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Willy Mo

Member
Joined
Oct 31, 2013
Messages
67
Well got the car running again. Took it for a spin around the block. Came back and coolant is comming out of the over flow. Coolant looked preatty dirty so i flushed it. Swapped the thermostat with a factory 180, new cast housing, and coolant. Filled it up and it seems as if the thermostat isnt opening. Radiator gets hot but both hoses feel very squishy.. No coolant temp gauge to check coolant temp. And i dont know how to use thr power logger if it even has the capability. Also when i squeeze either upper or lower radiator hoses i head gurgling in the over flow.. Like the cap isnt seating right?
 
If the radiator is hot, you've got coolant flow. Sounds like it's time to run a compression test and a leak down test.

but first I would drain the oil and see if any coolant comes out with it. From what you've posted, it sounds like you've joined the blown headgasket club.

A quick and dirty test would be to pull all the plugs and see if one or more have been steam cleaned.
 
I changed the oil right before i flushed coolant. Didnt see any coolant in the oil. Small amount of water in the oil filter. Car ran great before all this. Drove it 300 miles with no problems..
 
They can still run fine with a blow gasket. If you have a blown gasket and you're exposing the bearings to antifreeze, the fix is going to jump up to a complete rebuild.

If you suspect the thermostat is stuck shut and causing the car to run hot, just leave the thermostat out. If you still have the original radiator, there's a very good chance you are running hot. Might want to get that powerlogger hooked up so you can see (or buy a cheap IR temp gun).
 
The radiator was swapped to a new corvette unit before i got it. Guy before me never had any problems. And i saw no sign of problems until i had the no start issue. Again didnt see any coolant in the oil. Coolant was full as well when i opened the cap before flushing.
 
crank it up with the radiator cap off & let it run a few mins, may have an air pocket trapped inside system like i did! Thermostat needs to be a 160 as well..


Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app
 
I have always put the front up (jack stands or ramps) when first filling a build then fire it up and let it come up to temp with the radiator cap off to watch the flow.
Also if your getting rust you need to clean/ flush the coolant system. The best way to flush is fill with water add 1/4 cup of powder Cascade dishwasher detergent and let idle for @ 15 miniutes. The Cascade doesn't hurt any thing and will clean all trash out of the system. It's also cheaper and works better than ANY product that they sell for coolant flush. We used an entire box on an 18 wheeler when I was a shop Forman at a repair shop for a trucking company.

Just make sure it's not a head gasket before you waste time with the coolant system.


Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app
 
Parts stores are telling me they dont offer a 160 for the GN. They show me a noormal size mr gasket 160.. Gonna takenit for another drive today and get into some boost more and see what happens.
 
You have to order the 160 stat from one of the vendors.


Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app
 
Lot of moving parts going on.

No Coolant Temp gauge is required
For one - the Scanmaster will show coolant temp.
Surely you know how to read that?

So that's first - what is your warm up coolant temp?.

Then:
1 - Unless you are experiencing hard freeze conditions - dump the ethylene glycol (anti-freeze) - NOW!
Even if for temporaraily.
If that is even getting into your crankcase - you're dead meat.
Flush that out - and Run water - and RMI

2 - If indeed you are running a 185 degree unit - Order a thermostat

http://www.gbodyparts.com/product_info.php?products_id=383&osCsid=9bd1ebf31c6b99c8b48946fc9e9db4d8

Cheap.
Drill it to allow air to escape.
Search the threads for the info on how or where to

3 - Burp the system.
Again - easy to do.

4 - A Coolant Pressure Tester should be in every serious TR owners toolbox

http://www.harborfreight.com/radiator-pressure-tester-kit-69258.html

Run a test.
Just because

5 - You didn't mention if your fans are coming on.
So I won't go into the relays issue right now.
 
Took it out and ran it hard.. No pressure in over flow. No bubbles nothing. I gmdont have a scan master but looks like i will be investing in one. A well as ordering a 160* thermostat. Fans did mot kick on today as it is pretty chilly. But i know the fan came on the other day when it was warmer out and i drove it to work.
 
He is not far from where I live( maybe 10 miles or so) ...26* this morning !! Unless you have a heated garage around here water is a no-no. The clown that put my car back together after paint left my car outside for a couple of days last January...blew 2 freeze plugs !!!

Bryan
 
I've heard of guy's putting Iron Out in radiator but not cascade, not sure if they hurt the motor or not, interesting.
 
He is not far from where I live( maybe 10 miles or so) ...26* this morning !! Unless you have a heated garage around here water is a no-no. The clown that put my car back together after paint left my car outside for a couple of days last January...blew 2 freeze plugs !!!

Bryan


Bryan - I didn't see a location in his sig..sooo
Yeah - I added the caveat to it.
Georgia - so I don't assume everyone can get away with it.

What I was going to add is that in the possible event of a HG leak - dump the ethlyene glycol temporarily and place a little space heater near the motor overnight - assuming it is in a garage environment.
Unless he has the rare - "block heater" option! :D
But it sounds like his problem went away.
:confused:
 
Took it out and ran it hard.. No pressure in over flow. No bubbles nothing. I gmdont have a scan master but looks like i will be investing in one. A well as ordering a 160* thermostat. Fans did mot kick on today as it is pretty chilly. But i know the fan came on the other day when it was warmer out and i drove it to work.


LOL - I know that's what I always do when I have a coolant problem - take the car out and beat it like it owes me money! :D
But glad it worked out.
 
LOL - I know that's what I always do when I have a coolant problem - take the car out and beat it like it owes me money! :D
But glad it worked out.

My thoughts were, it happened after i was getting into boost a fee times so why not try to recreate the issue that way.. So far soo good.. Maybe an air bubble idk..
 
You can make a thermostat out of a regular one just cut or grind it down to the same diameter. As far as the car I would be easy on the car till you can get some diagnostic tool ie scanmaster or gauges till you know all is well with the car.

As far as the cascade goes, do you leave it in the system or drain it?
 
I have heard that the Cascade Professional is the stuff to use as it still has the phosphates in it and the regular does not. Run it for a couple of days and then backflush. I think I would use CLR instead as it will eat the calcium, lime and rust. I think I would only run the CLR for a day though. If you have an oil invasion then the Cascade or Simple Green would probably do a better job

Bryan
 
" So far soo good.."... If you think "Murphy" is dead, just keep beating on it w/o scan instruments,and you'll find out he's alive and well.....:rolleyes:
 
Parts stores are telling me they dont offer a 160 for the GN. They show me a noormal size mr gasket 160..

That's because their computers tell them it doesn't exist. See if they have one for a 94 S10 blazer 4.3 VIN "W". It seems like mine was a small size when I bought a 180* for it. They might offer a 160 too.


Otherwise get a plain ole SBC 160*, spend 15 seconds with a set of tin snips and drill a steam hole at 12:00. (drill the steam hole no matter what thermostat you do with. Otherwise you might get air in the system that won't burp out)
 
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