DID it overheat or not??

Need opinions; here's the scenerio, you tell me what you think as to whether or not the engine got hot enough to cause problems later.

Last Thursday I had a radiator flush done, in which they had to unclamp the lower radiator hose from the radiator.

Well Thursday thru this past Monday, the antifreeze level had been perfect. I always double check for a while to make sure that all the air bubbles got out and level remains good.

Tuesday, Wednesday, nor Thursday I didn't think to check "anything" cause the truck's been running so good, and a cold front came in Wednesday night dumping snow and lots of moisture on the ground which is the reason that a slight leak went unnoticed - covered up by snow run off.

Any which way, I go to pull out the driveway this morning, there's quite a bit of antifreeze on the ground. Long story short, turns out that it came from a loose clamp on the lower radiator hose; popped the hood and found that the radiator reserve tank was just a very slight tad below the minimum mark, it was not dry but not completely far from it.

I have NO idea how much antifreeze was still in the radiator as I didn't want to pop the radiator cap - engine was already at normal operating temperature. But NOT past the half mark on the gauge, which is norm for it.

I know for an absolute fact that the engine NEVER got above it's normal temp - 1/4 or 1/2 on the temp gauge for the last 3 days; BUT is it possible that the heads got too warm without the temp gauge registering it??

Obviously I fixed the clamp and put more antifreeze in the reserve tank, and I know my thoughts are telling me that if the radiator was really low it would've completely dried up the reserve tank - but am not sure for certain.

Thanks!

i'd say your safe.

if you know the temp gauge never wen t red, you should be ok

You are fine ramblin. Those dash temp gauges are pretty useless, but they will peg to H if it got hot. Plus you'd smell/hear/feel it if she overheated.

Joel

Ok, well another problem has developed - I think the leak at the hose was just an area to release pressure. There's another MAJOR leak somewhere that we have yet to find.

Fill you in as soon as I know more.

Question though, can one have too much antifreeze in the reserve tank? Causing an overfill pressure leak?

I've had the coolant bubbling without any damage. It can sure be fun to track down a coolant leak! Good luck!

Ok, well another problem has developed - I think the leak at the hose was just an area to release pressure. There's another MAJOR leak somewhere that we have yet to find.

Fill you in as soon as I know more.

Question though, can one have too much antifreeze in the reserve tank? Causing an overfill pressure leak?


Reserve or overflow tanks usually have a puke hole just in case it does get overfilled or over pressurized.

Ok, well we got her home, slowly, I was at work 20 miles away when this other big leak started. Barely crawled under the truck as the ground was cold and wet, I think our high today was only 6F, and I didn't have at least the dryness of the garage floor like I had this morning, so I couldn't make out exactly where the leak was. But, it looks to be coming from the bottom area of the timing belt covers, straight below the V part - I'm thinking water pump.

However considering it's like -10F degrees right now, as another artic front has moved into Colorado, we parked her beside the house for now. We'll pull it into the garage tomorrow and take a look-see; at least it'll be a whopping 28F tomorrow.

Problem is, is I just threw a $700 tune-up on her that included all new filters and fluids, hoses, belts, spark plugs, 4 O2 sensors and a new rear ABS sensor - I had my feeling the water pump was getting close, however it's only been in for 5yrs and 90k miles. The mileage is about right for it's lifetime use, I guess, but I honestly figured the timing belt tensioner would go first.

After talking on this board with other members, who've been able to get at least 7-8yrs or 100k+ miles out of their pumps/belts, I stopped being so concerned about it and was just going to do it before summer. HA! Caught me in the butt, I'm just hoping that's what it is and not something worse.

Problem is, she's gonna have to sit for 4-6 weeks, don't have a dime to my name right now, even if I could do it myself (doubtful) I still don't have the money for parts; as I threw about $1200 at my other truck just a month ago.

