Stu (S2) overheating
#1
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So the achtung light came on as I was nearing my destination two nights ago. It was for high coolant temperature.
I messed around and put more coolant in and called it a night. The next day - yesterday - we headed out with some extra water in case of a repeat. Didn't get very far - the needle climed to the top of the gauge. Stopped, opened the pressure relief screw and topped off the coolant. Proceded to go through this routine about 6 or 7 times to complete the 10 mile trip to our farm.
I assumed it was a stuck thermostat. Since these are impossible to check or remove when in the vehicle - I ended up breaking the thermostat open so it would flow coolant. This did not correct the problem.
I am now thinking the remanufactured waterpump that I installed, just this past spring, has failed. Based on the speed at which things heat up and get hot - I am thinking that the pump is not pushing water at all. How does this happen? Is it possible the impeller is not spinning on the shaft?
I messed around and put more coolant in and called it a night. The next day - yesterday - we headed out with some extra water in case of a repeat. Didn't get very far - the needle climed to the top of the gauge. Stopped, opened the pressure relief screw and topped off the coolant. Proceded to go through this routine about 6 or 7 times to complete the 10 mile trip to our farm.
I assumed it was a stuck thermostat. Since these are impossible to check or remove when in the vehicle - I ended up breaking the thermostat open so it would flow coolant. This did not correct the problem.
I am now thinking the remanufactured waterpump that I installed, just this past spring, has failed. Based on the speed at which things heat up and get hot - I am thinking that the pump is not pushing water at all. How does this happen? Is it possible the impeller is not spinning on the shaft?
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I had a similar problem coming home from Hershey a few years ago. The PO had put one of those non-OEM cheap waterpumps in the car. It had a plastic impeller and the vanes had actually worn enough that it was no longer moving a sufficient amount of fluid....so if I drove below around 70mph it would be in the red zone.
It was a FAST drive back to NJ and the pump was replaced with the (much more expensive) new OEM unit and has been good since.
GL!
Joe
It was a FAST drive back to NJ and the pump was replaced with the (much more expensive) new OEM unit and has been good since.
GL!
Joe
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I had a similar (Identical?) experience with my '90 S2. The factory original pump failed at IIRC 50 ~ 60K miles. It had a plastic impeller which began to spin on the shaft. I believe that it is press-fit from the factory and that the heat cycling / age cause it to eventually loosen. On mine, the pump vanes looked perfect, the shaft/bearings had no excessive radial or axial play, there wasn't a drop of coolant leaking, but when I got the pump off it was obvious - with the pulley held stopped the impeller spun easily.
Good luck with it!
Good luck with it!
#10
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I had a similar (Identical?) experience with my '90 S2. The factory original pump failed at IIRC 50 ~ 60K miles. It had a plastic impeller which began to spin on the shaft. I believe that it is press-fit from the factory and that the heat cycling / age cause it to eventually loosen. On mine, the pump vanes looked perfect, the shaft/bearings had no excessive radial or axial play, there wasn't a drop of coolant leaking, but when I got the pump off it was obvious - with the pulley held stopped the impeller spun easily.
Good luck with it!
Good luck with it!
Ordered a new (rebuilt) unit. Will need to very careful with regard to belt tensioning with the auto-tensioner. It may have been too tight.
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Curious why you went the rebuilt route?
When I did mine a few years back, it was only about $100 cheaper than new....and when you add in the labor if it **** the bed.....I sprang for the new one.
Also curious...was the one that failed the non-oem with the plastic impeller?
When I did mine a few years back, it was only about $100 cheaper than new....and when you add in the labor if it **** the bed.....I sprang for the new one.
Also curious...was the one that failed the non-oem with the plastic impeller?
#12
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Curious why you went the rebuilt route?
When I did mine a few years back, it was only about $100 cheaper than new....and when you add in the labor if it **** the bed.....I sprang for the new one.
Also curious...was the one that failed the non-oem with the plastic impeller?
When I did mine a few years back, it was only about $100 cheaper than new....and when you add in the labor if it **** the bed.....I sprang for the new one.
Also curious...was the one that failed the non-oem with the plastic impeller?
Yes - it had the plastic impeller. I don't know that is was non-OEM. It's very likely that it was an OEM pump. It was not that important to me to fully investigate whether it was or was not.