alright
2000 cavalier coupe 2200 motor auto trans.
my problem currently is that my coolant lines are building excessive pressure after a 10-20 minute drive. whats going on? i know the lines should be firm, but the new hoses i JUST replaced about 3K miles ago, are starting to bulge after a certain amount of time.
i check the pressure and whenever i see a hose like i did earlier, i release pressure via my overflow cap.
after i released the pressure, my motor ran cooler (just under 195) which is where it should be running. correct?
usually my engine runs a decent bit warmer than this. why is this happening and what can i do about it?
im leaking coolant through somewhere on my radiator, so i should be LOSING pressure if anything.... the motor has always run warm like this, well before the leak developed after an incident with a deer in november.
i want to replace my entire cooling system
(water pump, lines, overflow bottle, radiator... everything) but i wonder if anybody can give me a ballpark estimate for all of this. (just a ballpark, no "go get it checked out yourself" and dont bull**** me)
i have a trip to MD from SC in two weeks, and im not trying to have a problem then.
thanks guys
eww boo that thought.
so far i havent seen any coolant mixing in my oil, no foam, and i havent been burning oil. idk how else to check for a head gasket.... without rippin it apart.
Compression test it when the engine is warm.
im scheduling an appointment with a local shop to thursday... i guess ill see where this goes from there... lol thank you for the idea (though not a fun idea) ill let you know how it goes
Is air getting into your coolant? I know on ye olde Civic that became a problem just before the car was struck by an SUV. Woulda fixed it, too. I was blowing hoses and radiator seals left and right. I finally got an all aluminum radiator on eBay because the plastic/metal rubbish kept blowing seals.
------------------------------------
We all drive in a yellow Cavalier...
how would you tell that? i have been releasing pressure from the system via the overflow... and no coolant is splashing out... i assume that is what you mean, so i guess the answer is yes, air could be getting into the system.
the overflow cap is supposed to vent any pressure higher than 15psi or so...should try a new cap.
Burning To Rise And Disprove All Who Would Take Comfort In My Demise -Divine Heresy
so it should have the design to vent the excess rather than me doing so? hmm.... my cap was just replaced, it could be the wrong part, ill checkinto that also.
I do not think is the water pump because is not leaking coolant.
the overflow cap can only hold 15psi. go ahead an replace it just in case.
I believe the coolant system when is running generates around 8 to 10 psi before the thermostat opens. after the thermostat opens and the fan kicks on, the PSI drops down and cold coolant from the radiator cools the car down.
When the car cools down, thanks to the thermostat and the fan, the cooling system's PSI drops.
but,
The hotter the car runs, the PSI gets higher and higher.
maybe your thermostat is not opening all the way, you might wanna replace that too.
Now,
if the fan is on, and the thermostat is not opening even after replacing it with a new one and coolant is coming out via overflow, then you have a cylinder head problem and it needs to be checked for cracks or just resurface the top where the head gasket goes on because even if you have a small tiny leak on the head gasket, sooner or later it will add up to the cooling system, thermostat will not open thanks to the big gap of exhaust air and get up to 20-30-50PSI of hot heat pressure and thats probably what's blowing your radiator hose.
before you go and blow money at that shop get a combustion test kit.
it can be found at your local NAPA, auto parts
The part number is 700-1006
he price for this part is less than $50.00
and here's the link
CLICK
