Need help with a cooling problem and questions

[Bud_wiser]

I don’t know if any of what I’m going to describe is normal for cars so please forgive me for my ignorance. Newbie lang ako eh..

The previous owner of my car obviously replaced the radiator with a smaller, local one that looks substandard. I’m not sure how old this radiator is. But he says as long as you always put water in it, ok lang. The car has never overheated on him.

So far he’s been correct. I religiously put water and the temp is always at the middle of the gauge. I’ve always add water when the engine is cold and the radiator inlet is too small for me to see if the water is rushing, confirming if the water pump is indeed working.

However, I’ve been noticed hot water gushing from the hose leading to the reservoir so I understand this to be normal. Just a few minutes ago I decided to try something that I’ve never done before: uncap the radiator after driving, while the engine is supposedly at mid temp.

I encountered resistance when trying to remove the radiator cap; I guess there’s adequate pressure and the cap is working right?

Hot water didn’t erupt when I uncapped the radiator but very soon after, as in a few seconds later, the fan switched on and the water started to bubble from the inlet, like it was overheating or about to do so. I scrambled to switch the engine off.

Do any of these symptoms point to a failing water pump or an inadequate radiator? Is my temp gauge accurate?

[rlp1099]

Kindly provide info on your car model

Other tsikoteers may be able to give more specific info.

Generally, most vehicles employ a pressurized engine cooling system with thermostatically controlled coolant circulation.

To test water pump:
-pinch top radiator hose with your hand while engine is idling then release it. You should feel a surge of coolant/water if pump is working.

-water pumps are equipped with weep or vent holes. If failure occurs coolant will leak from the hole. You'll need a flashlight to do this

-if water pump bearings fail a howling sound at front of engine will be present while idling. Water pump shaft wear can be felt if pump pulley is rocked up and down

By your description i'm assuming your aux fan kicked in indicating a working thermostat.

Since you took off the rad cap off there was no seal to maintain the pressure hence you could see the water start to boil over.

If the cap had been in place and rad pressure normally built up excess pressure forces the spring loaded valve inside the cap off its seat and allows coolant to escape to reservoir through overflow tube.

[Bud_wiser]

rlp1099,

the car is a susuki esteem with a manual transmission.

I haven't spotted a leak under the water pump yet and there are no howling noise coming from it.

thanks for the help..

[iqaruzz]

Before you get into extent troubleshooting.
try to flush your radiator fluid.
Buksan mo ang cap/valve/screw sa ilalim ng radiator and let water pass through it.
Put water in the radiator with out closing the cap underneath, this will make sure you dont have blockages in your radiator.

Fill it up with water close lid.
Start it then turn it off, take a look if the water has receded. Fill it up more and try it out.

This make sure you do not have any clogs or rust floating inside. If this happens again, your waterpump or thermostat may be on its way out to retirement.

[ian_rex]

or you chan have it checked to a nearby radiator shop. have it overhauled para sigurado.

[rlp1099]

descaling is the tech term for a complete cleaning of the radiator-normally can be done without pulling down the rad

this can be done at shops with the LavRamon machine

i had mine done at servitek Kapitolyo
less than 1k ang singil takes about an hour

they'll flush out the enitire cooling system with a cleaner then replace with 50/50 coolant/water mixture

my normal operating temp is slightly middle of temp gauge in all driving conditions

[CLAVEL3699]

I have a problem right now...

Nilusong ko sya sa baha kahapon and now im experiencing over heating not necessarily na nag over heat lumalagpas lang sya sa half of the thermostat.

I already drain the radiator and i notice di umaandar yung radiator fan ko.

Ano kaya cause non?

May pumutok na fuse or I need to replace yung fan na? Mataas kasi yung baha na nalusong ko kahapon at muntik na ako mamatayan.

Thanks please advise. Kung fan kaya magkano ang fan nang Honda Civic?

[niky]

mura lang fan. ...

don't know about civic, pero below 2000 naman puede sa evangelista.

check your fuses, baka pumutok lang... if not, have the wiring checked and then the fan...

[jackaroo]

Bud_wiser,

Just a few comments:
1) You could have excess air in the coolant system, as shown by bubbles coming from rad inlet. Just remove the air by uncapping the rad, let engine idle, and wait for all the bubbles to disappear. If the water level drops, then add til the rad top and then cap the rad.

2) A normal rad system will not require constant adding of water. You'll have to find out if there's a leak or it's overheating causing the water level to drop. If your rad cap is working right, then water from the reservoir should flow back to the rad once engine cools down.

[conzky]

hi fellow-tsikoteers:

I've got this little problem about the water/coolant of the radiator of my ride. I noticed lately, that i am adding coolant more frequenly than before-- maybe 3x a week, which should not be the case, im sure. I dont see any leak, my hoses are new, and my garage floor is as dry as the desert. This means, and i wonder, that the water/coolant evaporates rather quite quickly. I dont mind adding coolant everytime the level goes down, but i am worried i might forget doing that. And i am sure, its consequence will be a disaster.

Any opinions or suggestions from you guys?

Thanks in advance.

[fourtheboys96]

hmmmm.......kakaiba yan ah. ndi kaya humahalo coolant sa oil mo???

nag overheat ka ba lately??? nakakasira kasi yun ng gasket na magiging sanhi ng pagtagas ng coolant o tubig sa daluyan ng langis. since mas mataas boiling point ng oil, ang tubig o coolant eh mag eevaporate lang kaya nauubos.

tama ba??? hehehe

[mazdamazda]

are you adding the proper mix of coolant/water? baka puro coolant lang kasi ang nilalagay mo... medyo masama rin yun... try mong water lang muna ilagay mo...

tingnan mo rin yung mga dugtungan ng hose & your radiator... pag may nakita kang droplets of your coolant there, un na ang problem mo...

[afrasay]

nag oover flow ba yun reservoir mo? may bubbles ba when you remove the cap? kung walang leak sa hoses and radiator and there is no smoke sa muffler chances are (parang kanta ah) may sira ang cylinder heat gasket mo. what kind of ride/engine?

[afrasay]

ah ok nasa profile mo pala corolla, lancer

[speedyfix]

clavel, check the electrical connection to the radiator fanbefore changing it. baka nag short lang sya coz of the baha.

a rule of thumb is that no water should need to be added to the cooling system. the minute nagbabawas sya, this means there is a leak somewhere or a busted headgasket that allows the water to evaporate.

basta nagbabawas masama ito and it should be checked and fixed asap.

[yebo]

for those who are adding coolant regularly but don't see any leaks or white smoke on the exhaust, one possibility is that you need a new radiator cap. if the spring on the cap is already weak or if the rubber seal is leaking then the coolant will overflow into the reservoir. but you will not see any leaks since this will most probably happen while you are riding in the car. then when you have stopped the engine the coolant level in the reservoir will go down as it cools, that is why when you check it again you will find the coolant level in the reservoir normal, but the level in the radiator will be low.

mura lang radiator cap. it is best to replace radiator caps every few years anyway.

[konde]

sir yebo:: sabi friend ko, ok na daw na yung reservoir na lang check ko and wag ko na daw buksan radiator. mali pala yun?

[conzky]

Sir yebo, i think you are right, because one time i really observed whats happening: before my trip--about 30min drive--i filled the coolant reservoir to the max level. after arrival, i checked the coolant reservoir and i saw that it was filled to the brim. i left it that way. I went back home late that day and checked again the reservoir, upon arrival, and found out that the coolant level was almost at the min level.

Sir yebo, thanks for the enlightenment. And for the other guys, thanks to you too for your comments and suggestions.