Overheated engine Help with Mechanic in Northern CA

[Chuck]

 
 Ok started easy enough just ran a little hot no fan - replaced sensor  Still too hot - TReplaced T Stat still too hot - Took out expensive T stat would not open but original did  Put bact the original  Still too hot , Replaced Rad still too hot  Checked W Pump using bentlys  = Good 

Replaced Expansion cap Still....

SO  I have a bad head gasket  - no water in oil no water out the exhaust - But <ugg>  now the top Rad hose blows up like a balloon when engine is running and new cap is on.

Now  comes the help question  No way I can afford dealer cost to replace gasket ( and maybee head)  so anyone working on their own here in the Northern California area?

I dont mind paying the mechanic  But paying the dealers family more than the Mecanic is...... too costly.

81 Rabbit 114K miles 5 speed  good shape otherwise.

Thanks

Chuck

[burn_your_money]

It sounds like you have a bad rad cap. Even with a bad headgasket the hoses shouldn't blow up like that.

What you need to do is have the engine dead cold. Remove the rad cap and then replace it. Start the car and run it for 10 seconds. Shut car off. Remove rad cap. If it's pressurized then yes you have a headgasket problem. You can also look for bubbles in the expansion tank when it is running. If they are present then it is the headgasket.

How did you check the waterpump?

[Chuck]

It sounds like you have a bad rad cap. Even with a bad headgasket the hoses shouldn't blow up like that.

What you need to do is have the engine dead cold. Remove the rad cap and then replace it. Start the car and run it for 10 seconds. Shut car off. Remove rad cap. If it's pressurized then yes you have a headgasket problem. You can also look for bubbles in the expansion tank when it is running. If they are present then it is the headgasket.

How did you check the waterpump?

Thanks for the reply

 New Rad Cap  as of today   old cap appearently vented the pressure out as this one - not cold but only warm - will blow up the hose in ( make it bulge and hard) in seconds remove cap and  sounds like an air hose when you remove a tool    I have been going round and round with this for more than a week now  and untill today have not seen the Hose thing  - only after the New Blue cap.

OH WELL   I was thinking of a turbo anyway and would need bigger studs and the glow plugs should be changed and I need more luberacating fluid on my hands

SO maybe it's a loose win

Again Thanks

Chuck

[RadoTD]

Does your lower rad hose get hot?
Mine didn't for the longest time, couldn't figure it out. Then I decided to remove the one plate from my thermostat (the one that goes further into/towards the block) and it works now. Just in time for some great weather here!

I still have the one plate that fully closes blocking off the thermostat housing so my cooling system functions/warms up completely normally

[Chuck]

Does your lower rad hose get hot?
Mine didn't for the longest time, couldn't figure it out. Then I decided to remove the one plate from my thermostat (the one that goes further into/towards the block) and it works now. Just in time for some great weather here!

I still have the one plate that fully closes blocking off the thermostat housing so my cooling system functions/warms up completely normally

WEll I have had the Thermostat housing OFF several times Never saw A "Plate"  I can reach the impeller with my finger I used a screw driver to wedge the impeller to see if it turned while the pully was turned  NO  it was solid.  ( Bentlys Methoud)

 All the time I was dooing the parts investigation I never saw  the upper hose bulge .  untill I put the new Cap on.  and there is the air pressure  Maybe the engine was hotter than I thought?

And NO the lower hose did not get hot Nor the left side of Rad ( sensor side)

I havent given up Yet BUt  No water in Oil No white smoke  I could just have a huge blockage in the water passages in the head But  wont know till  I have to take it off.

Thanks

Chuck

[Luckypabst]

Regardless of the cap or engine temp, the hose definitely should not pressurize "in seconds" after putting the cap on.

Check a full pressure tank with the cap off, engine running, for bubbles if you want to confirm the head gasket...

Chris

[mystery3]

Where in northern California? This half of the state is bigger than half of the states.

[Chuck]

Regardless of the cap or engine temp, the hose definitely should not pressurize "in seconds" after putting the cap on.

Check a full pressure tank with the cap off, engine running, for bubbles if you want to confirm the head gasket...

Chris

 Chris
 
I have looked into the tank but it's hard to see bubbles as the small top hose is spitting water into the tank ( or is that what you meant ?)

[Chuck]

Where in northern California? This half of the state is bigger than half of the states.

 I'm near Sacramento  But I can trailer  I dont expect this would be a one day thing so a trip to deliver is not a killer to find the right person/shop.

Chuck

[Luckypabst]

Fill the tank to above the bleed hose level, almost to the top of the filler neck and watch it at various RPM. Air bubbles should be pretty obvious if there's a leak - it'll be distinctly different than the turbulence caused by the bleed line.

Chris

[Baron VonZeppelin]

"Possibly" you have fixed all the pre-exisiting ailments - and just need a new top hose now.

The air and heat "may" be from trapped air in system.

Before pulling the head, i would remove thermostat completely, turn heater selection to hot, remove all or most hoses and flush the ever living helk out of everything with a garden hose nozzle at every opening in every direction.

If you have a metal distribution pipe that runs from water pump up over and around to the heater core - remove it and inspect its innards while in the process.

Re-assemble, leave t-stat OUT, test run and check results.
With new top hose of course.
Would definitely give it a try before pulling head.

[RadoTD]

Re-assemble, leave t-stat OUT, test run and check results.
With new top hose of course.
Would definitely give it a try before pulling head.

This ^^


And here's a pic of what my thermostat looks like... I cut the bottom plate off, that solved my overheating issue

[745 turbogreasel]

Also, pull both hoses from the engine, and confirm water CAN move freely though the rad side of things.

[Rabbit on Roids]

Re-assemble, leave t-stat OUT, test run and check results.
With new top hose of course.
Would definitely give it a try before pulling head.

This ^^


And here's a pic of what my thermostat looks like... I cut the bottom plate off, that solved my overheating issue

if you cut it all apart, that seems like it would make it over heat worse, as most of the water flowing around never even sees the radiator..

[Chuck]

 
 Ysterday I filled everything up - Engine cold- Started and the ecpansion tank looked like it was boiling ( no heat just lots of bubbles or water movement)

I can feel air pressure BY hand when covering Tanke opening  Using cap tighten ( engine running) and top hose expands - losen one turn  - PSSSTT! Hose shrinks - repeatable .

Theres nothing IN the cooling system that can emulate an air compressor ( when cold) soo....  Cars now going to have to wait till I can find a head  Interesting that there is no water in oil or out the exhaust..

Thanks  for all the input.

Chuck  with the four cylinder air compressor.