Hey everyone, i'm noticing on my 84 928S that the temperature rises like extremely quick... and I mean extremely. This just started happening today and I am thinking it's possible that the coolant may be leaking (which would totally suck)
I did notice some spots on the ground under my parking spot so is there a safe way of telling if it's the coolant that may be leaking from the radiator that is causing this overheating etc?
Also, if it is leaking, is there a quick solution to get it patched up so I can bring it into a shop on Monday? Weekends are so bad for car issues... any help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

 

Start by checking the fluid level in the coolant reservoir. That's the big plastic tank on the right (passenger side on US cars...) side of the engine bay towards the rear of the car. Coolant should be at least up to the seam on the tank when the car is cold. If you have a leak the level will be low.

My later ('89) car has a coolant low level warning tied to central warning. If you find the level is low and you didn't get any warning, consider replacing the level switch thst threads into the top of that reservoir. It will save your engine for you on that day when you don't happen to be watching the temp gauge religiously.

As far as 'patching it to ge it to a shop', first step is to find out where it is leaking from. Most stop-leak products cause more damage than they cure, so avoid them if at all possible. After you locate the leak, if there is one, decide how serious it is. If the leak isn't huge and your shop is close, just fill the reservoir with distilled water and get there before much leaks out.

Known areas of seapage include the radiator tanks, where the o-ring that seals the tank to the body sometimes leaks. There are known iinstances of cracked tanks. Otherwise, hoses are very popular spots for leakage. Last and least desirable is a water pump leak, identified by coolant coming out at the bottom of the cover around the front crankshaft pulley.

There are numerous articles about coolant service, leaks, diagnosis, etc, on the user sites like Greg Nichols or Tony V1UHOH. If you don't quickly find the problem, your research might start there for clues.

 

Hmm, turns out there is a small leak/crack in the radiator (gah!). Well, getting a replacement ordered in and if in stock, I can get this fixed either in the next day or 2-3 depending if it's in stock.
Is there any products out there that can temporarily patch a leak/crack? I'm probably not going to drive it until it is fixed but I will need to move the vehicle to my friend's place where he will replace the radiator when it comes in.

 

Radiators can be fixed. Seams can be welded. Holes in the fin area can be fixed with, I think, glue. I have several years on a fin fix.
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To drive the car to the shop or home:
Fill the coolant tank halfway between the central seam in the tank and the filler neck. When you replace the cap, tighten it to the first notch only. This will prevent the build-up of pressure in the system, and will cut the leakage to almost nothing.

The pressure serves to increase the boiling point of the coolant - it the car is not overheating, there is no problem in running with a non-pressurized system for a short trip.

Watch the temp gauge, and if the engine gets hot, pull over and stop. Let it cool enough to ensure that you won't get scalded, and check the coolant level.

 

Outstanding Mr P. Helluva solution. Sounds like the kind of things that my grandfather used to tell me (no offense). He owned a parts store for 40 years in New Mexico. I ran parts with him during the summer when I was a kid. He could diagnose, repair, or otherwise resolve just about any problem on just about any model year car of the time. He had a solid solution for stuff like this all the time. Usually at night. On Saturday. lol Thanks for reminding me of him. And thanks for your 928 wisdom too, I guess.