How to troubleshoot car overheating?
Overheating is one of the most common problem car drivers encounter along a trip. This is a regular thing you can see on hi-ways, main roads or narrow streets. Overheating significantly reduces engine performance and might seriously damage inner system of your engine. This why engines are designed to automatically halt when it reaches its temperature limit. Let me share you some ideas based on my own experience with my Toyota Corolla XL 4.
Causes of Overheating:
- No or not enough water: Water is the primal factor of controlling the thermal heatness of the engine. No water will surely make your engine to overheat.
Solution: make sure you put enough water on you radiator before running your car. - Improper water circulation: Sometimes, eventhough you are sure that you have enough water on your radiator, your car still overheats. It might probably be that the water is cannot circulate properly, which results to improper cooling process. There are several reasons for this which you can discover by yourself.
- To verify if the water circulates properly, start your engine without the radiator cap. If water circulation is good, you should notice that the water pops smoothly over the top but still retains the amount. Another way to check, detach one of the ends of your radiator hose from your radiator and see if water flows continously over.
- If water doesn’t circulates well, check the thermostat if it’s open. It should be open, meaning clean, and the water can pass through it.
- If thermostat is clean and still the water doesn’t circulate properly, then you have to check the water pump. That’s probably where the problem is. A little leak on the pump will cause improper flow of water through the radiator system.
- If you are sure that the problem is not about water circulation, another thing you can consider is check the engine oil. Very low amount of oil can cause greater friction of the mechanical system of your engine. If it’s not time to change oil yet, you can add over some amount of oil until advisable amount is reached.
While we can’t be always sure about our engine, especially if it’s not new, we should be prepared when it happens. Bringing extra gallon of water in your trunk will surely help.
Written by A. Cantos on October 27, 2007 | 9 Comments Leave a Comment
[...] Too cold engine is not as problematic as too hot. If this happens oftentimes, consider checking these guidelines. Or might as well have your engine checked by a certified [...]
Troubelshooting should follow a logical process of elimination process, especially with cars. Otherwise you can replace expensive parts and spend thousands on labor (head gasket, etc) without resolving the overheating issue. Draft flowchart for radiator, antifreeze and overheating issue below:
http://www.ifitjams.com/radiator.htm
Morris
where is the thermostat located in the engine
Hi I have a 2001 dodge intrepid. I have replaced a lot of things on this car starting with a new rebuildt 2.7 engine, new water pump (i’m sure it was brand knew but who knows these days) new radiator and new thermostat. My car is still overheating what could possibly be wrong. I have a cracked valve cover and my car is loosing oil due to that so I’m not sure what the problem could be anyone please help.
My car is over heating(1986 300zx) I changed the upper radiator hose, drove it somewhere it was steaming so I let it sit for a while. I noticed that I didn’t tighten the hose all the way. So I re-tighen it,filled it with water, turned the heater all the way up and drove it home a few miles. It wasn’t steaming really bad but it’s still over heating what should I do?
also even though you believe you have enough water, chances are, if you let it run for 15 minutes after it starts to warm up with the radiator cap off, you will probably see alot of air bubble out. just keep topping it off till all the air is out and you have around a 1:1 ratio of water to anti freeze. the more pure your anti-freeze the cooler your heat in you car will run( to an extent) if your car heats up the cools down alot, it will probably be a bad thermostat.
p.s. a thermostat is kinda like an apendix, you dont exactly need it. some times the outside cold will affect the thermostat and keep it closed, till you get a brief boil over which then the hot steam forcing its way finally heats the thermostat allowing water to circulate, fallowed by the cool water entering the engine, and when the T cools down it locks up to repeat the same process
Forward_in_time@myspace.com for more answers, or tips for engine matenance or cleaning
We loved your writing style, keep at it for us all!
over heating can b caused by choked radiator..
happened with me…got the radiator serviced n till then,car is sweet as nut-cake..
visit the website for any query u have…