Overheating, possibly headgasket, plz help

[bruce240]

My radiator decided to crack, and no the fact that i was going 100mph on the highway had nothing to do with it. :)
I have replaced the radiator with a performance rad from a 92 240 from a junk yard which was dried out, after flushing with chlorox and water it was installed. Still overheating.
I installed thermostat and let liquid gasket cure for 24hrs. Still overheating.
Installed new waterpump and let liquid gasket cure for 26hrs. Still overheating, but takes longer. I could have the car idle for about 10 mins and the temp stays norm. As soon as i drive off the temp gauge sky rockets. While the car was overheating i opened the hood and could hear a bubbling and sizzling sound coming from the front left side of the head down toward the idler pulley.

Now my question is, is it a blown headgasket? blown manifold gasket? bad radiator? or what, i desperately need my car back.

Thank you
Bruce, aka Attila

[monkey7]

Check your oil dip stick, maybe there might be water and oil (head gasket blown). Look at your coolant, if there is oil or looks like chocolate milk it is likely your head gasket. Or if your a lot blowing white smoke even when your car is warm.

Manifold gasket will just make a funky noise like air is coming out from there and not to your exhaust.

Did you bleed your cooling system? Air pockets can cause poor circulation of coolant and overheating. Run your car, leave the radiator cap off for about half an hour and you can see bubble escape from the radiator opening.

[bruce240]

Well the coolant fluid looks clean and the dipstick has oil only. I idled the car quite some time with cap off after each install and saw a few bubbles. So if it isnt a head gasket or manifold, why is my car overheating??? The sizzling sound still makes me uneasy...

[bp057]

Went through the same crap last week. started with a bad thermostat, then replaced everything but the water pump. Get the front of the car high so the radiator is a bit higher than the block, let it run until the thermostat opens and cycles water. Top off and cap it, should be good. Worked for me at least.

[kazuo]

Did you bleed the system at all once you refilled the cooling system?

Sorry to ask such a basic question, but you didn't mention doing it.

[bruce240]

Did you bleed the system at all once you refilled the cooling system?

Sorry to ask such a basic question, but you didn't mention doing it.


Bleed the system, as in drain coolant from rad after idling the car? No i didnt do that. I drained the system after replacing the rad, then after installing therm, then after installing pump. Now it is sitting outside waiting for me to take the head off, but wanted to make sure diagnosed the problem correctly.

bp057- i didnt try idling it elevated, i figured since i installed a new water pump it would have enough flow.

The things i am suspicious of besides the sizzling sound, what if the auto shop gave me incorrect thermostat.... or the radiator or system doesnt have good flow. THe only way to find out is to take therm out and inspect, and to buy new rad and test. My car is worth no more than 700.00 unfortunately due to hail and various other things so i need to get her running the cheapest possible way. Thank you all for your help, it is greatly appreciated.

[breakindrifts]

Sorry if you have already seen this, but it doesn't seem like you have.

http://club240.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8769

Should help a bit hopefully. :wiggle:

[bruce240]

Ohh wow, i havent seen that but it is great help. ty

[A17Z]

Sounds like a warped head. I had similar symptoms. When you are overheating do you see bubbles in your reservoir? If so it's possible that the bubbles are arising due to leaky compression.

[bruce240]

Well i havent really seen any, but didnt specifically look for it either. Im going to bleed the system tomorrow morning. I still havent found out where all my oil went... i pulled my dipstick and it was bone dry!

[bruce240]

Is it a ad thing if i can take the bleeder valve off while the car is at operating temp and no fluid comes out...?

[Phlip]

Is it a ad thing if i can take the bleeder valve off while the car is at operating temp and no fluid comes out...?
If no fluid EVER comes out, it is a VERY bad thing... Whether this thing is related to your head gasket is beyond me, I have never had one go out on any of my cars.

*knocks on wood*

[bruce240]

I thnk that i got a shitty rad fromt he salvage yard, the bottom hose is cool even after turning car off cause it overheated. I am now trying to flush with rad cleaner... will this work? or should i just buy new radiator? At the junkyard, the radiator cap was dry and the fluid was drained... Possibly really bad algie build up..... ?

[kandyflip445]

When you opened the bleeder screw did you have the radiator cap open too? You should have the car up on stands with the cap open and the screw out. Fill it till it starts coming out of the bleeder then put the screw in the bleeder. Top of the rad. then bring it up to temp with the heater running in the car. After you get the air out top it off again and replace the radiator cap.

When you overheated before the fluid probably vented out of the filler neck and into the overflow tank causeing the fluid to be low later. Make sure you top it off every time you do something so you avoid warping anything due to no coolant and overheating.

[bruce240]

I was parked on my drive way which is at a slant. I let the car idle, made sure all fluids were topped off, and as the engine was at running temp i unscrewed the bleeder, i figured it should be underpressure so i was turning it real slow.... then after the screw came completely off i figured something was not right. :loco: ohh and yes the radiator cap was open.

What do yu make of the lower rad hose being cold and the top one being too hot to touch?

thanks,
Attila