Over Heated Today

[roompainter]

It was hot - ac on - engine light came on - engine was sluggish

after stopping the pukin started and my radiator started projectile vomiting some ugly brown spew.

limped the beast home

removed the drain plug in radiator and low and behold..... it wouldnt drain.

yep, it was clogged from the inside with rust.. had to rig up a old vacuum line hose to my compressor to blow the clog apart... ran a garden hose into the radiator fill hole and let it run for an hour till I was getting clean lookin water out.

bought a new t-stat, the old one I am sure looks just as ugly as the radiator looked.

so i guess tomorrow is hard to get them bolts off day

anyone feel my pain out there?

[87vicFIVEO]

Wow......that sux

Brown coolant is never good, sounds like you need a good flush.

I feel your pain tho...about 2 months ago I opened my radiator to find it half empty.

Since then fresh ethylene glycol and a bottle of bars leak (I know bad idea) has kept it full. (think I had a small leak at the heads)

[85crownHPP]

I overheated once after blowing a heater hose and once after I under-filled a previously empty leaky radiator (dumb mistake, didnt wait for the air to burp)
But she's still goin!!!

Get a ratcheting wrench for the Tstat bolts you'll thank yourself.
Hell bring it up to VA Ill do it for you and install some LEDs!!!!!

[Blaze86Vic]

nope, I keep my engine cleen and and my bolts are easy to take off. :p

J/k man, that does suck. The only reason mine treats me so well is the amount of time I spend working on it anyways.

[gadget73]

Might want to consider a new radiator. If the coolant is that gunky, I wouldn't be surprised if the rad is half clogged too. I've been to this movie, it sucks.

[roompainter]

ok... replaced the thermostat today, flushed the radiator and it is still over heating, but only when I run the ac - doesnt seem to do it with no ac on

ac works fine - blows cold

no bad noises can be heard while engine on - runs smooth

shut it off and it just starts puking

what could it be - I do not want to go put a new radiator in unless it needs be.

[FordInPossession]

In my old 88 Crown Marquis, it would overheat with the AC on. Found the radiator plugged like you did, also found the fan clutch not working properly (Look for leaking heavy oil around the thermo-spring covered in dirt), and I also found the head gaskets starting to go. Do NOT change to a 180degree t-stat as the coolant in the radiator will not cool enough before the t-stat opens again.

[Lincolnmania]

replace the radiator.......a 2 or a 3 row radiaror would be a nice upgrade......esp with you living in the south

[Dave84]

my rad is fuked but my car still hasent overheated,, the copper fins fall apart when you touch them in some spots and i have a small pinhole leake that seems to have reseald it self, cant afford a new rad so ill have to make a trip to the bone yard and grab one

[roompainter]

all righty then.. installed the new thermostat this morning and no change, still over heated.

bought a new radiator this afternoon from carquest, single row (low on cash)
and installed it in about 30 minutes.

drove the crap out of it and hey! stays cool - no problems

thanks for all your help guys - im so happy it wasnt the pump

[Lincolnmania]

excellent!
water pumps usually start leaking when they are on the way out......check the weep hole by the lower radiator hose......alot i've seen is the steel plate on the back of the water pump rots out, or the bearing goes bad and it leaks out the shaft at the weep hole

[roompainter]

hey, which person are you in your sig pic lincolnmania?

[Lincolnmania]

i'm in teh tye dye......the tall mang is dee snider lead singer of twisted sister

[86VickyLX]

Seriously? That's awesome. How'd you meet him?

[nitroracer]

Glad you got er' fixed.


I know with my last car I ended up replacing all the hoses, the waterpump, and rad all within a few days of each other because each new part exposed the next weakness in the old system.