ka24de overheating at idle

[OoAtreyuloO]

So my s13 is over heating when at idle after mechanic changed the alternator. PREVIOUS to this the car had not over heated in 5 months after I installed a thermostat.

So when I'm driving its fine it cools half way and when I idle for a while it might go up.
I bled the system last night with new fluid ... I've felt with heating issues before but I'm confused...could it be the alternator belts to tight and mind this is a stock ka. Its keeping warm right above half time for another thermo?

[s13_maJiK]

It's always a possibility that your thermostat when out again, I went through two in a couple months of each other.

Are you having to add coolant?
Do you have aftermarket fans?
Does the temp go down after you start driving?
Is your car blowing hot air?

PS: The alternator belt being too tight wouldn't affect your cooling system.

[OoAtreyuloO]

It's always a possibility that your thermostat when out again, I went through two in a couple months of each other.

Are you having to add coolant?
Do you have aftermarket fans?
Does the temp go down after you start driving?
Is your car blowing hot air?

PS: The alternator belt being too tight wouldn't affect your cooling system.

I added coolant only because my lower hose had previously came off do to faulty clamp.and I have the stock AC fan and clutch fan and it does go down when I drive. No AC components but fan

[Edwin562]

whats buggin me is that u state the bottom hose came off..... your cooling system seems like if it builds too much pressure...hows the radiator cap?? new ??

[HS13KLS]

id double check that thermostat, let your car idle with your heater on full blast and make sure that your coolant is flowing and just keep topping it off.

You might just have air/bubbles in your hose.

[OoAtreyuloO]

whats buggin me is that u state the bottom hose came off..... your cooling system seems like if it builds too much pressure...hows the radiator cap?? new ??

Right ...well it is a new lower hose and the clamp wasn't even tight smh. The cap is nice and snug and I don't know how old it is

[OoAtreyuloO]

id double check that thermostat, let your car idle with your heater on full blast and make sure that your coolant is flowing and just keep topping it off.

You might just have air/bubbles in your hose.

I will recheck it and the thermostat is autozone

[wangan_cruiser]

if you think you did it right bleeding the whole system. check your fan clutch.

you saying it doesnt overheat when you drive it but when sitting idle on a stop light or full stop it overheats? definitely its your fan clutch. its not cooling your radiator enough

dont cheap out on thermostat go for oem.

[s13_maJiK]

whats buggin me is that u state the bottom hose came off..... your cooling system seems like if it builds too much pressure...hows the radiator cap?? new ??

He said there was a bad clamp

I added coolant only because my lower hose had previously came off do to faulty clamp.and I have the stock AC fan and clutch fan and it does go down when I drive. No AC components but fan

Edit, wangan_cruiser's got it right, I would check that.

[JZenki]

Check hoses, if top is hot and bottom is cool, chances are your rad is corroded or your thermo isn't opening check my thread about temp issues.. you might have to drill holes around your thermo since its not OEM

[mattack69]

not to insult you or anything but did you put the thermostat in the right side up? Did you bleed the air out? did you over tighten any of the tensioners that would put stress on your water pump causing it to go out? things I would check. Hope this gets fixed!

[OoAtreyuloO]

if you think you did it right bleeding the whole system. check your fan clutch.

you saying it doesnt overheat when you drive it but when sitting idle on a stop light or full stop it overheats? definitely its your fan clutch. its not cooling your radiator enough

dont cheap out on thermostat go for oem.

I checked my clutch fan and its working properly ..no bends or cracks or wobbly. I will go buy another thermo today and it'll be oem

[OoAtreyuloO]

He said there was a bad clamp



Edit, wangan_cruiser's got it right, I would check that.

Yea the clamp was cheap and now has new ones

Just checked and its fine... my idea is could the new alternator belt be loose that it isn't tight on the water pump?

[OoAtreyuloO]

Check hoses, if top is hot and bottom is cool, chances are your rad is corroded or your thermo isn't opening check my thread about temp issues.. you might have to drill holes around your thermo since its not OEM

You might be onto something the Rad just got flushed last night and was a little rusty :0 buut ill recheck the hoses

And as for my thermo its not old but ill get a new one aswell OEM this time but it is installed correctly.

[OoAtreyuloO]

not to insult you or anything but did you put the thermostat in the right side up? Did you bleed the air out? did you over tighten any of the tensioners that would put stress on your water pump causing it to go out? things I would check. Hope this gets fixed!

No offense takin. But like I said a new alternator just got done the same day it started happening. Hopefully it didn't stress the pump...and how do you check if its too tight. And I bled the system ... but it doesn't explain why it only gets hot on idle...

This only started right after the new alternator

[wangan_cruiser]

does your car sounds like an airplane?

[mattack69]

No offense takin. But like I said a new alternator just got done the same day it started happening. Hopefully it didn't stress the pump...and how do you check if its too tight. And I bled the system ... but it doesn't explain why it only gets hot on idle...

This only started right after the new alternator

If no water is leaking then your water pump is fine, when you installed the thermo did you leave the eye on the thermo at the 12 o'clock position or 6? It need to be at the 12 if it isn't there already. Only at idle huh that is nuts, my friend BMW did the same, his thermo was stuck open. Hmmm I dunno man. The FSM should tell you the right length and torque for the tensioner bolt btw.

[OoAtreyuloO]

If no water is leaking then your water pump is fine, when you installed the thermo did you leave the eye on the thermo at the 12 o'clock position or 6? It need to be at the 12 if it isn't there already. Only at idle huh that is nuts, my friend BMW did the same, his thermo was stuck open. Hmmm I dunno man. The FSM should tell you the right length and torque for the tensioner bolt btw.

Update it dose not overheat at idle i was mistaken by observation....it only overheats when taking off from 1st to 2nd gear than it goes away..... stumped...

i checked both my fans and they are pushing and pulling hard....i feel its going to need a new thermo and a good f...in bleed out!

[OoAtreyuloO]

does your car sounds like an airplane?

no not really sounds like a stock 240 really nice lol :hide:

[OoAtreyuloO]

So no updates yet.. going to swap the thermo and flush. And bleed today
Not driving it for the meanwhile

[badboy6686]

I recently redid my cooling system and only after replacing everything but the fan clutch, replacing the clutch did the job. My fan rotated fine and had resistance when I spun it by hand, but apparently it wasn't rotating as fast as it should.

[wangan_cruiser]

no not really sounds like a stock 240 really nice lol :hide:

reason i ask is thats an indicator that your fan clutch is on its way out. it happened to me then i went ahead and replaced mine.

[OoAtreyuloO]

When you replace thecclutch fan do you only remove the fan?

[wangan_cruiser]

When you replace thecclutch fan do you only remove the fan?

no. just go use an extended 10mm open wrench, you have to jack the car so you can slide the fan out from the bottom of the car

it still overheating?

[OoAtreyuloO]

no. just go use an extended 10mm open wrench, you have to jack the car so you can slide the fan out from the bottom of the car

it still overheating?

i removed the the thermo clutch fan and water pump all look to be in good condition. but none the less they will be replaced tomorrow :boink: