Urgently need help, car overheating!

[Baddata]

Guys need your opinion. I'm driving a 5yrs old Jap car with 200k mileage. The car was fine until lately for the past 3 mths it will overheat when travel long distance. I notice my temp gauge will gradually rise from 90C to high of 110C. On few occasion it trigger the overheating indicator on my dashboard. I have checked the coolant level many times however it remain at the same level so I guess there's no leakage on the radiator. Both the aircon and radiator fan is running fine. Sometimes i could smell coolant when i on the AC. jThe oil temp remains at normal level bet 100 to 110C. What could be wrong here. Could it be the thermostat or head gasket or blocked radiator? Any shop u guys can recommend to fix this.

[Pisces69]

Guys need your opinion. I'm driving a 5yrs old Jap car with 200k mileage. The car was fine until lately for the past 3 mths it will overheat when travel long distance. I notice my temp gauge will gradually rise from 90C to high of 110C. On few occasion it trigger the overheating indicator on my dashboard. I have checked the coolant level many times however it remain at the same level so I guess there's no leakage on the radiator. Both the aircon and radiator fan is running fine. Sometimes i could smell coolant when i on the AC. jThe oil temp remains at normal level bet 100 to 110C. What could be wrong here. Could it be the thermostat or head gasket or blocked radiator? Any shop u guys can recommend to fix this.

 

 

What u say i wud chk e thermostat valve that opens n closes when e engine is hot n cold. It allows e coolant to flow to e radiator when it gets hot. It cud b sticking.

Its not expensive. Change it sud solve yr problem.

[Baddata]

What u say i wud chk e thermostat valve that opens n closes when e engine is hot n cold. It allows e coolant to flow to e radiator when it gets hot. It cud b sticking.

Its not expensive. Change it sud solve yr problem.

Thank you bro, appreciate your input. Few days ago I went to autobac to ask for thermostat replacement but they don't have in stock. Do all car made uses the same model of thermostat? Is there any workshop I can go to fix it.

[Pisces69]

Thank you bro, appreciate your input. Few days ago I went to autobac to ask for thermostat replacement but they don't have in stock. Do all car made uses the same model of thermostat? Is there any workshop I can go to fix it.

 

 

U need to get e correct part fr yr car. Size n temp rating cud b different.

 

If yrs is a normal jap car....most auto spareparts shop wil hv.

 

What car u drive?

[Baddata]

Driving Honda crossroad bro.

 

[Ooosh]

Your coolant is those from the shelves when topping up or did you use water?

Coolant and water big difference and can reduce temperature

Suggest you go coolant flush with decent coolant

[Baddata]

Thks Oosh, done my coolant flush already. Using water wetter currently. Water only is a no no.

[Gendut]

Keep in mind the possibility yr water pump is not moving the coolant.

 

It may be the belt that drives it. Or the impeller is broken.

 

Easy way to check is run yr engine when cold and watch the open radiator cap for water movement.

[Baddata]

Thks Gendut, it might be one of the possibility. The water pump. The belt is running fine. I will change the thermostat first for cheaper option. It still overheating then the water pump must be the culprit. Will look at the coolant movement first thing in the morning. Hopefully will get all solved by tomorrow.

[5936]

what is the colour of the cooling water? greenish, pinkish, brown, whitish, or any signs of oil film and foreign contaminants?

I experienced such conditions before. Correct to resolve it step by step, cheapest to expansive n invasive method.

the temp around 110C is unusually high, and its boiling already.For me I checked and cleaned radiator fins, belt, engine oil, correct spark plugs, and I also replaced thermostat.

water pump replacement as last expansive option.

 

 

 

 

[Pisces69]

Driving Honda crossroad bro.

 

 

U sud b able to get part fm fong tat or fong mui. Honda last time was at serangoon rd near bendemeer but now the shophouse gone liow so u got to call fong mui n chk where ty move to.

 

U can also get fm reliable shops around veeresamy n race course rds.

 

Just try to get an original or oem part. Dun waste yr time wh autobaccs lah.

 

Get from authorised Honda stockist better.

