Overheating - Can't seem to get pressure

[John_R]

So I've been going from one problem to another lately. MY KA-T is now overheating at idle and while driving. I tested a brand new thermostat to make sure it worked. Then installed it like the FSM says. I've bled the system 3-4 times, squeezed hoses, opened bleeder holes, changed radiator caps to good working one off my other car.

The lower radiator hose never gets warm. Like there is absolutely no water flowing at all after it warms up. Once it gets really really hot, you can hear the water boiling in the block, but it doesn't seem to pass through the thermostat.

Is there a chance the water pump might not be working? Or maybe I should remove the thermostat altogether? Whats the best way to test the water pump?

[HS13KLS]

i believe...
that if you take the thermostat out of the car and run it, and it over heats really fast then thats your waterpump...because when you take out the thermostat it "regulates" the water and if its out that means the water should be flowing constantly...so again if it over heats quickly it should be the water pump

i hope that helps

EDIT: also look for coolant leaks, broken drive belt pulleys, excessive end play.. but i think it sounds like the water pump

[louisdaboois]

normally when the car starts to over heat under load, the water pump is bad. if its over heating at idle (lets say that the thermostat is good and coolant is flowing) a clutch fan with a fan shround should keep it fairly cool, if not an electric fan with a thermo switch should also keep it in check. replace the water pump, fill everything back with coolant. if the system isnt burpt properly the car is going to overheat. Let it get kind of hot and shut the car off and leave it alone for a couple hours. once cooled down, the block and rad should drink the remaining coolant from the resivour.

unless the crazy chance that your thermo was put in backwards, which should be spring side facing inside the block. or it was a bad one frome the assembly line and stuck closed. If you have a constant fan, and the thermo was consantly open, it would over cool and you see the needle dropping down.

[Modrified]

my dohc is not boosted, but your problem sounds exactly like mines was. after a short drive my car would overheat and my coolant would boil and my overflow tank would come so hot that steam would come out of it. i thought the problem was my thermostat wasn't opening up. but since i had an extra water pump i decided to do that one first because it was not that hard to do. after i replace the water pump, my problem went away. the weird thing was that when i was having the problem, there was no indication that my water pump was bad (i.e. leaks or the pulley being faulty).

since you replace, assuming it was installed correct, :) and tested a new thermostat, water pump would be the next thing.

[John_R]

Yay. One more thing to replace then. *laugh* I've taken it out 3 times tonight. It doesn't overheat very quickly at idle. Takes a while for it to overheat. But if I drive it, maybe 2 blocks and its creeping up to the H.

Guess I'll order another pump from CourtesyParts tomorrow. You guys suggest an OEM one, or should I get whatever Napa/Advance has got?

[Modrified]

Yay. One more thing to replace then. *laugh* I've taken it out 3 times tonight. It doesn't overheat very quickly at idle. Takes a while for it to overheat. But if I drive it, maybe 2 blocks and its creeping up to the H.

Guess I'll order another pump from CourtesyParts tomorrow. You guys suggest an OEM one, or should I get whatever Napa/Advance has got?

I replaced mines about 3 months ago with a napa and it is working just fine. Since your motor is boosted and obviously will be working a lot harder than my stockie dohc then maybe OEM is better?

[yoni_nismo]

+1 for the water pump... does ur coolant/water have any trace of rust because my brothers s14 had the same prob no leaks but just getting really hot after 5-10mins and the water pump only had half of 1 of the 4 fins left on it.. check it costs like 40bucks at autoparts store and if not it only would u the cost of the silicone to put the old one back on... GoodLuck

[John_R]

Very little rust. I actually flushed the motor out when I had it out last time. Same with the radiator. So something must have quit working....

Ordering one from Napa (only parts store within an hour of here) and pulling the pump today. Hopefully I'll find its just a busted pump.