and resistance (with the cap on and bolt IN). if the hoses feel like there is still a lot of air in them, and they are easily compressible, then shut the car off, open the rad cap, and open the bleeder bolt. then add more coolant/water and keep squeezing the hoses to get all the air out.

BE CAREFUL NOT TO BURN YOURSELF!! you can open the cap and while hot if you have a glove/towel to protect yourself. once the cap is off, the pressure on the bolt will be gone too, so you can remove that and bleed it again with the engine off, then on til it starts to flow out the hole consistently. my recommendation is that you always put the bolt back in before you close the rad cap, and take the cap off before you open the bolt so the bolt doesnt possibly shoot out.

I know this is long but, and I repeated myself a bunch of times, but hopefully it makes a little sense!
Also, like the other guys said, jack the front of the car up from the cross member if you can.
Goodluck!!

[JKL1031]

nope dont see intermix, but air gets b before liquid does.

Could you drive for like two hours of running errands before it overheated?

[240ShaneX]

This is true, but I doubt its your HG. ya, I could drive it fine with no problems, but as soon as I let it idle for a few minutes it would start to over heat. It was weird, but I knew something was wrong with the t stat not opening because the bottom hose never got warm, so I knew no water was circulating thru it. The only thing that made sense to me was that there was a pocket of air stuck behind the stat that was not allowing the hot coolant to hit the stat to heat it up enough to open it. thats why I just bled the crap out of it over and over again til I felt pressure in the hoses, and It worked!

So drive your car for like 15 mins and check your bottom hose to see if its even warm (could be warm or hot depending if the stat is open or not at the time) and if its darn right cold then you prob have the same problem as me. it should at least be 90 or so if the stats closed, and maybe 130 or so if its open. but you will definitely notice its warmer than ambient temp. If you cant tell, let it idle a few minutes after and keep checking it. If it never gets noticeably hot, and your car starts to overheat while the hose is cold, then your stats not opening and it prob due to an air pocket.

[JKL1031]

the stat opens depending on engine temp not fluid temp. and the bottom hose is suppose to be cold. or some colder. but Ive felt pressure in the hoses before. I really hadnt had much chance to fool with it myself since i go to school away from home. I had even bought a swirl tank i was going to try.

But the mechanic that works on it for me knows about the air pockets and has bled it at least twice. Once the first time, and again after he changed the pump and fan clutch. I wanted to ask about getting the compression checked, but it slipped my mind when i talked to him. Would that tell anything about the HG leaking?

[240ShaneX]

yes, but the stat opens based on the fluid temp that is transferred to the coolant by the engine. it is the hot fluid in contact with the stat that causes it to open (at least on any mechanical thermostat). a pocket of hot air would take much longer to transfer heat to the stat to open it. and the bottom hose should be cooler because of convection thru the radiator, but it should still be warm to the touch, especially with the cool weather. It should def not be <60 deg (depending where you live).

The swirl tank lookes interesting. it would help release any trapped air, but if mounted on the bottom hose (which is what i saw when I looked it up) it stil wouldnt cure your poblem if the stat is not opening. like I said, if the bottom hose NEVER gets warm then your stat is not opening, which would be your problem. It should get to about 130F when its open, so it will definitely feel warm. If it never gets warm, I would assume its an air pocket, or maybe your rad clogged. I replaced everything on mine, so I knew it had to be an air pocket. like I said, I bled mine probably 5 times for over an hour...

[hoffmanestates]

i never had this issue with my 1st 240. now that i purchased another one all i read about is over heating and of coarse my tstat is missing so the guy previously had this issue..

[JKL1031]

just an update, its warm again, so i pick te car up from shop that was looking for me a new engine. I remove the Tstat, drove the car 130 miles out of town in 74F weather, at operating temp the hold time, and hoses are holding pressure, however both did feel a bit warm. Is there a chance that i still have an internal leak?

[240ShaneX]

It held at operating temp the whole time? thats surprising... mine wouldnt for 5 mins while driving. both hoses should have pressure if you got all the air out, and both will feel warm because it is actually circulating water. the water flow prob moved the air, but problem is now you gotta take it apart again to get the stat back in, and youll prob have the bleeding problem again. just jack up the front and bleed bleed bleeeeeeed.

[JKL1031]

yes hour and 30min. drive. and when i had the tstat in, pressure would build up, but then it would go away. I have a swirl pot chilling in my back seat that i ordered after getting impatient, my dad finally got it towed it the day before i got to try it. If not Ill just drive it for spring+summer, and possibly sell it. they are still looking for me an engine, but not sure yet.

[240ShaneX]

did you bleed it good WITH THE FRONT OF THE CAR JACKED UP?

[JKL1031]

on a hill. but i think I just blew it up today, not sure.. :- o

[240ShaneX]

ahhh bummer!

[JKL1031]

Yeah it quit, wont turn over. It wasnt hott at all, and right before it started to idle funny.

[liquid_cool]

You can also drill a small hole in the t-stat and install it with the hole on top.

mmmhummm....this is the easy way to fix that pesky air issue with the ka...solid advice!