Need ideas- Car overheating

[Loopey]

Ok, heres the problem. 2 days ago, a coolant tube got a hole in it, and my radiator ran dry before I noticed it. I got a new tube, replaced it, and re-filled the radiator. Now, the car is constantly over heating within 5 mins of driving it. I opened the hood, and watched it over heat. I noticed that the radiator fan isn't turning on untill after the car is over heated (red line on the temp guage). It gets hot enough that the radiator cap is spewing out all kinds of steam before the fan turns on. So does anybody have any ideas what to do next? Where is the radiator fan controlled? Is it in the ECU, or is there some sort of temperature monitor in the radiator or engine itself that could be causing the problem? I can't afford to have it looked at professionally, so any ideas would be great.

[Loopey]

Also, I'm having a serious braking problem after it over heats. I'll be going 75mph, and slam on the brakes. The pedel goes all the way down to the floor, and I feel resistance, but I dont skid. It slows down, but not as quick as it should. Is this a symptom of the engine overheating, or do I have another problem completly?

[Tranzlogic]

the braked acting up with it is tricky normally i would say no way are teh 2 connected but you say it only does it after its overheated ??? check the wear on your pads and your fluid level..then get back to me..cause im gonna have to get some info on this......

your thermostat is stuck more than likely..replace your thermostat and gasket...add in some red line water wetter that will help it out dropping 15 degrees....are you leaking the coolant you put back in ? check your levels cause the problom could be worse than just a thermo..but if your not leaking ANYWHERE then replace your thermo and gasket

[Loopey]

I replaced the thermostat and gasket this morning. The fan still isn't kicking on untill after the radiator is overheated. Brakes are working fine now as well, but I havn't drove it after it's overheated recently. I'll check it out later today. My theory was that the engine compartment got so hot that the brake fluid heated up. It was already 100 degrees outside, plus it's a black car and was parked in the sun. But I dont know what the boiling point of brake fluid is....

As for leaking, I am not leaking any coolant now that I have fixed the hose. Levels are only going down when it overheats and starts leaking out the cap on the radiatoir. I'm thinking that I'm just gonna replace the whole radiator, and hopefully that will fix the problem. Unless the fan is controlled by something in the engine, and not the radiator

[kmak686]

check the ECT senser that might have gone to shit

[mjgjr72]

will the car blow hot air out of heater vents when it is hot? are upper and lower hoses hot? if motor is overhaeting and upper and lower hoses are not hot you are getting no circulation and the hot coolant is not hitting the temp sensor for the raidiator fan on thermistate housing. you may need a waterpump had this problem on a civic a couple weeks ago the impeller on the water pump was rotted off and not circulating coolant.

[tightsol7]

It Is Probly Your Water Pump Leaking Anti-freeze So You Might Want To Check That. Because Thats What Mine Was Doing And It Was Fine So Check That Before You Go And Waste A Shit Load Of Money On A Head Gasket.

Tyler

[Tranzlogic]

ummmm if hes not leaking any coolant or mixing than his headgasket is fine

[Killa_CRX]

You said you ran it dry and your refilled the radiator... but you didn't allow the engine to fill with antifreeze I'm assuming?
Meaning you're running with about half the antifreeze you need.
In order to fill it entirely, start the engine with the radiator cap off, start filling the radiator... let the engine heat up... you will hear the thermostat open and start to suck coolant into the engine... the level in the radiator will drop... start pouring more into the radiator... keep doing that until the coolant flows back out of the radiator.. shut the car off... replace the radiator cap... run the car and see if it overheats again.

If you're still having problems with it over heating, go have your water pump and timing belt changed (timing belt is not nessesary, but it never hurts either).

Also... check for any kind of build up inside the radiator itself.. you may need to replace it if everything is crusted over.