Car Engine Problem/Question for mechanics.

Rat Finkenstein

Rat Finkenstein

Joined
May 18, 2005
Messages
23,095
I have an 85 Tercel Wagon, that I bought a little while ago.
Today on my way to work, it overheated. I let it cool off, and added coolant, then drove some more. I only got about 2 miles before it overheated again, and same story til I got to work. I replaced the thermostat and flushed out the radiator with a hose, then filled it with coolant. (the coolant was the rustiest crap I have seen.) We started it up, and it didn't overheat. BUT, while running with the radiator cap off, it would periodically (not continually, but every couple of seconds or so) splash or "burp" a bunch of coolant out. As the engine warmed up, it got worse. Is it the head gasket? Something else? :(

Any Info or opinions will be much appreciated.
Thanks
 
the coolant has to go somewhere...turn on the car and let it run for 10 minutes and check for leaks. It's not unusual for radiators to get small leaks. That your coolant was rusty makes me want to check the radiator first.
 
Rat Finkenstein said:
I have an 85 Tercel Wagon, that I bought a little while ago.
Today on my way to work, it overheated. I let it cool off, and added coolant, then drove some more. I only got about 2 miles before it overheated again, and same story til I got to work. I replaced the thermostat and flushed out the radiator with a hose, then filled it with coolant. (the coolant was the rustiest crap I have seen.) We started it up, and it didn't overheat. BUT, while running with the radiator cap off, it would periodically (not continually, but every couple of seconds or so) splash or "burp" a bunch of coolant out. As the engine warmed up, it got worse. Is it the head gasket? Something else? :(

Any Info or opinions will be much appreciated.
Thanks
Click to expand...

Check the hoses, sometimes they get soft and collapse and as the suction builds the hose distorts enough to allow some coolant through making it burp, head gaskets will show coolant in the oil, oil in the coolant or water in the exhaust,(I'm not talkin' 'bout the nomal drip caused by the combustion process, I'm talkin' about lots of coolant).
 
T. Erdelyi said:
Check the hoses, sometimes they get soft and collapse and as the suction builds the hose distorts enough to allow some coolant through making it burp, head gaskets will show coolant in the oil, oil in the coolant or water in the exhaust,(I'm not talkin' 'bout the nomal drip caused by the combustion process, I'm talkin' about lots of coolant).
Click to expand...

There is only two short hoses (less than a foot apiece), and they are ok, didn't collapse, squeezed them while it was running, and it only raised the coolant level a bit, as expected. when released, they did not stay distorted.

Daniel Koster said:
the coolant has to go somewhere...turn on the car and let it run for 10 minutes and check for leaks. It's not unusual for radiators to get small leaks. That your coolant was rusty makes me want to check the radiator first.
Click to expand...

No leaks in the radiator. I think the coolant was rusty because it might never have been changed or flushed. The little old lady who sold it to me had it for 20 years, so it could have been 20 year old coolant. I am definitely going to flush the cooling system after all this.
 
Flush the entire cooling system; block included.

Get a kit at the parts store that allows you to hook up a garden hose to the system, turn on the heater, and flush until it runs completely clear. Make sure car is at operating temp so the 'stat opens up, or you could remove it until complete. Drain radiator. Then, add straight anti freeze. It will mix with the water left in the block. Add one gallon to start with, then run the car with the cap off. After you do this, check the antifreeze level with an antifreeze tester that you bought when you got the flush kit and antifreeze. Also, buy a new radiator cap. They do wear out, and if your system cannot pressurize, it lowers the boiling point of your coolant.

You can take your cap with you to the parts store, and some places can test it for you. Some may be able to pressure test your system. Ask.

If this coupled with your new 'stat doesn't help, consider having the radiator boiled out by a radiator shop. It may have so much crud it it flushing won't help. They'll surely be able to pressure test your system.

These are the basics. From your description, it sounds like the water pump is working,and you don't sound like you have a bad head gasket, so if you do the above, you should be good to go.
 
Sounds like to me, you have a plugged cat converter. After it over heats look at the converter if it is glowing red that is your problem.
Keep us up to date on what you find.
-Eric
 
OK.. My other addiction.. Hot Rodz.
Ask a mechanic to do a cylinder leakdown teat with the radiator full and CAP OFF.
If you see bubbles it's a head gasket or cracked head/block/intake manifold..

After that.. re-group....
 
if its a 22r your in luck-those things were just about bullet proof-when antifreeze gets old its becomes acidic and eats away the head gaskets-


leakdown test might not work-vavles may leak a liitle and blow bye from the rings-might try a radiator pressure test and see if it holds-

not a major job if you have a little skill with a wrench
 
Also check your oil immediately after the engine has been running. If you see water bubbles in it, blown gasket. Also, an oil film on top of the coolant in your radiator will indicate the same (wait until it cools off before checking..:eek: I made that mistake once....)

One or several coolant channels could be clogged, resulting in hot spots.

Your thermostat could be stuck shut, making the engine overheat. You can test it by putting it in a pan of water and raising it to a boil. The stat should open. If not, replace.

If you are going to drive it somewhere, and notice the water temp guage rising, immediately turn on the heater full bore. Will buy you a little time.

My bet would be clogged coolant channels in the block.
 
Beats the holy heck out of me. Could probably be anything. Lots of good suggestions so far of things to check. Could also be an electrical problem, say a blown fuse that's preventing the fan from running properly. I had that happen once...

Whatever the problem, keep in mind that the car is a 20-year-old budget-priced vehicle. No matter how serious the problem(s), you've gotten your money's worth.

Good Luck,
-Bob
 
FWIW sounds like a head gasket to me............run a compression check before anything else imho.
 
My first thought was stuck thermostat, but you replaced it. Next thought was head gasket.

Good luck. Let us know what you find out.
 
Does the top radiator hose get rock hard after the engine has been run for a while? It might even feel crunchy when you squeeze it. If so, this is a very good indication of a leaky head gasket. As mentioned above, the conclusive test is a leakdown test done by an experienced mechanic. If you want to do it a little more quick and dirty, you can do a compression test yourself (the testers are cheap if you don't already have one). If one or two of the numbers is way off, don't bother wasting your money on further testing. Just pull off the head and go from there. Car like that, you should have the head off in under an hour.

Mark
 
Thanks for the replies, everyone. I am bringing it in on tuesday for the test, and I will keep you informed. If it is the head, I will just do it myself, and pay myself the ~$600 of labor costs that a shop will want.:rolleyes:
On the other hand, I work with some guys who run stock cars, and they said they would do it for "dirt cheap".
 
oops, sorry for forgetting to respond with the diagnosis. The Mechanic thought it was the Head Gasket, so now I am going to do it myself. No worries, I have an Toyota Repair manual for the car I borrowed from the Toyota dealership. Way better than any aftermarket manuals. :thumbup:
 
What kind of test was done to determine the blown head gasket?

Leakdown test, or pressure test of the cooling system?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top