 

Sorry not fong mui. Sud b u call fong tat at serangoon rd to chk their Honda authorised stockist.

 

Fong mui is Garage R n ty might send u there to fix but ty quite ex.

Edited February 22, 2013 by Pisces69

[Pisces69]

Thks Gendut, it might be one of the possibility. The water pump. The belt is running fine. I will change the thermostat first for cheaper option. It still overheating then the water pump must be the culprit. Will look at the coolant movement first thing in the morning. Hopefully will get all solved by tomorrow.

 

 

If waterpump faulty...it wil overheat ALL E TIME not once in awhile.

[Yeobh]

Base on what you have mentioned, looks like there is either heavy deposits in the engine coolant jackets or one or more of the water pump impellers may have broken off.

Edited February 22, 2013 by Yeobh

[JX83]

TS u can try calling stockist Thian Seng see have anot..

[Scandy]

Doesn't seem like the water pump, because if the water pump is not working, cooling water will not flow at all - so the car will overheat even when idling.

 

I don't think its the thermostat too, because if you can smell something, then the water is really overheating.

 

My suspicion is that it is that valve in the cooling system. The function of the valve is to let the car reach normal operation temperature as fast as possible. It is closed when the car is cool (to prevent coolant flow) so that temperature can build up fast. When operating temperature is reached, the valve opens and coolant circulates around the cooling system.

 

I had two cars where the valve was stuck closed, totally preventing coolant circulation and causing the car to overheat. Your valve may have gotten stuck half-closed (never heard of it but I don't see why not possible since sludge/dirt can cause valves to be stuck in any position), thus allowing limited cooling water to flow. So its fine during idling and short gentle drives which don't heat up the engine so much - because the half-open valve will allow sufficient coolant flow to balance the temperature. But during long drives (especially high engine revs), the engine will be hotter and the partially stuck-closed valve is not able to allow full coolant circulation.

 

Anyway, best to bring it to any workshop and let them analyse....if my guess is correctly, then its as simple as removing that valve in the cooling system. The result is that the car will heat up much slower after you start the engine, but other than that everything is unchanged. Just remember not to drive the car hard (keep the revs low) till the car is fully warmed up.

 

 

[Scandy]

Someone mentioned that it could be water pump impeller broken....come to think of it, it seems like a possibility too, since if this is the case, then there will be some coolant flow, but not the full flowrate. So it can handle gentle driving and idling, but not hard long drives.

[Happily1986]

Keep in mind the possibility yr water pump is not moving the coolant.

 

It may be the belt that drives it. Or the impeller is broken.

 

Easy way to check is run yr engine when cold and watch the open radiator cap for water movement.

 

I am thinking along the same line. If coolant level is ok but cooling not ok, one reason that comes to mind is poor circulation or dead volume.

[Baddata]

Doesn't seem like the water pump, because if the water pump is not working, cooling water will not flow at all - so the car will overheat even when idling.

 

I don't think its the thermostat too, because if you can smell something, then the water is really overheating.

 

My suspicion is that it is that valve in the cooling system. The function of the valve is to let the car reach normal operation temperature as fast as possible. It is closed when the car is cool (to prevent coolant flow) so that temperature can build up fast. When operating temperature is reached, the valve opens and coolant circulates around the cooling system.

 

I had two cars where the valve was stuck closed, totally preventing coolant circulation and causing the car to overheat. Your valve may have gotten stuck half-closed (never heard of it but I don't see why not possible since sludge/dirt can cause valves to be stuck in any position), thus allowing limited cooling water to flow. So its fine during idling and short gentle drives which don't heat up the engine so much - because the half-open valve will allow sufficient coolant flow to balance the temperature. But during long drives (especially high engine revs), the engine will be hotter and the partially stuck-closed valve is not able to allow full coolant circulation.

 

Anyway, best to bring it to any workshop and let them analyse....if my guess is correctly, then its as simple as removing that valve in the cooling system. The result is that the car will heat up much slower after you start the engine, but other than that everything is unchanged. Just remember not to drive the car hard (keep the revs low) till the car is fully warmed up.

This sounds like a thermostat function to me or is there any other valve other than the thermostat?