overheating issue on my KA DE

[Amanda]

I have a 95 240 that I just dropped a rebuilt KA into and did a 5 speed conversion. The new motor and transmission came out of another car I had that worked perfectly fine before the swap. Im using a mishimoto radiator that was also in the other car. Now after the swap, I am overheating ( not horribly, just way hotter than normal) I then put in a new T-stat which did not help. Also my top radiator hose gets really hot after driving while the bottom one stays ice cold. We all figuered air pocket, well flushing the radiator isnt helping either. I am now guessing head gasket... what do you guys think?? The wierd thing though, is the engine never over heated before the swap! why now does it overheat after the swap??

[krazy88]

Are you loosing coolant? Also if your bottom hose is cold then the coolant is not circulating properly. Either by being clogged or your loosing coolant

[chrismo240sx]

I have a 95 240 that I just dropped a rebuilt KA into and did a 5 speed conversion. The new motor and transmission came out of another car I had that worked perfectly fine before the swap. Im using a mishimoto radiator that was also in the other car. Now after the swap, I am overheating ( not horribly, just way hotter than normal) I then put in a new T-stat which did not help. Also my top radiator hose gets really hot after driving while the bottom one stays ice cold. We all figuered air pocket, well flushing the radiator isnt helping either. I am now guessing head gasket... what do you guys think?? The wierd thing though, is the engine never over heated before the swap! why now does it overheat after the swap??

I would try to bleed the air out first. Its simple and wayy cheaper than a headgasket job. I had air in mine for a while.....took a few times to completely bleed all the air out but ive been fine ever since.If you don't know already, bleeder screw is on top of the intake manifold area. Do a quick search if you need more help on this.Hope that helped.

[Amanda]

I have actually bled the system through the bleeder valve quite a few times, and it is not helping. and no I am not loosing coolant...

[liquid_cool]

what type of fan set up are you using?..mechanical?..or electric?..allso..have you pulled the water pump to inspect it for impeller damage?..and have you or did you change the thermostat?..if so..make shure you have it in the rite direction..get back to us with more info after checkin this.

[Amanda]

what type of fan set up are you using?..mechanical?..or electric?..allso..have you pulled the water pump to inspect it for impeller damage?..and have you or did you change the thermostat?..if so..make shure you have it in the rite direction..get back to us with more info after checkin this.

I took out the clutch fan, and am using electric fans now. yes water pump has been pulled out and actually looks fine,, and yes I put in a new t-stat like a week ago....

[mksue3240sx]

Dont over think it. Upper hose hot lower cold = no coolant flow. Either defective tstat or bad waterpump impeller. Also make sure waterpump belt is tight.

[Amanda]

OK waterpump belt WAS loose, and naturally before we found that out we gutted the t-stat. So of course the car runs too cool now, as in my heater doesnt work that great. Today we will try another t-stat to confirm if it was the loose belts that were causing this problem.

Modified by Amanda at 7:31 AM 3/14/2009
Modified by Amanda at 7:32 AM 3/14/2009

[monsters13]

if u gutted the t-stat, and now it runs to cold, now we kno the water pump is fine because its circulating.....its got to be the t-stat...eaither u bought a bad one or u put in in upsidedown...if u want u can drill a couple small holes aroung the t-stat..to keep a small amount of coolent circulating at all times ...i've done that on a bunch of cars i owned and it worked great...and make sure the fans u got are blowing good enough...because i took off my clutch fan and put one 2 fans from pep boys or somwere and in made my car run to hot