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Cooling Systems -- Problems & Solutions (Radiator, Fan, etc)

561 messages,  Last post on Nov 12, 2009 at 1:37 PM

You are in the Maintenance & Repair Forum. Your Host is mr_shiftright

What is this discussion about? Engine


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#27 of 561
Re: 1998 Ford Contour [rzombie] by Mr_Shiftright HOST
Jun 09, 2005 (7:24 am)
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Replying to: rzombie (Jun 08, 2005 7:27 pm)

Man, this is a tough one.
 
Usually when I face a problem that seems to defy logic, what has happened is that I assumed a new part or repaired part was now functioning when in fact it was not. Given that perhaps 3% (in some cases) of new parts and 10% (so I've read) of rebuilt parts, depending on who rebuilds them, can be defective, it is possible that this is happening to you.
 
Question is, on which I'm not clear yet---is your car in fact overheating or just burping out fluid?
 
My understand of what you are saying is:
 
1. coolant light goes on immediately after cold start. (if true, then you have low coolant right off the bat).
 
2. Coolant light goes out, but comes back after highway driving.
 
3. Coolant then gushes out.
 
If #2 is as you stated, then either coolant has expanded to shut off the light, and then there is an overheat (in other words, the coolant light can light for more than one reason.)
 
If #2 is as you stated, perhaps the coolant overheated because initiallly there wasn't enough of it. In other words, the air problem gives the coolant level light a false reading when cold--then the water pump kicks in, and the coolant temp rises, expanding the coolant, shutting off the light. As you drive, the trapped air interrupts the coolant flow, heating it up, putting the light on again, and eventually the coolant boils over.
 
Just speculating here---this is the rzombie Theory #1---.
#28 of 561
1994 3100 Beretta air conditioning compressor trouble by daniels1
Jun 09, 2005 (6:00 pm)
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Can some 1 tell me if the 2 types of compressors for this car are interchangeable ?Mine is the nonswitching type and I have only found one in a months search of bone yards and the crazy thing leaks around the shaft.The other type is a dime a dozen in my area.
#29 of 561
1997 Sunfire Cooling fan no longer starts when hot by rbelleville
Jun 10, 2005 (1:41 am)
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Hi Guys,
  
Just wanted to know, the cooling fan has not been turning on when the engine gets really hot. I changed the rad fluid and just recently changed the sensor in back of the thermostat thinking that was the problem because when I unplug the wire harness on the sensor the fan goes on an as soon as I plug it back in it shuts of and never comes back on.
I do not have air conditioning and it is an automatic if that can help.
Thanks
#30 of 561
mysterious leak by osiris
Jun 10, 2005 (6:04 pm)
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Ok, I have a 1999 Mercury sable 3.0 v-8 my mechanic told me that I needed to flush my radiator and while I was at it to replace the thermostat. So I bought a new one and a new gasket. When I took the little housing for the thermostat off the thermostat fell so I wasn't quite sure which way the spring was supposed to go. But I put it in with the spring pointing toward the center of the engine after I flushed everything and reconnected all the hoses and stuff. Then I put in the half coolant half water. Then I drove it around all day today and it is leaking green coolant all over after I drive. I checked where the thermostat is and the other hose under the car that I had previously disconnected but it wasn't leaking there. The coolant reservoir was steaming and making a whine and was leaking from somewhere underneath it. What did I do, did I put the thermostat in backwards...it went houseing, thermostat, gasket, engine...
 
Jordan
#31 of 561
5.7l Tahoe coolant leak by davids1
Jun 13, 2005 (8:50 am)
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My 1999 Chevy Tahoe w/5.7 liter engine has a small coolant leak. How small??? When the vehicle sits overnight there may be a puddle of coolant approximately 4 inches in diameter directly below the bottom pulley. A small amount of coolant can be seen on the sway bar (i think).
 
I have changed the water pump, the upper and lower radiator hose, the thermostat and the two smaller hoses that feed coolant to the heater core (i think, again). I am confident the leak is not coming from one of these components as the leak is the same now as before.
 
Does anybody know what the potential source of this leak could be? There is some coolant on one of the hose couplings on the hose that connects to the transmission, but I am not convinced this is the source.
 
Thank you
#32 of 561
Re: 5.7l Tahoe coolant leak [davids1] by Mr_Shiftright HOST
Jun 13, 2005 (9:04 am)
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Replying to: davids1 (Jun 13, 2005 8:50 am)

On hard to find leaks you can always pressure test the system. Do you have a freeze plug in that location?
 
Also, one must never presume that just because a part is replaced, that this eliminates that part as a culprit.
#33 of 561
Re: 5.7l Tahoe coolant leak [Mr_Shiftright] by davids1
Jun 13, 2005 (6:12 pm)
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Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Jun 13, 2005 9:04 am)

I don't know if there is a freeze plug down there or not. I was hoping to find somebody that had experience with the 5.7 liter chevy power plant and the location of potential leakage sources as there are certainly enough of them around.
 
As far a the repalcement parts go, I replaced them myself so I'm confident in the quality of the install. I have also verified that the leak is not coming from the new thermostat, the new hoses and the new water pump. The leak is coming from somewhere low on front of the engine.
 
Thanks again for any input.
#34 of 561
Re: 5.7l Tahoe coolant leak [davids1] by Mr_Shiftright HOST
Jun 13, 2005 (10:11 pm)
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Replying to: davids1 (Jun 13, 2005 6:12 pm)

If you pressure test it you'll probably find it.
#35 of 561
Re: 5.7l Tahoe coolant leak [Mr_Shiftright] by davids1
Jun 14, 2005 (3:58 am)
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Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Jun 13, 2005 10:11 pm)

Is that something I can do easily myself? I don't mind getting my hands dirty, and it gives me an excuse to buy a new tool (as long as it's not too expensive).
 
Otherwise, I have a couple of shops around that could possibly do this for me.
 
Thanks again!!!
#36 of 561
Re: 5.7l Tahoe coolant leak [davids1] by Mr_Shiftright HOST
Jun 14, 2005 (6:16 am)
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Replying to: davids1 (Jun 14, 2005 3:58 am)

It's a kind of pump that attaches to the radiator. I'm not sure what it costs, but if it's cheaper than the shop's quote for a test, then why not? It's a handy tool although one doesn't use it all that much unless you are working on all your cars a lot. It's a great tool for testing your work, too. If there's a weak spot inthe cooling system, the pressure from this pump will ferret it out as it simulates a high pressure situation, such as when your engine is running hot.

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