Overheating dilemna solved.
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From: Someplace with cones=AUTO
Overheating dilemna solved.
Well after a couple months of competing not knowing if I would make it home at the end of an autocross, I was finally able to diagnose my car.
Recap: my 1st run the car's coolant temp would be fine. Every consecutive run after that the temperature needle would skyrocket. My last run usually pegging near red. Last week I removed every hose, and flushed out the thermostat, and the coolant. Idled the car for about 30 mins and topping off everytime the thermostat opened. Went to a small autocross and no overheating problems. I was relieved.
Attended PA States this past weekend and 1st run was fine again, but then needle started to rise.
So took it to my sponsor's shop today to have him look at it. And as I suspected it's a head gasket. All he did was pull the overflow cap off and see if bubbles were coming out and sure enough. He also said just by looking at the hoses you can see there's a pressure problem. So the cylinders are compressing around 160-200psi and forcing some air past the head gasket into the coolant. Which is causing the coolant to push out of the radiator and into the overflow bottle (which is why my coolant would spill over). It is also pushing past the seals of the radiator, which I didn't notice. Cooling system has a psi of about 15-20psi. So that's nice to hear
Since air (instead of coolant) is now flowing around the head that is why I'm getting cooling problems.
So the damage is not too bad. It's about $400 in labor and parts. May have to level the head/deck for a new head gasket. But I may just replace everything while it's apart: water pump, belts, timing belt, alternator, head gasket, oil pan, clutch, and flywheel to get ready for next year. Which will add on another $400-600. ICK.
Recap: my 1st run the car's coolant temp would be fine. Every consecutive run after that the temperature needle would skyrocket. My last run usually pegging near red. Last week I removed every hose, and flushed out the thermostat, and the coolant. Idled the car for about 30 mins and topping off everytime the thermostat opened. Went to a small autocross and no overheating problems. I was relieved.
Attended PA States this past weekend and 1st run was fine again, but then needle started to rise.
So took it to my sponsor's shop today to have him look at it. And as I suspected it's a head gasket. All he did was pull the overflow cap off and see if bubbles were coming out and sure enough. He also said just by looking at the hoses you can see there's a pressure problem. So the cylinders are compressing around 160-200psi and forcing some air past the head gasket into the coolant. Which is causing the coolant to push out of the radiator and into the overflow bottle (which is why my coolant would spill over). It is also pushing past the seals of the radiator, which I didn't notice. Cooling system has a psi of about 15-20psi. So that's nice to hear
Since air (instead of coolant) is now flowing around the head that is why I'm getting cooling problems.So the damage is not too bad. It's about $400 in labor and parts. May have to level the head/deck for a new head gasket. But I may just replace everything while it's apart: water pump, belts, timing belt, alternator, head gasket, oil pan, clutch, and flywheel to get ready for next year. Which will add on another $400-600. ICK.
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Thread Starter
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Joined: Sep 1999
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From: Someplace with cones=AUTO
Well will not be able to autocross til this is fixed, but I need to start saving. I have a motor with a deposit on it down in Baltimore and the guy is being a bit weird. Been 3 months now and still no motor, but he will not give me my deposit back.
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Autocross is: 90% driver, 5% car, & 5% CRAZY MOJO!
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Sponsored by: KAM Racing Sports, Falken Tires, Progress Technology, Brady's High Performance, Taggart Performance Engineering, Rotora Brakes
Autocross is: 90% driver, 5% car, & 5% CRAZY MOJO!
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Unique VizionZ
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 96
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From: Pine,bluff ar
Glad you got it fixed do you think my car has the same problem?If you dont mind. Can you read the thread I posted titled Car overheating WTF?!?!?!? And tell me if its the same problem? thanks
Thread Starter
Honorary Moderator Alumni
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 8,735
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From: Someplace with cones=AUTO
There's no way for me to figure out what is wrong online. Take it to a technician. Could be several things:
1) water pump
2) bad hoses
3) sticking thermostat
4) head gasket
5) belts going bad
6) air bubble in the coolant
7) something in the coolant
8) radiator cap is leaking
9) bad thermostat
1) water pump
2) bad hoses
3) sticking thermostat
4) head gasket
5) belts going bad
6) air bubble in the coolant
7) something in the coolant
8) radiator cap is leaking
9) bad thermostat
__________________
Sponsored by: KAM Racing Sports, Falken Tires, Progress Technology, Brady's High Performance, Taggart Performance Engineering, Rotora Brakes
Autocross is: 90% driver, 5% car, & 5% CRAZY MOJO!
Autocross Help Page
Sponsored by: KAM Racing Sports, Falken Tires, Progress Technology, Brady's High Performance, Taggart Performance Engineering, Rotora Brakes
Autocross is: 90% driver, 5% car, & 5% CRAZY MOJO!
Autocross Help Page