Cany Anyone Help w/ 98' 240sx Issue

[Mike98'240]

Okay I have a 98’ 240sx that just hit 60,000 miles. I have not touched the engine for the last two months, and now I am about to change the oil again. A few days ago I checked the coolant level to make sure everything is normal, as well as the oil. Just the weekly routine on making sure everything is straight.…

Well… this afternoon I am sitting in the drive threw to get something to eat and I leave my foot on the break instead of putting my car in Park (Yes my 240 is an automatic).
I am sitting in the drive threw for at least 8 to 12 minutes when I look at my dash and my oil temperature gauge is literally all the way tacked at the H! I am like what the FU**
So I finally leave and head towards home and the needle drops back down. Once I get home I pop the hood and can smell the coolant and as I look at the excess coolant level….the fluid came all out the breather.

Like I never put too much coolant in my car…especially never going over the max level…. There had to be at least 3 to 3 and half inches of open space before the coolant level could even reach the breather to start gushing out.

So my question is what the hell is wrong with my car?
So far this is what I have been told from a couple of my friends and one that owns a 240sx.

-“It is possible that your thermostat went bad”
-“Since you had a wreck on the left side of you car (which I did get fixed by Brookshire Nissan) maybe they never checked your radiator and it has gone bad.”

Well that wreck was several months ago and I have never had one problem out of my car…It has been tuned up, except for me actually changing the coolant…that is the only thing I have never done, but still the level was good and the fluid looked fine…..
I have never seen my car get so hot, I just can’t understand why it would over heat. I don’t think it is the fan because I could here it kick on/off.

Can anyone HELP?
<img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/crazy.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':crazy:'> <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/dozingoff.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':zzz:'>http://webpages.charter.net/misha/Gst&240.JPG

[Jeff240sx]

Good GOD! &nbsp;Is that your signature? &nbsp;Size that down, NOW! &nbsp;It is soooo annoying having to scroll back and fourth cuz there is a footlong pic there. &nbsp;
Not like you have anything to show with such a monolithic pic, except an intake.. which you might have been able to show full size in that space!

Anyway... to try and help ya.
My '96 doesn't have an oil pressure gauge. &nbsp;I doubt the '98 does either. &nbsp;I am pretty sure that you are looking at the water temp gauge. &nbsp;
Possible causes:
Warped head
Bad head gasket

Check your oil when you change it. &nbsp;If it is milky, you have coolant goin into your oil via your head. &nbsp;Doubt its the thermostat, or the water would have stayed in the radiator, and not gone into the engine, as the thermostat would have stayed shut and not let anything by. &nbsp;And your radiator can only leak... not too much else.
Also... next time it gets hot... turn your heater on. &nbsp;This will cool the coolant down, and then turn your car off. &nbsp;Frequent overheating causes warped heads, as well as bad rings and many other horrible things.
-Jeff

[Mike98&#39;240]

Thanks I greatly appreciate it. I am going to start playing around with it today. As far as the pciture, my apoligies... <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':0'>
But I will let you know what I come up with, and what happens...

Thanks Again-

[Mike98&#39;240]

I got called in this morning to work, and took my car...Hoping I would not have a problem making it there. My job is about 7 minutes from my house and i didn't stop at any red lights, and had my heat on full blast.

Well...the needle on the Temperature gauge went all the way back up to the H. and when I got to work and parked the car... the coolant started coming out the breather again...
so whenever I get the chance I will take a look at it....
Something is making it overheat... <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/nervous.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':nervous:'> &nbsp;<img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/huh.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':huh:'>

[Robthechef]

what you did was overheat your car and boil some coolant out, the reason you boiled over in the first place was most likly too much air in the system. I would sugest doing the following. this is the proper way to change coolant and every step must be followed.
run your car with the heat on full blast for a minute or so (just to open up your heater lines)
let car cool fully!!!
drain the radiator and the block (a 14MM under the exhaust manifold)
plug radiator and block back up
take top heater hose off and air breather by outlet of head (10MM) start filling the radiator with your coolant and distilled water, do it slowly, when water comes out of the top heater hose put it back on and tighten, pump the top coolant hose to help bubbles get out, do this for 5 to 10 minutes. fill untill coolant comes out the breather, but that back in tighten, fill to top of radiator, put cap on, fill overflow to spec.
Run car for 1 heat cycle, from nice and warm back to cold, note position of overflow.
that should solve your problem. it took me about 3 times at this to do it perfectly and she runs very cool now.

