Overheating

[iamlew]

Finally got the quest out. Still overheating, but it starts and moves now. Gauge gets to 1/2 in about 2 mins of driving. 3/4 after about 15-20 mins. I haven't driven it further, recently. But I have had it shut down (from overheating? will it do that) after about 30. I don't recall the temp gauge being abnormally high, and the radiator wasn't hissing or anything.

 

Thinking I might replace the temp sensor for a better reading. Going to pull the thermo and look at it, flush the radiator, re-check it for being all craptastic on the front/back.

 

Had a few questions, is running all water a bad idea? I know people who do it in the trucks a lot, until winter. No chance of freezing here for a while (trying to save money until next week). Anything else I should be looking at? Water pumps not leaking, how could I test it?

[Alsandr]

I would suggest doing a compression test to see if the head gasket is leaking. Are you blowing white smoke after sitting for a while?

 

You might also want to get your radiator rodded out.

 

And water is not really a good idea: it causes rust. The correct ratio of antifreeze/water is 1/2. That means for every quart of antifreeze, you put in two quarts of water. The entire system holds 9.22 quarts and a flush is never a bad thing.

[Killtodie]

Flush it, refill it, put in a 180 thermostat

[Starfighterpilot]

Jesus H. Christ people THINK!!!

 

Are the radiator fans working at the temperatures they were designed to start working at? See the FSM for those specs!!! If not, fix 'em!!!

 

What is the condition of the radiator internals? Get the damn radiator rodded out if you don't know the condition of it. Flushing the engine coolant system won't do jack for getting the engine coolant system back to all it can be. It's got to be rodded out if the fans are working correctly and the engine coolant thermostat is opening and closing IAW the FSM specs!!! If the thermostat is not operating correctly get and install a new MITSU one!!

 

And changing the engine coolant thermostat to a lower temperature will NOT rectify the ROOT CAUSE of the engine over heating problem.

 

Any water that you add to the engine coolant system HAS TO BE DISTILLED WATER to prevent, not rust, but calcification of engine, heater, radiator heat transfer surfaces and restricting the flow of coolant thru the coolant tubing on the passenger side of the engine block cuz of calicium build up.

 

And 50% water to antifreeze ratio is NOT the best ratio of distilled water to antifreeze for the optimum heat transfer of the coolant system!!! See http://www.starquestclub.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=66449 about 2/3 of the way into the post for the optimum ration of distilled water to antifreeze to get the best heat transfer!!!

 

For What It's Worth.

 

KEN

 

PS If you guys are going to post recommended solutions to other Starquesters problems make sure that your solutions are 100% accurate and take into consideration ALL of the other possibilities that may exist to correct the problem. If you are not 100% sure - DON'T POST A SOLUTION!!!!

Edited July 27, 2010 by Starfighterpilot