View Full Version : Cooling problem
DSMxTSi
08-15-2002, 08:44 PM
Jenni's brother, Benji, has a '91 GSX that has been experiencing occasional and wierd cooling problems. When it overheats the coolant is being pushed out of the overflow bottle. There has been no white smoke out the exhaust. So far we have replaced the thermostat, thermo switch, water pump, and cap. The radiator/fans have approximately 70K miles on them. We replaced the thermo switch with the new Mitsu replacement thermo switch when it had overheated a couple weeks ago and I found that neither fan operated by themselves, but did come on when the a/c was turned on. That seemed to work fine until he drove 3 hours away Monday, then it started to overheat again. He just called me on his way back to tell me that it's still overheating, and that the coolant coming out of the overflow bottle is cold. The new thermostat that he purchased was an off brand, nothing that I had seen before. Is it possible that the new 'stat is bad already? The car seemed to be perfectly fine on short trips or even a 30 minute jaunt plus some cruising. It will overheat beyond the point of damage, he has to stop roughly every 30 minutes to let it cool/top off the water then start driving again. I had replaced the head gasket a year and a half ago with a Mitsu MLS, the head at that time was warped up to the service limit but has been perfectly fine up until now. My thought is that the thermo switch was bad recently and during the few times it overheated it warped the head just enough more to now overheat again and push the coolant out the overflow bottle, not the exhaust. But that doesn't explain the coolant being cold coming out the overflow bottle, I would think that's a bad 'stat. Any ideas??
Thanks,
Cody
XakEp
08-15-2002, 09:46 PM
I need 50ccs of weed, STAT!
Yeah, stat....
hoffman
08-15-2002, 09:59 PM
yup. he should stick with the mitsu thermostat.
a little "water wetter" never hurts either:p
It sounds like there is hot air pushing out into the overflow bottle and that pressurizes the bottle a little and forces out the cooler water that was inside the overflow bottle.
When she's cold, I'd fill the coolant system, fill the overflow bottle up completely, then let the "radiator" cap sit off loosely. You know when it's on, but not quite seated all the way... Start her up, let her get warmed up and open the thermostat.
There might be a big air pocket inside the coolant system. You want to let it run until it is purged and nice hot water starts pouring out.
After you let it purge itself, push the cap back on all the way, shut the car off overnight and let the coolant system pull in the additional coolant from the overflow bottle you just filled up.
Also make sure that radiator cap fits very well, I've heard that some aftermarket radiator caps don't seal well on our cars.
Also, that passenger side fan should come on all by itself when the temp. switch at the bottom of the radiator says to. Maybe check the wiring.
Red91GSX
08-16-2002, 03:16 PM
Hey Everyone! This is Benji, Jenni's brother. Well, now that I made it home from a 211 mile trip that toke me a little over 9 hours, I can say that I am totally exhausted. My sister has been begging me to get a DSM ever since I got my Mustang that I wrecked in December of last year. So far, I have totally regret it. I've only had the car 4 months now, and it's let me down three times now. After the tire blow-out followed a busted water pump and now this.
After looking at the car some more, I am to 90% sure that the Head is either warped or cracked. The Thermostat is fine as I tested it in boiling water, the fan comes on when it's suppose to, the Radiator is fine and is not clogged up, etc ... and I just replaced the water pump. What else could it be? The coolant coming out of the over-flow bottle is not cold either. I felt the water after it had hit the ground, therefor it had felt like it was cool. I am able to drive the car without overheating until all the water out of the radiator is gone. Once I fill it up again, I can drive it for another 15 minutes or so. I always checked to see if I had any leaks, but the only place where I could see coolant was out of the over-flow bottle.
Anyways, time to get the head-rebuild, or maybe sell the car as I have had no luck with it whatsoever. Maybe some of you guy's could convince me into keeping it instead of getting another Fox-Body Mustang!
Benji
Hi Benji,
Just for shits and giggles, check the torque on all of your headbolts, follow the factory specified order and see if they are all there. Can't hurt...
Keep your DSM, because the first time Cody's AWD eats you up in your Mustang you'll be hating life, hehe.
Red91GSX
08-19-2002, 11:36 AM
Originally posted by Van
Hi Benji,
Just for shits and giggles, check the torque on all of your headbolts, follow the factory specified order and see if they are all there. Can't hurt...
Keep your DSM, because the first time Cody's AWD eats you up in your Mustang you'll be hating life, hehe.
Thanks. Cody and I checked the torque on the headbolts. All of them were 72. Factory specs says 65-72.
I always have Cody help me with everything since I am very new to DSM's and he knows the cars like the back of his hand.
One reason I am glad he moved back.
:D
thanks Cody!
DSMxTSi
08-19-2002, 06:03 PM
Aw shucks, I dunno what to say! :)
Vern, it looks as if we're getting the head that Josh (BatmanGSX) is selling for $250. We have checked, and double and triple checked, everything so far. The only explanation left is that the head is warped and/or cracked. My assumption is that the thermo switch did go bad a few weeks ago when it first started overheating on Benji, so we fixed that and it appeared fine until he took the long trip last week. I had put that head on a year and a half ago with a MLS head gasket and the head was warped just barely over .008, the service limit, so I think that when the thermo switch failed and overheated on him then that warped enough past .008 to start loosing coolant again. Hopefully the head from Josh will solve all problems.
Cody
Cool, cool.
Get some ARP studs in there while it's off.
Has the head been off? If so, how is the head gasket looking? Most definitely sounds like a pressure bleeding issue to me...
Red91GSX
08-20-2002, 11:43 AM
Originally posted by john
Has the head been off? If so, how is the head gasket looking? Most definitely sounds like a pressure bleeding issue to me...
Well, it's a MLS head gasket which Cody put on when It overheated on him. At that time the head was warped to a .008 wich is the service Limit.
DSMxTSi
08-20-2002, 05:51 PM
Originally posted by john
Has the head been off? If so, how is the head gasket looking? Most definitely sounds like a pressure bleeding issue to me...
We will be taking the head off and swapping the new head from Josh over the weekend. It's a Mitsu MLS gasket so I'm assuming that it should be ok, plus it hasn't been pushed past 14-15 psi since it was installed. We're pretty positive that the head warped *just* enough more past .008 to bleed the pressure out the overflow bottle. Hopefully all will go well with the head from Josh so Benji doesn't get pissed and go back to driving a Moochstang. :D
Cody
Originally posted by Cody&Jenni
so Benji doesn't get pissed and go back to driving a Moochstang. :D
Buwahahahaha, moochstang, as in mooching DSM's asses, ahahahaha!
Red91GSX
08-21-2002, 02:46 PM
Well, Josh sent the Head off today, should be here Friday (crosses fingers). We will keep you guy's updated. Josh even said that he was surprised of how clean it was when he took off the manifold.
lil-blackie
08-30-2004, 12:49 PM
I am going through the same boost/coolant overflow problem. Any update for us?
Thanks
Marc
sbiggi
08-30-2004, 03:53 PM
I am going through the same boost/coolant overflow problem. Any update for us?
Thanks
Marc
this post is 2 years old :confused:
Tofu4G63
08-30-2004, 05:40 PM
Maybe he used the search button as so many elder members advocate...........
lil-blackie
08-31-2004, 08:56 AM
I'm just looking for a little advice. And obviously I'm not as observant as I thnk I am.
I read a different follow-up post that kinda answered the question, though any advice on removing the head would be appreciated. I am thinking about the "short-cut" people have mentioned because I recently replaced the water pump, timing belt, and tensioner and don't really want to repeat that process.
Any other advice is appreciated; I have two teenagers, a wife.......
Marc
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