Help Me Identify This Problem.

x1genx · 07-22-2004

Ok, so bear with me here as i try to explain this the best I can.

My car is overheating, not all the way into the red on the stock eng. temp. gauge but its past the normal marks.

My battery, well its bubbling out water from the cells...*obviously this is bad, but why did it happen?and what the heck does this mean?*

An unidentified belt now makes a sweet squeeling sound *my guess is its the main alternator belt...its not broken tho however...*

I drove my car around the block and the turbo is making a more than abnormal spooling sounds...the car boosts fine..but its a gawdawful difference...the car drives and and feels normal..minus the fact that the spooling and the squeeling of belts are in the mix along with the overheating issues...

There are no leaks of coolant..it holds it just fine....
thermostat is fairly new
radiator is brandnew koyo
um, and the car is pretty much stock (a few boltons)

Is this a combo problem that just happened at once?
Someone please tell me its not a head gasket problem or something like that.
Car spits out the normal toned exhuast at idle, cause of my old turbo...exhuast is not white or odiferous. *what i have read to look for is in the exhuast color/oder for headgasket problems*

HELP HELP HELP...

x1genx · 07-22-2004

ugh, in my running around and pacing around I just realized i might be an idiot...
This obviously might be the water pump.
But if anyone thinks diffrently please let me know.
and again, why the heck is the battery doing what its doing

Raptor · 07-22-2004

Battery is probably being overcharged by the altenator, have one of the quick service shops like Midas or somewhere check it for you. Probably the internal regulator is dead which will cause them to overcharge and the battery can start swelling up and spewing crap. Not too uncommon. The overheating problem if it just happened could be something simple like the fans not coming on due to a thermostatic switch failure or bad relay etc, in the temps we have been having lately, it wouldn't take much to overheat it. With the belt squeeling, just make sure your waterpump is still turning and not pissing out water from the pump itself near the pulley. Check to make sure your fans are coming on, sometimes it just isn't that obvious. It doesn't sound like your head gasket is at issue. Hope that helps put you on track.

x1genx · 07-22-2004

Hey raptor,

Yea, there is no signs of leaking at all around the pump...i will check it tommorow in the daylight and make sure that the pump it self is turning...

I had a fan relay replaced recently too...i was pretty thorough when i went through everything the first time...but i noticed that the fan was not turning on.
I was blowing heat however full blast for several minutes while the car idled FAR over a safe temp. Maybe that offers any kinda narrowing of the problem.
As far as the battery goes ill get to the bottom of that too tommorow, along with the alternator.

I really really appreciate the help to, even tho like it seems some of this stuff is common sense, when i freak out over this thing i lose direction and common sense i appreciate it.

Raptor · 07-22-2004

No problem just want to help with what I can, sucks when things aren't working the way they should.

The fact that you are getting heat blowing tells me your water pump is probably working at least to some degree, the water has to circulate to maintain hot water in the heater core for that to happen. No matter what, if it is overheating and the fan isn't coming on, that is a problem that needs to be fixed and probably is the main issue since it sounds like you are telling me the fan isn't coming on now.
If you had to replace a relay recently, maybe there is something poping it and it is out again, Allan knows all about that type of problem

At any rate, if the relay checks out good and the fan isn't coming on, bypass the thermostatic switch (bottom of radiator, passenger side) and see if the fan comes on, if it does, the switch is probably dead but they are fairly reasonable cost wise. You should be able to use jumper wires on the plug to bypass it. Again, hope that helps.

Jacek · 07-22-2004

Ill agree on the overcharging. A dead cell wouldn't bouble.

x1genx · 07-23-2004

Oh hey, did i mention that this all happend at once? sweet huh?
ill get to the bottom of it tommorow.
But i have had problems with my fan before.. and even when not turning on the engine temps were very close to norm. and i mean very...

thanks again

Erik

IndiEP · 07-23-2004

Erik, just a simple suggestion but when you replaced the radiator, could you have forgotten to plug the fans back in?

x1genx · 07-24-2004

yup, they are both plugged in..but im pretty sure i pinpointed the problem...
so dont worry about helping me change the water pump.

**JET** · 07-24-2004

A quick way to check the fans is to turn on the AC. That will kick on both fans. It will not check the thermal switch though, just if there is power to the fans.

Raptor · 07-24-2004

Quote:

Originally posted by JET@Jul 24 2004, 07:51 AM
A quick way to check the fans is to turn on the AC. That will kick on both fans. It will not check the thermal switch though, just if there is power to the fans.

Funny thing is, we believed that about Allans a bit ago, tested it that way figured the problem was the thermal switch, realized that it doesn't work that way. The fan can get it's power from the AC fan but the circuit that has the thermal switch has it's own relay and wiring to the underhood fuse box. It can be fried, not come on normally, but still run with the AC. Go figure.

**JET** · 07-24-2004

Quote:

Originally posted by Raptor+Jul 24 2004, 09:57 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Raptor @ Jul 24 2004, 09:57 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-JET@Jul 24 2004, 07:51 AM
A quick way to check the fans is to turn on the AC.  That will kick on both fans.  It will not check the thermal switch though, just if there is power to the fans.

It can be fried, not come on normally, but still run with the AC. Go figure. [/b][/quote]
Isn't that what I just said??

**Halon** · 07-24-2004

yes, i think he was agreeing with you, just in a confusing way

LightningGSX · 07-24-2004

The sensor is on the bottom of the radiator, did you plug it back in?

IndiEP · 07-26-2004

So did you figure it out?

Raptor · 07-26-2004

I miss read what you posted JET or read something into it that wasn't there. Main thing I wanted to say was that it wouldn't check the thermostatic switch circuit by using the AC.

x1genx · 07-26-2004

Hey ya ' all...

Ok, so the fans work just fine...i turned the ac on...they kicked in...i flushed the radiator.....and MADE SURE i had a proper coolant mix...fired the car up and its still overheating badly...im really busy at work right now so i havent had much time to look at it..but if anyone wants to help me i would appreciate it . Oh and i just tried running it with a couple of thermostats and w/o one....and no luck ha.

again...thank you

ERIK