Ok i was posting in the thermostat thread but this problem just got worse .

after about 8 hours i got the thermostat out lol... we tested it in boiling water and it opened.. not as fast as a new one but it still opened well enough.

1986 porsche 944 NA.. driving up hill car running fine i notice i had alot of steam kinda looked like a light fog coming out the back of the car (not the exhaust just out back)... top of the hill is a red light, no more steam but the car is HOT! temp is reading max and the light is on.. i quickly pull over and shut the car off.

steam comes out from the hood and coolant is visible under the car (a small amount near the middle of the engine (on ground)

I've run the car today at idle, i see a tiny puff of steam near the intake mani but nothing heavy.

car idles cold for a few mins, then it heats up and the temp keeps climbing past halfway....

the upper hose is hot.. the lower (BIG ONE) is cold and soft...

I cannot find a leak on the hoses, i've stared at the back of the engine and i don't see any water spraying out

I'm lost, i ran a hose through the rad, it came out the bottom fine, i sprayed water in the upper rad hose connection on the top of the engine and it came out where the thermostat usually is just fine.

thanks in advance...

tom

- hopefully one day i'll learn enough that i can actually give back some useful info instead of just asking all the questions

 

plugged radiator?

 

do the fans kick on? i had to hard wire mine because it failed (although i have a race car so i dont care)

 

OK next phase. Are you sure the water pump is actually pumping? Sounds more like you have no circulation. Hopefully your puddle is from a failed water pump seal and not the HG. If you can do a compression test it would at least rule the HG out and make you feel better. There really isn't anything to block flow except the WP or thermostat. Have you checked your oil fill cap to see if there's any milky looking stuff on the underside?

 

Did the cooling system get properly vented? Do you have heat if from the vents if you turn the heat on?

 

no they aren't coming on. the fuses are fine... what else can i check?

 

no milky stuff... how can i tell if the water pump is pumping?

 

Basically i'm trying now, to figure out why the fans are not kicking on

 

Have you bleed the cooling system?

 

How do i do that? I filled the rad and engine with water... filled the overflow tank and ran the car. it just got hot and the fans didn't come on.

 

Either a faulty fan switch at the radiator, bad wiring, or blown fuse/relay.

With the engine running, try to bleed it through the bleed screw at the top of the thermostat housing. Make sure the heater is on full hot, open the screw until water/air starts to leak out when it runs straight water close it and run the engine some more, squeeze the upper hose while bleeding can help. You might have to do this several times. In your case it sounds like you just aren't moving any water. Yopu'll know if your waterpump is working by sqeezing the hoses, you should feel increased resistance when you try to squeeze it shut with your hand.

 

^and i don't have any heat.... which leads me to believe that my waterpump is indeed shot.

I didn't know waterpumps just die like that..... How costly is this going to be? I'm a student working part time... i think i'm royally f'ed..

I don't even know what i could sell the car for.... i may have to drop outta school this semester and work full time to pay for this........... oh this is so upsetting.

 

Where are you located?

 

You beat me to it. I'm sure someone including myself could conjure up a good used water pump. Not to question your motivation but you really need to do belts while you are in there. The waterpump and belts is something you will need at least one experienced person to help with. It's not unsurmountable but none of us know anything about your automotive skill level, age and mileage on your car, or where you live.

 

Surrey British Columbia (Canada obviously)

age: 23

skill level: not great.. i can do oil changes and change batteries and all that easy stuff but i've never done major work on my own, i've helped friends do head gaskets and transmission swaps but i couldn't do them on my own. i need beer right now