Devia

You all have been wonderful, in helping people. Now I have a problem that I have never seen before, and it's a serious problem.

This is a 1991 Eagle Talon/Mitsubishi Eclipse. Symptoms of car in question: Hose is sucked verticallyflat, between the radiator and the thermostat. On this model, top radiator hose, and the thermostat is on the top/front of the engine, just outside.

Now understand, when I took it to the mechanic 2 weeks ago, it was doing this. Though I had put more antifreeze in it, I had a bad feeling. I had told my boyfriend NOT to drive the car the morning it was going to the shop, but he did, and the radiator itself blew. He misunderstood me, not going to again, after that.

After we replaced the radiator back then, we ran, and ran the car, but she didn't do anything odd temperature-wise, or anything wrong. I had thought it was the thermostat, an was going to chew up the mechanic over it.

Also, It's an automatic, and I feel the temp gauge is too high, just below the middle line, but everyone tells me it's not exact, and it's okay. On my 944 Porsche, it was rock solid at 1/4 up.

I also, last September had: waterpump replaced; all seals replaced; thermostat replaced; all belts replaced.

I am stumped, and I want to try and figure this out, before I tow it back to the mechanic. The only other thing I had noticed, is that she is losing a little oil, but that is normal for her. I try to keep the oil as close to the full mark as possible, when I drive it. She goes through 8 ounces per tank of gas. I needed to take her back to look at that; looks like a different oil seal, one below what I had paid to replace. I looked when we had her on the rack.

This car has a dual overhead cam, from a Dodge Neon; stock for these cars.

I have never seen a hose go flat vertically before, and I stranded my boyfriend and his friend, rather than blowing the radiator and/or the engine (Of course I called for help, I'm not that mean!).

My boyfriend is hopping mad, since this has cost us alot of money already, and he feels the mechanic should tow it to the shop himself, and fix it all for free ( I had thought the radiator going was mechanic's fault, but allegedly, these things can go suddenly. They said it must have had a block in it.)

I think it's really odd to do this again; I feel it might be the thermostat or the waterpump, with an intermittent problem. I just can't imagine what else is wrong with her!

I told boyfriend we need to correctly diagnose this, before we go finger pointing. It's mostly because if we don't use the AAA this month, it goes to 100 miles free tow, enough to get us out of nearly any trouble out here, especially with my upcoming Porsche baby (944, or ?)

Please answer A.S.A.P. for any ideas, so I can figure this puppy out. Since I am the only one mechanically inclined between he and I, I'd appreciate it.

Never seen this happen on any other car, so I appreciate all your help!

- Julie

marky522

I also have a DSM you might want to try ca.dsm.org its a canadian web site, and there is probably one for your areabut it wont be quite as populated as this one is. These guy should be able to ansewer your ????'s.

Hope this helps.

Mark

Perry 951

Replace the radiator cap. Serious!

billybones

I have seen this with old hoses. They are molded to hold the shape. There is a natural restriction because of the T-stat restricting flow even when open. The heat will get them soft over time. IF you have a new radiator and a new T-stat that should be all that is between the two. The suction the pump creates is more than the flow out of the T-stat can provide thus the collapse of the top hose under heat. Most times I have seen this is with a hose that had a previous pin hole at the point of connection with the T-stat housing and cutting off the hose and making it fit, If the hose is 13 years old it might just need a new hose.. HTH.

Devia

Thanks! That is the ONLY hose not replaced, due to it not being delivered. I replaced all the others. I'll have to use a wrench or something, to get the damn cap off! Can't move it at all.

I found the DSM website, and I'm hunting. Thanks!

- Julie

billybones

not to sound like an A- hole. the cap has to be pushed down before it will move.. If you got a new radiator. this should not be a problem to do. NOTE: the radiator cap should only be removed when both the top and bottom hoses are cool to the touch. I only say this because I am not sure of your knowledge and do not want to see you get hurt..

coolhand

might want to try <a href="http://www.dsmtalk.com" target="_blank">http://www.dsmtalk.com</a>

it's a forum just like this, only for DSM's

Perry 951

The 2.0 DSM motors have the cap on the water neck that comes off the head. Chances are it was never replaced with the work and it cannot vent.

Devia

Thanks, billybones, I do pretty good. I can work on a Porsche, too. I'm just using this mechanic, since he's done most of the work.

Perry is right, the damned cap is off the head, of all things. Never seen another radiator like this. Fortunately, I always do a fluid check before I drive any car.

I'm getting a new hose, and I'm going to put more antifreeze in, and going over to the shop. Mechanic says he thinks they didn't bleed the air out properly, and they will put the hose on for no charge. I do wonder if it needs to be put up, like a 944 does, to bleed it properly.

If I can find that cap, I'll replace it too.

I'll get the stupid thing running right, one way or another. Thanks, all!

- Julie

Perry 951

My Talon was easy to bleed out the air. I had a similar thing happen, overheating and all. Replaced the cap and all was good. (after replacing the T-stat and pump with no success)

billybones

I was speaking in general terms. Perry 951 seems to be on target. Christ a cap on the head? That is just asking for a failure.. heat is the enemy... Good luck.

MichelleJD

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by Devia:
<strong>He misunderstood me, not going to again, after that.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica"><img border="0" alt="[hiha]" title="" src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[hiha]" title="" src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" /> Gotta wipe the tears from my eyes! Love ya girl

Devia

Heheheh. Thanks Michelle! He loooves this car, so he's willing to do almost anything for me, after I've saved his hide again! He already blew one engine on his Tercel, and my cousin and I dropped another engine into that. Told him, not again, uh, uh! He walks after that. When he learns to take care of this car, then we can think about getting him a Porsche 944.

See, my evil idea is to get us matching 944s: him an automatic, and me one with stick, just to throw our friends off, heheheh. He thinks it would be kewl to have two matching cars.

You all are great! Found hose and cap (with emergency relief) for $12, so I'm getting those, dropping in more fluid, and putting the new cap on. Then take it to the mechanic, and let him put on the hose (yeah, yeah, I could do it myself, must torture mechanic today, ruined my morning!), and bleed it right. He's doing the hose for free, since I had asked him to replace it before, when the radiator was off. He just couldn't get one, before they closed that day.

Then we'll track down the oil leak, and get rid of that, for once and for all!

The mechanic drove an Abrams in the Gulf War. He's pretty kewl, and has always been there for me.

He even has an identical Talon to this one, same year, except it's white, and needs an engine. I was there the day the lady brought it in, and he told her she needed to fix the leak, but no, drove it. Now the engine is blown, and she can't afford to fix it. I'm waiting for her to sign it over, so I can scavenge the rest of the parts I need for this car. Even has a new tranny on it, so I want that!

- Julie

MichelleJD

Good luck! <img border="0" alt="[bigbye]" title="" src="graemlins/xyxwave.gif" />

Jay W

Definitely the radiator cap. I have seen this before on another car.