Water Pump or....
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Joined: Feb 2003
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From: saratoga, ca
going back to my test, put the garden hose on medium, and if the pump is working fine, the pump will keep up with the flow through the radiator. you get the clear hose from home depot , but you dont need the clear hose for this test. just a spare lower radiator hose to connect to the thermostat housing and put the garden hose in that. the lower hose will just spew water as it is pumped through the system and out the bottom radiator hose that is just open and pouring water on the street
this is a pretty good way to detect if the pump is working . put the hose on meduim and rev the engine to see the increase of flow and water demand by the pump.
this is a pretty good way to detect if the pump is working . put the hose on meduim and rev the engine to see the increase of flow and water demand by the pump.
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From: Sydney AUS
You need to warm it up (engine idling) completely with the heater controls to max heat and the vent slider in the up/down arrow position, and the cap off the expansion tank, this is the only and easiest way of burping the system. As the system burps you'll notice the level in the expansion tank drop. Help the process along with some occasional squeezes of the top and bottom rad hoses.
Assuming it is not stupidly hot where you are the engine should idle all day like this without ever spewing coolant out of the tank. If it doesn't spew coolant out of the tank and the level stays constant but the gauge says it's hot then the gauge is suspect.
Assuming it is not stupidly hot where you are the engine should idle all day like this without ever spewing coolant out of the tank. If it doesn't spew coolant out of the tank and the level stays constant but the gauge says it's hot then the gauge is suspect.
1982 4.5 US
Well, the car I purchased in non-running condition is finally running, but now that it runs, it overheats. I flow checked the radiator and it is letting hose water through without any problems. I replaced the thermostat, though I suspect the old one was working fine. Replaced the cap on the radiatior tank. Here are my symptoms as it stands :
Filled the system, worked on burping the air out by manipulating the radiator hoses. Ran it a little (about a min) with the cap off, burped some more.
Now, I can let the motor run till the temp climbs clear past the last white line, and I get no heat out of the heater, and the lower rad hose remains cold, but highly pressurized. Top hose is super-hot.
Any suggestions of what this could be besides the water pump? I'd like to exhaust everything else before I dig into that project.
Well, the car I purchased in non-running condition is finally running, but now that it runs, it overheats. I flow checked the radiator and it is letting hose water through without any problems. I replaced the thermostat, though I suspect the old one was working fine. Replaced the cap on the radiatior tank. Here are my symptoms as it stands :
Filled the system, worked on burping the air out by manipulating the radiator hoses. Ran it a little (about a min) with the cap off, burped some more.
Now, I can let the motor run till the temp climbs clear past the last white line, and I get no heat out of the heater, and the lower rad hose remains cold, but highly pressurized. Top hose is super-hot.
Any suggestions of what this could be besides the water pump? I'd like to exhaust everything else before I dig into that project.
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 212
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From: Fairfax, VA
I just noticed your from Bellwood. I grew up in Altoona. This is a bit off topic. Actually a lot. But, I stopped driving my shark up their because of the bad roads. Are the roads still full of pot holes? Boy, the looks I got from people in Altoona when I drove my shark up to visit family. I read were Porsche increases the ride height for cars shipped to USA by 2 inches.
I know sorry
Big AL in VA
84 928S2 Euro twin distributor monster
I know sorryBig AL in VA
84 928S2 Euro twin distributor monster
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Instructor
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Bellwood, PA
They have been taking care of alot of the main thoroughfare's.... but you have to be fairly familiar with the state of the roads to know where it's "safe" to drive. 
I'm actually from Altoona as well, just live in Bellwood now.
Back on topic.... so, i tried the whole cap off deal . Car was warmed up, turned it off, pulled the cap, all was well. As soon as i started the car it started pushing antifreeze out the reservoir.... and fast! .... So it seems that the pump must be doing something, just wondering why it pushed it out the reservoir instead of pumping it throught the system.
I'm actually from Altoona as well, just live in Bellwood now.
Back on topic.... so, i tried the whole cap off deal . Car was warmed up, turned it off, pulled the cap, all was well. As soon as i started the car it started pushing antifreeze out the reservoir.... and fast! .... So it seems that the pump must be doing something, just wondering why it pushed it out the reservoir instead of pumping it throught the system.
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Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Boulder Creek, CA
Strange... it should definitely not be doing that. Maybe these will shed some light -- I'll post them for your perusal then look them over myself to see if anything jumps out at me. So it doesn't push water out the reservoir when cold & running? Does opening/closing the heater valve have any effect on whether it pushes water out the cap? If so you might have the bypass and/or bleed line blocked.
Under the Lift
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From: Buckeye, AZ
Thanks for reporting back! Many threads like this end up with no conclusion. Your basic symptom of a COLD outlet hose with a HOT inlet despite a clear radiator was an indicator.