Cars Overheating suggestion

[nissandr1ft]

On the way to work today, I noticed my car was running hot. Normally on a hot day the gauge reads 190 idling, 185 anytime else. It was sitting between 195-200 all the way there, and pulling into work it rose until 215. I figured this weekend was the first time Ive touched the heat, and maybe it was a bubble that was in the heater core. Driving home, the car tended to get hotter the more I was on the gas. It would idle about 190, cruising 195+, and if I hit the gas it got 200+. I came home, and bled the radiator with heat on for about 35 minutes, and the car was idling fine at 185-190. I took it out for a test drive, and the car reached 205 within a mile down the road. I checked the oil to see if I saw any signs of a blown headgasket, and came up empty handed. I left the OEM thermostat, and waterpump on when I put the motor in at 25,500 miles. My guess now is that the thermostat isn't fully opening, blades on the water pump are gone, or somethings clogging a coolant passage. Anyone ever had something similar happen?

Motor:
96 KA24DE w/ ~35,000 miles....boltons, and underdrive pulley


Cliffs:
1. Cars running hot
2. Doesnt look like headgasket, or bleeding related.
3. Seems to get worse with throttle.

[S13Leprechaun]

yep, thermostat, or, one time my radiator cap was bad and wasnt closing correctly and wasnt letting the radiator properly build pressure, so it heats up REAL quick... get as friends radiator cap and put it on after you repace the thermostat, that may very well be the problem... other than that, not too sure.. clean or get new hoses..?

[nissandr1ft]

I think I may have a spare cap laying around somewhere that Ill throw on in the morn. The hose are pliable, and still feel fine. Ill mention that I don't think I saw any boiling water in the overflow tank... never steamed, and it looked like it was in the normal height.

[twofortyrida1388]

Check bottom hose to see if it hot. Cold means stuck thermo. I know cuz it just happened to me. Flush rad with hose as well. When I flushed mine for about 30 seconds of flushing it looked like milky water then got clear. A bottle of redline water/wetter would be worth the six bucks or so it cost.

[S13Leprechaun]

also, forgot to add this, witht eh cap you have on there now, the main hose that conmes off the radiator, feels after about a minute or two, squeeze that hose... if theres no pressure, its prolly your cap... if there is, not sure.. lol... thats all i can throw down.. haha.

[nissandr1ft]

Well I just went out, and felt the lower hose... looks like the thermo is stick. Thanks for the help.

[S13Leprechaun]

hahaha... crazy... no prob. good luck.

[riander4]

s13 lep why is your rep so bad u poor fella

[twofortyrida1388]

After you fill it up don't forget to bleed system. !!WHEN COLD!! take cap off and run car until it warms up. Rad should be bubbling for a little while. Hope I helped good luck.

[S13Leprechaun]

s13 lep why is your rep so bad u poor fella

haha... idk... i posted a dumb question.. andpeoiple flamed so i talked shit back and now im here! :) gay... trying to get it back up tho...

[dops13]

When was the last time you replaced your radiator? Check if there's crap inbetween the radiator and the AC condensor.

[Xandy Boosts]

Let us know how it goes. I have overheating issues from time to time. I rebled my radiator last week and its fine now but I'm still afraid of taking it on the freeway or long drives at the moment. Thanks for all the suggestions, I'll do all suggested this weekend.

[kingyogi]

i replaced coolant over and over... i finally bit the bullet and replaced my radiator. when you do, go aherad and replace all the hosing too. replace the thermostate as well. first two days it was showing it was over heating, but it just wasnt building pressure for the thermastate.

[nissandr1ft]

Well I drove the car to work, and back today (~60 miles)...on the way over it ran ~189F, and 184F home. I ran a different radiator cap on the way to work, and put the original back on for the drive home. The numbers are a little warmer than it used to run, but all thats in there is tap water. It seemed ok, but then I did a 0-80 WOT run, the car went immediately to 190, and kept climbing till 200 when I got home... this was about 2-3 miles. I planned on re-flushing it, putting in water wetter, and distilled water tomorrow. The radiator is probably the original, and its clean between the condensor/radiator. Any suggestions???

[dops13]

Get a new radiator?

[nissandr1ft]

If it were the radiator why is it so RPM dependent? When the Efan is on, and off there is a fluxuation of temp... showing that the radiator is doing something.

[nissanguy13]

It could be the thermostat, system needs to be flushed, or air in the lines. Did you try to bleed it from the water outlet? Is there water leaking anywhere, are the hoses bulging?

[nissandr1ft]

Well the thermo is a brand new Nissan Thermostat, nothings leaking. I bled the coolant with the car on a decent incline, and I used a 2L bottle w/ the bottom cut out taped to the radiator to flush it. I let it idle with Heat on for roughly 30-40 minutes, and the temp. sat at 185F the entire time.

[nissandr1ft]

Well I guess tommorrow Ill get some of the store bought flush stuff, and see how that is. When I had the hose flushing it, water seemed to flow pretty well... I had the hose on the thermo outlet/lower hose, and let water flow out where the thermo sits.