Overheating issue's got me stumped

[jdm_hero]

Sometimes I can drive for an hour or so straight hard/normal on my ka24de (171k) and the temp gauge will sit at normal but sometimes I could drive just a handful of miles and the temp gauge will jet past hot real fast. I pull over worried something might be wrong, shut off the car and literally sconds later crank it back up and the gauge needle drops real fast to normal again and i'm off. Electrical issue? Thanks in advance

Edit* After my car warms up and the gauge is at normal when I turn my heater on full blast the cab doesn't really get that hot at all. Not sure if that has anything to do with it though but just throwing it out there to maybe help.

Modified by jdm_hero at 7:22 PM 3/16/2008
Modified by jdm_hero at 8:18 PM 3/16/2008

[1STGen240guy]

yo0 it could be one of 2 thing it might be your thermostat or u might need to burp the air out of the radiator

[JNM240]

Really does sound like an electrical issue. The coolant temp sensor for the gauge is the single wire sensor on the intake manifold right above the thermostat. Wiggle it a little and see if your problem goes away.

[jdm_hero]

I think I found the wire you are talking about, I wiggled it alitte bit but it still has been doing it every now and then. Anyone know about this or have had this problem before?

[Vegascorbin]

With 171K on the motor I would recomend changing the Thermostat unless you know it was just done. They are low in price and can cause a lot of bad things when they fail (often without warning)

Try the thermostat and just do a general look over for loose grounds etc. That should help the problem. If not, come back and let us know.

[jdm_hero]

Okay todays the first time I actually seen the car getting hot so it isn't just an electrical error. I was sitting in the walmart parking lot listening to the radio and i looked down and saw the temp gauge way past hot so I turned it off quick, then I heard the most god awful gurgling and hissing. I popped the hood and didn't see any steam or leaking, after about a minute or so of just sitting turned off the temp gauge said it went back to normal and it seemed fine. Cranked it no problem and the rpms don't bounce like I have a headgasket problem (whew) and it seemed to drive just fine on the way home. I'm guessing water pump or the radiator might be stopped up. I'll try the cap off while running trick and post my findings asap. Anyone have an idea of what ails my s14? Thanks for all the help so far

[jdm_hero]

I did the cap off trick while running to see if there's any flow in the radiator and I didn't see it "flow like a river" that I had heard should happen in some thread searching. It rippled just a little bit but it could have been from the fan going. What exactly am I searching for, I don't have that much money to just replace a radiator when I might not have to. Help please.

[matrix232]

SAME THING HERE! Anyone?

[h.240]

I doubt it is your rad unless it is plugged somewhere. Try replacing the thermostat and see what happens, it shouldn't be too hard, and they aren't that expensive. Follow this guide zerothread/231422and you should do fine as long as you get all the air out.

[DALAZ_68]

if u didnt see it flow like a river in ur radiator...simple...ur water pump is seized up...

when u drive for miles and miles ur gettign air flow...hence ur motor is being cooled that way... but if ur driving it say in the streetsonly and traffic... no air flow...no water flow...overheating...

u need to replace ur water pump...might aswelll change ur thermostat aswell to a lower temp opening one...

if u want a water pump i have one that practically brand new with only 50 miles on it...

and i bet itll solve ur problem...

trust me it happened to me...only difference is...i got the pump to late

[A-Bomb]

dude the same thing happened to me a week ago it has air in it for what ever reason, park up hill and get the car hot with the bleeder screw cracked you will see air bubbles come out and make sure the heater is on if the water pump locked up then the fan wouldnt spin and the belt would have snapped i have been throough this plenty of times it has air in it where its coming from im not sure but with 170K + i would say the head gasket popped between the combustion chamber and and coolant jacket combustion gases forced into the cooling system then the air backs up behind the thermostat and the car over heats you shut it off the air escapes and is bled out and the car is fine for a few days. it happens more at low speeds because theres more pressure in the system forcing the air out trust me

[DALAZ_68]

dont forget to turn ur heater on full blast...

that will relieve extra bubbles in ur heating system...

[DALAZ_68]

dude the same thing happened to me a week ago it has air in it for what ever reason, park up hill and get the car hot with the bleeder screw cracked you will see air bubbles come out and make sure the heater is on if the water pump locked up then the fan wouldnt spin and the belt would have snapped i have been throough this plenty of times it has air in it where its coming from im not sure but with 170K + i would say the head gasket popped between the combustion chamber and and coolant jacket combustion gases forced into the cooling system then the air backs up behind the thermostat and the car over heats you shut it off the air escapes and is bled out and the car is fine for a few days. it happens more at low speeds because theres more pressure in the system forcing the air out trust me

so have i...my belt didnt snap...all it did was over flow my reservoir....but only wen i was at a stop or in heavy traffic...

it doesnt always snap the belt

[95blackzenki]

i had an overheating problem too.. but got it fixed by replacing all the sensors.. check and make sure your hoses are crossed.