What the hell? Chronic Overheating now???!!

[86VickyLX]

This is really starting to piss me off. After the heater core blew, it overheated, understandable, since the antifreeze seeped through the heater core. But later, like a couple days after, I filled it up and closed the cap. Started it, it ran fine for like 10 minutes, then the check engine light came on. Overheating again. So Scott told me it was the way I filled it up. So I did it the way he told me to, had the cap off, started it up, let it warm up, filled it up, let it run and run. I put the cap on and moved it up and down the driveway, after 10 minutes or so, again, it overheated.

Now what confuses me, is that when I changed the heater core hoses, a few months back, I had drained collant from the radiator. Quite a good amount, and when I changed the hoses, I put coolant right back in and started right up, no letting it get warm and filling it while running. It didn't overheat then something else went when the core blew.

[86VickyLX]

Scott also said that it could be the Cap has failed, and I should get a new one. I'm going to do that now, but, is there anything I have to do besides putting the new cap on?

[86VickyLX]

I replaced the cap, since it was the original. This time I timed it, and it overheated after 25 minutes. This time, I heard hissing, from the radiator when I shut the car off. It was coming from the cap, so I am begining to think the overheating has something to do with the radiator. I would push on the cap and it would hiss more. So what the hell am I dealing with?

[gadget73]

Is your fan clutch good, and is the thermostat opening? If the upper radiator hose is hot, then the thermostat is opening. How was the heater core bypassed, or is it still plumbed in? Have you burped all the air out of the system? Normally what I do is let it idle with the radiator cap off, when the thermostat opens, the level drops. Fill it, put the cap on, and fill the overflow. It may get a little hot and bubble in the overflow, but once the engine is shut down and allowed to cool, it should draw coolant out of the overflow to replace the air that came out.

[86VickyLX]

Is your fan clutch good, and is the thermostat opening? If the upper radiator hose is hot, then the thermostat is opening. How was the heater core bypassed, or is it still plumbed in? Have you burped all the air out of the system? Normally what I do is let it idle with the radiator cap off, when the thermostat opens, the level drops. Fill it, put the cap on, and fill the overflow. It may get a little hot and bubble in the overflow, but once the engine is shut down and allowed to cool, it should draw coolant out of the overflow to replace the air that came out.

good fan clutch, upper heater hose hot, heater core was bypassed by connecting the two heater hoses together with a metal connector, similar to 87 Crown Vic. As soon as the car is started, the level drops.

[gadget73]

it will drop a little at first but if its got air in it, it will drop several inches when the thermostat opens.

[86VickyLX]

Um define a little bit please, is a little bit from the top to 3/4 of the radiator full? I'll do it tomorrow because it was miserable today, well at least it's cool now.

[gadget73]

if it drops more than about an inch, add more coolant.

[86VickyLX]

Which it did. I'll do this tomorrow. And just out of curiosity, how does it burp? Do you actually see a bubble of air like come out of the radiator? And when I do this, and the problem still persists, what do I look at next?

[gabegt90]

did you flush the coolent system good I once had a problem were I did not bled out the system right

[LtMercDaddy]

This is really starting to piss me off. After the heater core blew, it overheated, understandable, since the antifreeze seeped through the heater core. But later, like a couple days after, I filled it up and closed the cap. Started it, it ran fine for like 10 minutes, then the check engine light came on. Overheating again. So Scott told me it was the way I filled it up. So I did it the way he told me to, had the cap off, started it up, let it warm up, filled it up, let it run and run. I put the cap on and moved it up and down the driveway, after 10 minutes or so, again, it overheated.

Now what confuses me, is that when I changed the heater core hoses, a few months back, I had drained collant from the radiator. Quite a good amount, and when I changed the hoses, I put coolant right back in and started right up, no letting it get warm and filling it while running. It didn't overheat then something else went when the core blew.

if the rad is full the coolant should be just below the filler neck when cold.

take the cap off, check the level if its low. start the car with the cap off and give the engine a few revs to see if u can see the coolant running threw the rad it should pull the coolant down when reving and come back up when going back to idle. this would indicate that there is sufficent flow and water pump function.

set ur heater control to heat and vent and low fan speed. let it run with the cap off watching the level of the coolant in the rad it should begin to rise slightly. also while this is happening the upper radiator hose should begin to get warm. this indicates that the thermostat is opening. when the thermostat opens you may notice a drop in the level. add coolant untill its just below the filler neck and then cap off the radiator.

if the overflow is empty, fill till half full.

after the radiator cap is back on, rev the engine a few times and watch the upper and lower rad hoses, check to see if they are collapsing under increased RPMS.

[86VickyLX]

if the rad is full the coolant should be just below the filler neck when cold.

take the cap off, check the level if its low. start the car with the cap off and give the engine a few revs to see if u can see the coolant running threw the rad it should pull the coolant down when reving and come back up when going back to idle. this would indicate that there is sufficent flow and water pump function.

set ur heater control to heat and vent and low fan speed. let it run with the cap off watching the level of the coolant in the rad it should begin to rise slightly. also while this is happening the upper radiator hose should begin to get warm. this indicates that the thermostat is opening. when the thermostat opens you may notice a drop in the level. add coolant untill its just below the filler neck and then cap off the radiator.

if the overflow is empty, fill till half full.

after the radiator cap is back on, rev the engine a few times and watch the upper and lower rad hoses, check to see if they are collapsing under increased RPMS.

Problem is can't run my heat cause I bypassed the heater core cause it exploded. Secondly, when I take the cap off, it's at the top of the radiator, when she starts, immediatly the level drops down to the filler neck of which you speak. I rev the engine, and I see coolant being sprayed around in there, the level drops, I know it's moving cause at idle, it has like a churning look to it. The foam on the top of the was moving, and this sped up as I reved the engine. Again, it was miserable, from what I hear, rain all week

[grandpaslincoln]

Clogged radiator? I heard from someone that if you run the car till it's hot then feel the front of the radiator, if you feel cold or cool spots that it's clogged.

[86VickyLX]

Great. I don't think that's it but I'll check.

[LtMercDaddy]

well if u can see coolant shooting threw the cores of the radiator when its running thats a good thing. thats whats supposed to happen. the more flow the better threw thr radiator.

How exactly did u by-pass the heater core? just connect the 2 hoses together? in other words the supply hose to the heater core coming off the intake manifold near the thermostat is connected now connected to the heater core return line leading back into the water pump?

Im thinking that without the heater core there is no longer any resistance and water/coolant just like electricity is gonna favor the path of less resistance.

I think what is happening is that ur motor is just recycling the coolant using the path of least resistance. and the hot coolant is never making it to the rad and is going back into the engine.

Try installing some kind of reducer/restriction into the heater core supply line.