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  1. Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Posts
    119
    #1
    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?

  2. Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Posts
    287
    #2
    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.

  3. Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Posts
    119
    #3
    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..

  4. Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Posts
    248
    #4
    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.

  5. Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Posts
    2,329
    #5
    or you chan have it checked to a nearby radiator shop. have it overhauled para sigurado.

  6. Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Posts
    287
    #6
    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

  7. Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Posts
    7,500
    #7
    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?

  8. Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Posts
    22,705
    #8
    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...

    Ang pagbalik ng comeback...

  9. Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Posts
    636
    #9
    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.

  10. Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Posts
    401
    #10
    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.

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Need help with  a cooling problem and questions