i have a 91 240. im having a problem with the car heating up to red-line in about 10 mintues. i dont have a leak, but once i fill up the reservoir and the radiator...my rervoir is bone dry.
i would like to find out the fastest, and preferably the cheapest, way to get this thing running right (ive been deployed for months and im ready to get driving!).
where is the coolant going?
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PMan_S13
- Posts: 575
- Joined: Thu Dec 19, 2002 6:48 am
- Car: Building car -> breaking car -> fixing car -> start over
Sometimes you have to fill it up a few times to get all the air out. If it continues to do this, you might have to consider the possiblity that the head gasket is blown.
Other than a leak, the only way to get rid of antifreeze is by burning it.
Just out of curiosity, why did you have to fill it up anyway?
Other than a leak, the only way to get rid of antifreeze is by burning it.
Just out of curiosity, why did you have to fill it up anyway?
Re: (PMan_S13)
well, two days before i got deployed it started with the over heating. and while i was away it had been sitting in a lot for five months. i filled it up before i put it in the lot, and when i got it out of the lot i had to fill it up. i drove it til it got too hot, and had to fill it up again.
i saw no leaks under the car at all. nothing that would indicate that a whole reservoir of anti-freeze was gone. and it didnt leak while i was driving it. it wouldnt dissapear until about 15-20 minutes after driving! like the last time it happened...i filled it up, called my dad to see if he had any ideas as to what was up, and then when i got off the fone with him it was empty. what the...?
i dont think it would be a blown gasket. the oil looks normal (as i assume that would be where it would all be going to). my dad recommended checking out the thermostat as it could be stuck shut. but, the repair manuals are hard to come by in this area for some reason.
im at a loss until i can get one.
i saw no leaks under the car at all. nothing that would indicate that a whole reservoir of anti-freeze was gone. and it didnt leak while i was driving it. it wouldnt dissapear until about 15-20 minutes after driving! like the last time it happened...i filled it up, called my dad to see if he had any ideas as to what was up, and then when i got off the fone with him it was empty. what the...?
i dont think it would be a blown gasket. the oil looks normal (as i assume that would be where it would all be going to). my dad recommended checking out the thermostat as it could be stuck shut. but, the repair manuals are hard to come by in this area for some reason.
im at a loss until i can get one.
Re: (RinseOut)
any puddles under the car? if so its a leaking line and needs to be fixed.
If the car overheats the fluid in the reservoir will boil over and evaporate, very quickly.
Are you just pouring straight antifreeze into the car? when you add antifreeze to any car it must be mixed with water. For everyday people 50:50 mix is good. If you have been filling it up with straight coolant you will need to drain the system and put a good 50:50 mix in. drain on the radiator is on the right side bottom of the rad (orientation: facing front of the car). If the coolant is very old or is improper mix, it will need to be drained. While draining make sure the car is level or tilted forward somewhat, otherwise alot of coolant will be held in the block.
When the car is cold put it on ramps so that the front is in the air. Before you turn the engine off put the climate control to full hot. Engine should now be off. open the rad cap and check the level and fill to the brim. massage the upper rad hose to work out any air bubbles, refill as necessary. fill coolant reservoir.
If it still overheats its not the coolant mix/level... so thats not the problem. The list of things to check (which so happens to be cheapest to most expensive ) is:
- Rad Cap (weakens with age and cannot hold pressure *common*)- Thermostat (can fail in closed position, usually takes a long time to fail)- Fan Clutch (you will see the fan spinning extremely slow and not pulling much air)- Water Pump (normally when this fails water will slowly purge from a drain valve on the front of the pump housing, *not common*)
If you have been driving it while its overheating, you are lining yourself up for a new engine.
If the car overheats the fluid in the reservoir will boil over and evaporate, very quickly.
Are you just pouring straight antifreeze into the car? when you add antifreeze to any car it must be mixed with water. For everyday people 50:50 mix is good. If you have been filling it up with straight coolant you will need to drain the system and put a good 50:50 mix in. drain on the radiator is on the right side bottom of the rad (orientation: facing front of the car). If the coolant is very old or is improper mix, it will need to be drained. While draining make sure the car is level or tilted forward somewhat, otherwise alot of coolant will be held in the block.
When the car is cold put it on ramps so that the front is in the air. Before you turn the engine off put the climate control to full hot. Engine should now be off. open the rad cap and check the level and fill to the brim. massage the upper rad hose to work out any air bubbles, refill as necessary. fill coolant reservoir.
If it still overheats its not the coolant mix/level... so thats not the problem. The list of things to check (which so happens to be cheapest to most expensive ) is:
- Rad Cap (weakens with age and cannot hold pressure *common*)- Thermostat (can fail in closed position, usually takes a long time to fail)- Fan Clutch (you will see the fan spinning extremely slow and not pulling much air)- Water Pump (normally when this fails water will slowly purge from a drain valve on the front of the pump housing, *not common*)
If you have been driving it while its overheating, you are lining yourself up for a new engine.
instead of doing the ramps and squeezing the hose, you can use the bleed screw instead, its at the highest point so all the air gets pushed up towards it
it sounds like a leak to me, either that or its leaking into the combustion chamber and instantly steaming, check your exhaust for white "smoke" (steam) as that will indicate if your head gasket is blown, also compression or leakdown test it
and like p00t said, if you drive it when it overheats, yoiu are going to do major damnage to the engine.
it sounds like a leak to me, either that or its leaking into the combustion chamber and instantly steaming, check your exhaust for white "smoke" (steam) as that will indicate if your head gasket is blown, also compression or leakdown test it
and like p00t said, if you drive it when it overheats, yoiu are going to do major damnage to the engine.