[misnomer]

Check the radiator cap as well, if it isn't holding pressure properly, your coolant could be boilling in the coolant system. Check the thermostat as well, if it's stuck closed, that water doesn't flow through the system.

EDIT: grammar check

[Mike98&#39;240]

Yesterday after taking it back home from work I almost did not make it... The car got extremely hot, like it did not want to stay on. Once I got home and opened the hood, it was like the fluid was not getting to the engine. I let it sit for a while and went back out to the car; the tube coming from the top of the radiator to the engine and the tube at the bottom of the radiator were completely flat like they had been air sealed.
It was almost as if something was blocking them from getting any fluid in and out. I open the cap at the top of the radiator and you could hear it make a loud hisss...sound from the air being released. I had a couple of friends look at it and they could not tell exaclty what the problem was. I checked the oil and it is not milky...but very dark and the oil was not that old...I am hoping me driving it so hot did not mess anything up... I have not checked the thermostat but i am going to take it somewhere that was referred to me: Japanese Auto Specialists

[Jeff240sx]

Dude. &nbsp;For the love of God, STOP DRIVING! &nbsp;Letting your car get overheated will fry rings and warp the head. &nbsp;Do your car a favor and tow it to the shop. &nbsp;If not... sign the title to me, and I'll tow it home. &nbsp;Then take care of it right.
-Jeff

[SR20Fastback]

You know a lot of the things you are describing really sound like a thermastat problem. Most of the things you described (hoses being flat, excessive heat, wanting to die, etc) happened to me on my old car when my thermastat was stuck. Replaced it and put new radiator fluid in, and I was set.

[Jeff240sx]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Jeff240sx @ April 13 2002,04:40)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Doubt its the thermostat, or the water would have stayed in the radiator, and not gone into the engine, as the thermostat would have stayed shut and not let anything by. </td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
OK. &nbsp;I totally thought that your breather valve was the PCV valve, or the valve cover breather. &nbsp;
If it was that, then the coolant would have gotten into the engine, like its supposed to.
But if thats not what your talking about, as you said you opened your hood and it was like water isn't getting into the engine... I would have to say thermostat. &nbsp;You can check it by removing it and putting it in boiling water. &nbsp;You should see it move open. &nbsp;If it doesn't, then it was stuck, and you now gotta shell out $7 for a new one.
-Jeff

[9591]

Dude. &nbsp;For the love of God, STOP DRIVING! It's been said before, but it bears repeating. Borrow somebody's car, go buy a new radiator cap, fill up your radiator with coolant (the radiator, not the reservoir), and put the new cap on. Following Robthechef's procedure would also be a good idea. But get the new cap, first.

[Mike98&#39;240]

For the love of God, Okay!... I am going to check the thermostat this morning, if things do not change...This ride is getting towed-
By The Way, after the fact of it happening I only drove it to work and back the next day...Yes, I should not have took that chance, but atleast I know what I to work with.
Thanks for you Help.....

[HippoSleek]

robthechef did not mention a need to deal with the thermostat, yet. &nbsp;He said to properly flush and fill your system to remove air. &nbsp;I agree with him 100% - air is the cause of most overheating in 240s. &nbsp;DO THAT first.

[Mike98&#39;240]

Well I drained everything and had to replace the thermostat.
They actually make some that are supposed to keep the vehicle cooler than the normal stock...which is good-

Anyhow- Thanks Guys For The Help <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':D'>

[sykikchimp]

--this seems like a good topic for the archive??--