But, give me the low down on where/what you think could be causing the leak so I know rough ideas. The heaviest amount of antifreeze was definitely just below the center pulley and below, right in the lower V part of the timing belt covers - in fact ALL belts, are just covered in antifreeze right now, but it was clearly dripping from the bottom of the V part area on the 3.2L.

At first I was worried about a headgasket issue - as this is what happened to our Toy in January, but it doesn't seem likely in this case. I surely hope not anyhow, I like this truck, but I don't know if I'm willing to go down that headgasket road on another vehicle.

Give me the complete list of items you all would change at the time of water pump replacement, obviously timing belt and tensioner WILL be done, but what else??

RF,
Sounds like you are way ahead of most everyone else as far as attention to maintenance and taking preventive measures. (and not driving a car until it gets fixed right) Can't think of anything else for when the wrenches are out and the sleeves are rolled up. Oh, and thanks for the cold front - it came from the rockies and is now in Maine. :eek:

If you still had water in the reserve tank you are fine.

And it sounds like the water pump let loose based on where you discribe where the water is coming from.

Doesn't that figure! Did you do the water pump before? Little curious to know if it's OEM, etc.

It's pretty easy to see if any of those little hoses are leaking at the top front of the engine, so I'm guessing you've eliminated those as a possiblity. Sounds like the water pump. The whole deal is not hard to do. It'll just take some time....and $$. Just use the mark and match method for the belt.

I wish I could send some of the 80 degree sunshine we have here in SW FL your way. If I ever leave the peninsula, I'll have to have a large, heated garage. Can't imagine working outside in that weather.

Great, thanks guys! Just wanted more opinions.

Nope this is not the original waterpump, had the 1st one changed out as preventative maintenance at 60k miles along with the belt/tensioner. But this is "supposedly" an OEM waterpump per the only guys I could find to do the job in Las Vegas, NV - which is a HORRIBLE town to have to have any car maintenance performed.

Next one will be OEM as well, what belt should we use?

Yeap, pulled the truck in the garage this morning - LEAKING like there's no tomorrow the minute you fire it up, definitely splashing everywhere it's even reaching the windshield now with the hood popped open. And it's making this wicked clicking sound, truck definitely is NOT hitting the road - will have to call a tow truck to come and get her and take her to our import mechanic!

Hard to say. If you can see coolant pooling in the block valley, the leak is probably up high on the piping under the common chamber, or the T-stat neck. Down low, it could be a corroded freeze plug in the block, a leaking water pump shaft seal, leaking hose, pinhole in the radiator or leaking upper/lower radiator tank. If you can see coolant dripping down the front of the block or from under the timing belt covers, it's prolly the water pump shaft seal. What was recently touched aside from the lower rad hose?

Joel

Nothing on the cooling system was touched aside from a radiator flush, new upper/lower radiator hose and oil cooler hose, antifreeze seems to definetly be coming from the lower part of the timing belt covers in front of the block.

I thought at first that it could be that wicked hose everyone talks about; but there's no antifreeze pulling on the top of the engine, only down the front in between all of the belts and behind the center pulley.

Freeze plug is another thought. We'll check it out more tomorrow, we're not feeling 100% right now and don't have the patience to deal with being cold - she's in the garage for now and hopefully tomorrow will be a little warmer.

What ever it is though, there's this mechanical clicking sound I've never heard before, and it's not from inside the engine itself, definitely at the front of the engine. I'm not sure if a freeze plug would make noise, but we'll be sure to look more thoroughly tomorrow.

I just feel horrible for the truck though cause it's gonna have to sit for at least a month, but we'll leave it in the garage so the battery doesn't drain too quickly from the coldness.

Keep the opinions coming, greatly appreciate them. I'd like to also start a "fix my truck" fund :rofl: taking donations :grinyes:

Anybody know of any problems that may develop if I let it sit for a month? Don't want other seals to go bad, but we've exhausted all financial means right now and there is flat nothing to fix this truck with.

you, my friend, have a dead or dieing water pump. its a classic case. the same water leaks used to happen on my 71 impala on the 350 cid engines. i've changed 3 of them out on 3 different engines--that had the same symptoms.

also disconnect the battery to save juice--the cold tends to zap them if they don't get started.

