Overheating?

[SNKBITN!]

Ok fellas need some help here please. About a week ago I was leaving a restaurant with some friends, had about two people in the car, plus myself. It was mid day in vegas heat. While we are driving I had my a/c on and I noticed while stopped at lights the a/c would get warm. I then would start to drive again and it would go back to cold. It kept doing this several times. I then got on the freeway to go back home and I noticed the a/c was now constantly hot. I looked down and my temp needle was rising fast towards hot. So I quickly turned the heater on and kept the rpm's under 2,000 until I got home. By the time I got home the needle was back to where it normally is. I was like wtf? I let it sit for a couple of hours and then drove it again and it was fine. Well today Im driving back from a store and pull into my garage. When I get out I hear a bubbling sound and liquid hitting the floor. I look under the car and coolant is going everywhere. Well I open up the hood and my cap to the overflow tank for radiator resevoir is where its leaking from. Whats going on with my car guys. Is it because it is just to hot out? I didn't get on it at all. Sorry for the long post!

 

[WDW MKR]

You have air in the system. Sounds like the cap may be faulty, but that's no guarantee since it will lift regardless of the cause when the system overpressures. That fact that you may have warped the expansion tank during the overheat makes it harder to trouble-shoot. Do a search and you'll find a lot of recent discussion with steps to trouble-shoot.

In short:

1. Check all hoses and clamps to verify it is not coming from a loose connection or split hose. If all are good, proceed to #2.
2. Start the car cold and stand with the hood open while it warms up. Continually check the radiator inlet hose to determine if it gets hot. If it doesn't by the time the car is up to operating temperature, replace the thermostat. If it does, proceed to #3.
3. Wrap Teflon tape around the expansion tank cap threads to see if the problems goes away. If it does, buy a new cap. If it doesn't, proceed to #3.
4. Replace the overflow tank. They're not that expensive and have been prone to warpage or cracking.

**throughout all this, ensure that you properly burp the system to get rid of any air. An air pocket will cause the car to spit coolant and/or overheat. This will possibly cover up any progress you've made by making it appear to still have an overheating problem.**

 

[SNKBITN!]

Thank you so much. I actually have an lfp expansion tank and canton coolant tank waiting to go in, and a 160 degree thermostat. I appreciate the help.

 

[WDW MKR]

No prob!

Canton coolant tank? The expansion tank is the coolant tank. Do you mean that you have the LFP intercooler reservoir and Canton coolant expansion tanks? If so, be weary of the Canton piece. Several of them have been failing welds, lately. Just inspect is before installation and make sure you have all the hoses routed correctly.

 

[SNKBITN!]

Ya thats what I meant. And actually the coolant expansion tank is an lfp also just looks like the canton one.

 

[SNKBITN!]

Well I did all the test last night when I got home from work. Added more collant and followed all the above steps. Car is running fine. I dont have a f&*@$%g clue as to what caused this. Im going to drive it in the morning before work for one last test. Even though it passed I guess im going to get around to installing the tanks this weekend. Thanks for all the help!!!

 

[BackInBlack]

My thoughts were on the thermostat.

 

[03nightmare]

sounds like a bad cap or warped plastic tank. stock expansion do warp ever so slightly. If you do not have a solid looking ring on the gasket for the plastic cap you can bet your tank is warped. Any type of a leak comeing from that plastic tank will cause air in the system. sounds like your on the right track for a fix.

 

[CraigsSnake]

Thats so crazy because the EXACT same thing happen to me this weekend, word for word, and I took it to the shop and they told me that the fan was shorting out, and that the ac shuts off when it starts to heat up. Well they replaced the fan and flushed the coolant, and its fine.

 

[BLK03SVT10TH]

I'm just south of you about 150 miles. Let me know if this works for you. It's been over 115 degrees every day this week, and tomorrow it's suppose to be 125.

 

[SNKBITN!]

I wont be able to put the tanks on until monday becasue im going out of town on thursday. Ill let you know though if it makes a difference.