Overheating question... I'm out of Ideas on this...

[uvamosk]

Ok, This isn't a 240sx questions but its a engine question in general..

My wifes accent i know lol... anyway... She was driving it home and it started to overheat.

I pop the hood, the reservoir tank is as full and the radiator is dry (very low below the core). I figured well the thermostat might be sticking or the radiator cap is messed up. I go and buy a new thermostat and a new radiator cap.

Well, drove it that day and it started to do the same thing the reservoir is getting filled up and its not going back into the radiator. So we got a coolant flush thought maybe there is a plug.

Coolant flush went through perfect they didn't seem to run into any clogs but the car is still doing the same thing. reservoir fills up radiator goes dry and reservoir eventually over flows.

Does anyone out there have a thought as why this would happen?

I'm pretty confused and took most the trouble shooting routes.

[guyaverage]

What you are describing is a classic sign of either a blown head gasket, or a cracked head and/or block.

[uvamosk]

If it was a blown head gasket or cracked block, why would the reservoir fill up but not go back into radiator?

Also wouldn't i have white smoke coming out of the exhaust?

I'm just asking here becuase i do not know..

[S14-NEO]

when you removed the radiator cap was there a sound of rushing air like when opening a 2 liter bottle of soda. usually when you smoke a head gasket your cooling system gets charged with exaust gases pushing to coolant out into the overflow and then boiling the engine. if you have a way to pressure test teh cooling system pressurize it to 15psi and remove your plugs. let it sit for say 30 minutes and then look into the spark plug holes with a good flashlight and see if there is any coolant puddling into the cylinders. again if this happens you would get a rough idle (when youfirst fire it up)until the coolant is pushed out of the cylinders.

[S14-NEO]

just so you know a blown head gasket does not always make the car smoke . it really depends on where the breach has occured.

[uvamosk]

Well, last night I got home, checked the reservoir and it was where it normally should be at. I also pulled the cap and there was pressure antifreeze started to squirt out.

This was right after I got home and turned it off.

So, I don't know if its fixed or just seems... I'm going to try and keep a eye on it and see what happens...

[uvamosk]

Thank you for your help, very informative and very helpful...

I'm going to try and check into this....

[trahc]

take off the cap and start the car , when its cold see if it starts blowing water out. might have to heat up some before it does .