So I was driving home...

Therian

The Highlander

Founding Member

Apr 21, 2002

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1

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Waterloo, Ontario

Oct 15, 2007

#1

• Oct 15, 2007

• #1

and I noticed my temp gauge was going up, fast.

luckily I only had about 500 yards until my place. I parked it, promptly shut off the engine and opened the hood. It took a bit of time, but coolant started flowing steadily out of the overflow bottle and onto the road. I could also hear hissing from the valve covers, and see coolant bubbling out between the gasket and the VC.

I had a tstat done about 3 years ago when a similar problem happened. Could it be stuck open? Where do I go from here.

Looks like this is the last straw and I'll be putting her away until next spring when I decide what to do next.

 

BlackVert

15 Year Member

Oct 3, 2003

5,589

9

98

Bethesda, MD

Oct 15, 2007

#2

• Oct 15, 2007

• #2

i would think stuck closed might cause it to overheat, but not stuck open

 

Therian

The Highlander

Founding Member

Apr 21, 2002

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1

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Waterloo, Ontario

Oct 15, 2007

#3

• Oct 15, 2007

• #3

BlackVert said:

i would think stuck closed might cause it to overheat, but not stuck open

Click to expand...

I get confused

 

parchisi

New Member

Apr 13, 2006

519

1

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New Mexico

Oct 15, 2007

#4

• Oct 15, 2007

• #4

run a car a little. feel the top hose, if its cool even after the car warms up then your t-stat is stuck closed. Coolant coming out of your valve cover.....??? That doesn't sound good...

 

Therian

The Highlander

Founding Member

Apr 21, 2002

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1

0

Waterloo, Ontario

Oct 15, 2007

#5

• Oct 15, 2007

• #5

parchisi said:

Coolant coming out of your valve cover.....??? That doesn't sound good...

Click to expand...

that's what I thought. I could hear it sizzling, looked, and then saw the bubbling. I'll check the rad hose. thanks.

 

SQUEEZE&STROKE

New Member

Jun 24, 2005

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SOUTHERN CA

Oct 15, 2007

#6

• Oct 15, 2007

• #6

How is the coolant level?

 

davins130

New Member

May 21, 2004

424

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0

Oct 15, 2007

#7

• Oct 15, 2007

• #7

i've never heard of coolant comming out of the valve cover....unless you have a coolant oil mix running through everything and comming out of your valve cover...but that would be bad

 

Zero_chance

Founding Member

May 29, 2001

1,244

7

59

Maricopa, AZ

Oct 15, 2007

#8

• Oct 15, 2007

• #8

Could be blown head gasket. Only reason Id think youd have coolant flowing from around the head and valve cover.

 

C

cbarr300

Member

Jun 6, 2006

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goose creek, SC

Oct 15, 2007

#9

• Oct 15, 2007

• #9

I'd check compression or do a coolant system pressure test.

If you have a blown headgasket it could be pressurizing the coolant system (resulting in coolant overflowing) and causing you to overheat because the radiator just can't dissipate the heat from the combustion gas.

if the coolant really is flowing from the valvecover....then I'd have to put my money on a blown headgasket.

btw, a car can still run well with a blown headgasket....so just because the car runs well isn't a clear indicator that a headgasket isn't the problem

good luck

 

davins130

New Member

May 21, 2004

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Oct 16, 2007

#10

• Oct 16, 2007

• #10

+1 on the coolant pressure test....cheapest and easiest way to go if coolant is comming out anywhere, you will find the leak more than likely....if you dont have a pressure tester, you should be able to talk someone at a shop into pressure testing your car for free (takes all of 30 seconds and no tools)

 

go-stang5.0

New Member

Jan 27, 2003

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Glenview,Il

Oct 16, 2007

#11

• Oct 16, 2007

• #11

Yea compression test, coolant pressure test, and also check your oil dipstick. If oil is frothy just after running it could indicate coolant in the oil. Or you may just outright see coonant on the dipstick.

 

go-stang5.0

New Member

Jan 27, 2003

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Glenview,Il

Oct 16, 2007

#12

• Oct 16, 2007

• #12

Oh sorry...did it overheat...could also be a warped/cracked cylinder head. Not trying to scare you or anything but tellin it like it is.

 

Dino Dino Bambino

15 Year Member

Jun 13, 2007

1,672

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79

Cyprus

Oct 16, 2007

#13

• Oct 16, 2007

• #13

Therian said:

and I noticed my temp gauge was going up, fast.

luckily I only had about 500 yards until my place. I parked it, promptly shut off the engine and opened the hood. It took a bit of time, but coolant started flowing steadily out of the overflow bottle and onto the road. I could also hear hissing from the valve covers, and see coolant bubbling out between the gasket and the VC.

I had a tstat done about 3 years ago when a similar problem happened. Could it be stuck open? Where do I go from here.

Click to expand...

This sounds to me like you're getting overpressurization of the coolant inside the engine itself, and there can only be two reasons for that:

Thermostat sticking closed
Blown head gasket (cracked head less likely but possible)

The thermostat obviously did open eventually because the coolant started flowing out of the overflow reservoir. The simplest thing to do would be to replace the thermostat. Test the new one first in a pan of boiling water before you install it because even new ones can be faulty (I had a new Motorcraft 192* thermostat that wouldn't open so that's how I know). I went for a Mr. Gasket 180 degree unit.

 

Therian

The Highlander

Founding Member

Apr 21, 2002

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1

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Waterloo, Ontario

Oct 16, 2007

#14

• Oct 16, 2007

• #14

will try thermostat.

gut is telling me HG since I had the thermostat done about 4k miles ago.