Water pump/Please help
Water pump/Please help
Hello, I have a 1992 240sx and i just replaced the thermostat because the car was overfeating. everything was ok until 6 weeks latter. Yesterday it started overheatiung again. Radiator needed about 1 quart of coolant and now is ok. Do I need to change the water pump or what advise can you give me. Thank you for any help. I love the car and it has benn perfect other than this. Car has 170,000 miles.
Look around the water pump and check for leaks. If no leaks, start the car and let it idle. While its idling, carefully grab the top radiator hose and squeeze it closed with your hand. You should feel a surge of water when you release it. If so, your water pump should be ok. Check for leaks elsewhere: the 2 heater hoses behind the intake manifold that go into the firewall; lower radiator hose; there is a small U shaped hose that comes off the front cover to the intake manifold as well as a L shaped one.
I agree with JNM240 But here is something cheap we should all do once a year. Change your RADIATOR CAP. Unlike all of your other caps ( gas, oil, pwr steering, etc) the radiator cap has a function other than just keeping fluid in the radiator, it is also a relief valve, to vent out excess preasure. if its not working properly it can lead to problems like overheating and blown hoses. plus new caps are cheap!!
You need to find where the lost coolant has gone. At 170k I would have a local shop test the radiator for exhaust gas. You can also pull the dip stick when the car is running to see if coolant is entering the crank case (chocolate milk). At 170k it is not uncommon to have a blown head gasket or for an old loose timing chain to wear a hole in the water passage. Check hear before you throw money at the cooling system.
I had a similar problem on my '91. I couldn't find a leak but I was looksing coolant. By sheer luck I was looking under the hood with a drop-light on the floor and there was steam(!!) coming out of the water pump shaft. I guess there was a tiny leak around the bearing seal that never dripped but could pass steam. Dropped in a new water pump and havn't had a problem since.
erich
erich