Troubleshooting overheating, step-by-step?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,255
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From: Manalapan FL
Troubleshooting overheating, step-by-step?
Without going into great detail, can someone post how to properly diagnose/troubleshoot an overheating issue? I hate like heck to replace a bunch of stuff (rad, water pump, etc.) to find out later it was only a thermostat or a head gasket, etc.
Thanks in advance,
D. Ocean
Miami, FLA
Thanks in advance,
D. Ocean
Miami, FLA
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,255
Likes: 0
From: Manalapan FL
Thanks.
I made an earlier post about what I had done to the system (including bleeding the air and adding coolant) and received many good suggestions. Still have a potential overheating problem...so, I'm now wondering how a mechanic, starting from step #1, would go about diagnosing/solving the problem.
D. Ocean
Miami, FLA
I made an earlier post about what I had done to the system (including bleeding the air and adding coolant) and received many good suggestions. Still have a potential overheating problem...so, I'm now wondering how a mechanic, starting from step #1, would go about diagnosing/solving the problem.
D. Ocean
Miami, FLA
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 997
Likes: 0
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Overheating at low speed COULD be the fan or debris in the radiator.
Overheating at high speed COULD be the water pump, a flow restriction or leak.
Thermostats are very easy to check in a pot on the stove with a high temp thermometer. They're also cheap to replace and you can try 160, 180 and 190 degF stats (maybe others).
The radiator cap is also easy to check and cheap to replace. Check the seals on the cap. Any cracks and you might as well replace it for good measure.
Overheating at high speed COULD be the water pump, a flow restriction or leak.
Thermostats are very easy to check in a pot on the stove with a high temp thermometer. They're also cheap to replace and you can try 160, 180 and 190 degF stats (maybe others).
The radiator cap is also easy to check and cheap to replace. Check the seals on the cap. Any cracks and you might as well replace it for good measure.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,527
Likes: 1
From: St. Petersburg, Fl///Columbus, Ohio
I'm a Mechanic
The first step is to Verify the Complaint
You said you had a potential problem does it overheat???
if yes coolant leval, Thermostat and fan clutch operation are the first things to check along with making sure the radiator is clean on the outside.
EASY head gasket test...... with a COLD engine install a pressure tester on the radiator and start the engine..... If pressure builds quickly a head gasket or crack is suspect & a block test needs done, If not radiator flow might be blocked internally (if the top of the radiator is hot & the bottom is cold with a hot engine you might need a radiator)
BUT ALL IS A WASTE OF TIME if your car is not overheating!!!!
The first step is to Verify the Complaint
You said you had a potential problem does it overheat???
if yes coolant leval, Thermostat and fan clutch operation are the first things to check along with making sure the radiator is clean on the outside.
EASY head gasket test...... with a COLD engine install a pressure tester on the radiator and start the engine..... If pressure builds quickly a head gasket or crack is suspect & a block test needs done, If not radiator flow might be blocked internally (if the top of the radiator is hot & the bottom is cold with a hot engine you might need a radiator)
BUT ALL IS A WASTE OF TIME if your car is not overheating!!!!