Anybody know of any problems that may develop if I let it sit for a month? Don't want other seals to go bad, but we've exhausted all financial means right now and there is flat nothing to fix this truck with.

Sitting for a month should be fine. Just disconnect the battery so nothing is drawing power from it and that should be all you need to do.

I've had enough of this cold crap. Got called into work today because of excel doing rolling power outages so we had to walk all our buildings to make sure everything was ok. Froze some pipes in 3 buildings that I know of (we have around 60 buildings). We get to do it all again tomorrow too. So much for our 3 day weekend.

i don't know how true it is? but i have always heard that using flushing chemicals ,during a cooling flush, can shorten a high mileage water pumps life? i have got a friend that works as a tech at a different manufactures dealer, he says it is like clock work after a high mileage cooling flush. usually that customer comes back for a water pump within two weeks? anybody ever heard of that? good luck ramblin!

I've really had my suspicions over this last year that the pump was going to go, wasn't having any cooling issues, it was just time for it. I had been trying to come up with the money to do the whole timing belt package, and then after reading on here a while, got to thinking it was no big deal to getting it done til this summer as those that were changing out there belts and pumps had over 100K easy. I only have 95k on this pump, so I figured it hold a while, but then yet, something to me - I'm just glad it gave me warning.

Most people don't get a warning when they're pump goes, it tends to just go and cause an overheating issue. Mine never overheated, so I'm VERY fortunate for that.

I'm also very fortunate to have a mechanic who's going to take payments; he sent his tow truck driver out to get it this morning and it's at his shop as we speak. He's putting in a new waterpump (obviously), timing belt, tensioner, tensioner pushrod, idler pulley, camshaft, and crankshaft seals, plus a new thermostat and he's gonna take a look-see over the one hose that goes under the intake plenuim.

Should have it back by the end of the week - can't thank this guy enough, he's doing a lot for me with only knowing my good paying history and having been a friend of my parents in high school.

it's great to find a mechanic like that.

..Most people don't get a warning when they're pump goes, it tends to just go and cause an overheating issue. Mine never overheated, so I'm VERY fortunate for that...

*Usually* you can catch a coolant leak @ the pump shaft. That's your warning sign. Once, back in the late 1980's I had a ford EXP that the water pump locked up on (bearings seized) & caused the timing belt to pop off. It stalled & I was able to coast into a parking lot. No overheat, no warning signs, non interference engine thank gawd. I suspect that's what would happen eventually on a 3.2/3.5 if your pump never leaked, since the pump is t-belt driven. I've never seen a waterpump that spun freely, didnt spring a leak, BUT stopped pumping all of a sudden. If the metal impeller broke apart for some reason, I'd have to suspect it would jamb/lock up and smoke the timing belt before any overheat took place.
G/luck
Joel

Thanks Joel - that's really good to know. It for sure sprung a leak, making a nasty mess, and I mean NASTY mess all over my side-yard and garage floor.

I can say that they give off a horrible clickety-clacky metallic sound when they've had it - at least on the 3.2L's. Good grief it sounded horrible, that's why my suspicion lead me to believe in something mechanical giving out, and not just a hose or a freeze plug leak. But, now that you mention that, about the T-belt popping off, I'm wondering now, if I wasn't hearing a loose T-belt turning with the pump near it's time to seize.

We had a '78 Datsun p-up when I was younger, talk about EATING waterpumps, that thing went through one every year! The last year we had it - mid 90's somewhere, with well over 300k miles - we ended up stripping the bolts on the waterpump housing because it was changed so frequently. We glued the waterpump on and called it a day - damn truck still ran; sold it to a friend who drove it for another 5yrs. Went to it's grave rusted out, engine still ran solid.

my chevy cavelier shoots out water out the spark plug hole, bad?