Daughter's 2001 Impala overheating problem. Need help!

[tta1401]

Is that thing really getting hot? My temp sensor was wacked out in one of my old cars. Gave high readings.

 

[AZ Vic]

ummm... is it possible you are getting air lock? You know, where air gets trapped in the system when you don't "burp" it and it causes the pump to cavitate...?

freakin wierd...

 

[rb68rr]

Maybe he is not "burbing" it properly. What is the exact procedure for doing this? I've never owned a car that needed "burping". R.B.

 

[buickpower]

Basically you run it with the cap off, and keep adding as needed. Although I believe the system should burp itself, its probably best to do it with the cap off, and running for quite a while. Bubbles will come up, and sometimes I rev it a small amount briefly to force out more bubbles. and like someone else said, use the bleeder to check. You should turn on the heater in the car, when it really starts to crank out the heat you know you are getting close.

 

[AZ Vic]

I drill two bleeder holes in my thermostats as well. It helps the trapped air to escape. Two 1/8" holes on opposite sides will work. Make sure you don't drill them where it might affect the operation.

i don't know if you can watch the flow of the water with the cap off on your model, but while you are filling it up, and have it running, the water will begin to surge. Sometimes it will overflow, and people stop there thinking it is full when in fact it is way short. Turn on the heater as suggested - that helps a lot.

With the sudden rise in temperature, I would put money on air being trapped in the system. Just keep an eye on it and as it settles out, keep adding water/antifreeze until it gets to the top.

Sometimes you have to cycle the vehicle a few times allowing it to heat up and cool down to get the air worked out. Drill the holes in the thermostat - It works wonders on stubborn cars.

Hope there hasn't been any damage to the heads or gaskets with the over heating...


Good Luck,

Vic

 

[rb68rr]

Hey Buickpower, I called my daughter in Houston and walked her through the burping process. When she started the car with the cap off she said the water would come up a little and run out and then she would add more. Then she said a few times the water level would drop way down and when she started to add water it would start spitting it out, kinda like when the thermostat sticks. She said the water felt really hot and steam would come out too. This went on for about 40 minutes. At no time did the temperature gauge get much past the halfway mark. Fans were running. The crazy thing is the heater blew cool air the whole time!!! This car has really got me confused. Like I said in an earlier post, my son-in-law took the water pump off and checked it and found that the impellers were intact and in good shape. Could the water pump still be bad and be so weak that it won't circulate the water? Thanks again, R.B.

 

[AZ Vic]

Man that sounds like air lock to me... Take that thermostat back out and drill the holes in it.

 

[rb68rr]

Hey Vic, thanks for the information. Could you be more precise about the location of the two 1/8th inch holes. How close to the edge,etc? Thanks, R.B. Also why isn't the heater getting warm? Is the water not circulating through the heater core? I mean, she let it run for 40 minutes! How can the water not make it to the heater core when it was running halfway up on the temperature gauge???

 

[buickpower]

It often will take that long. Some of the bubbles are hard to get out, and water is still not circulating through the core if there is not heat and you have the heater turned on. I am not familiar with drilling the holes, so vic will have to enlighten you on that. I would continue to use the bleeder as well though.

 

[rb68rr]

Maybe he's not using these bleeder valves correctly. I've never owned a car with these valves. Can you tell me exactly which way to turn them or whatever you do to bleed the air from the system? Thanks again, R.B.

 

[buickpower]

basically its a sort of nut on the thermostat housing that you turn counterclockwise to crack it open, and fluid comes out.

 

[rb68rr]

I am still mystified at how these air bubbles or air pockets can keep the water from circulating through the heater core once the thermostat opens, or can it keep the thermostat from opening? Her heater never got the slightest bit warm after running for 40 minutes! Is there any way that the head gaskets could be blown without water showing up in the oil? Or maybe even the heads themselves? This is crazy!!!! R.B.