Headgasket ok or not?

[wattawog]

Hi guys I just have a question. My little car had a burst hose at the back of the motor. So i drove it home. 5-6k's (bad, i know) It was a water hose. Anyways, i replaced it and my problem now is:
When i drive the temperatur egauge doesnt move up much.
When i stop driving all the water shoots out side of that actuall new hose i put in to replace the one that burst.

Now im worried about what the problem is... What do you guys think it might be? blocked radiator? head gasket? :oops:

[TransAm]

It doesnt sound like the head gasket to me - have a look under your oil filler cap, is there any emulsification, or does the oil look normal?

A cheap(ish) solution that might (with luck) solve the problem might be to go to a Kwik-Fit/Jiffylube type of place and get a radiator flush?

[coombsie66]

Seeing as the temperature guage sensor will probably be on the rad side of the engine, it sounds like you have a sticky thermostat, so the water's only going round the block, then boiling over and pissing out of the hose at the rear of the engine (which i presume will go to your heater heat exchanger).
Next time wait till it gets hot, but not boiling over, then very carefully with a rag undo the radiator cap (it may be very hot so be VERY carefull) if for some reason after you remove the cap the water in the rad is still cold then you've either got a block in the feed to the rad or a sticking thermostat.
If it is then it'll be a rad out job, try running water through the rad, if its pretty free flowing hten it'll be one of the pipes in the feed/return. If not then thermostat.

Definately not head gastket. Unless (as trans am said) your oil looks 'milky' with water in it.

[ZfrkS62]

When i stop driving all the water shoots out side of that actuall new hose i put in to replace the one that burst.


hose clamp may not be on straight. i've seen that cause a nasty water leak. either that or the neck that the hose fits over has been corroded away.

Easier way to tell if it's a head gasket leak, take off the radiator cap and start they car. If there is a geyser of water out the filler neck, then the gasket is shot. But your issue sounds to be elsewhere.

Most common problem, as coombsie said, is a jammed thermostat. This is also the cheapest :D

Let the car warm up and feel both radiator hoses. if the upper hose is considerably cooler than the lower hose then i would say its your thermostat. If the lower hose is cooler than the upper hose, its a plugged radiator.
This is a bit safer then removing the radiator cap while the coolant is hot (i've had one erupt on me and believe me, it's no fun)

[lev_p]

I agree with said before me. And since I had a blown gasket on my engine, and even managed to drive with it almost 1000 kms, it's not your case (Lucky you! :D )
I hope that you already replaced the thermostat. If not yet, you can get even a replacement one, since it's more or less the same shit for half the price. Next, look in this forum for a thread about refilling cooling liquid and emptying air from the colling system.
Good luck :)

[coombsie66]

When i stop driving all the water shoots out side of that actuall new hose i put in to replace the one that burst.


hose clamp may not be on straight. i've seen that cause a nasty water leak. either that or the neck that the hose fits over has been corroded away.

Easier way to tell if it's a head gasket leak, take off the radiator cap and start they car. If there is a geyser of water out the filler neck, then the gasket is shot. But your issue sounds to be elsewhere.

Most common problem, as coombsie said, is a jammed thermostat. This is also the cheapest :D

Let the car warm up and feel both radiator hoses. if the upper hose is considerably cooler than the lower hose then i would say its your thermostat. If the lower hose is cooler than the upper hose, its a plugged radiator.
This is a bit safer then removing the radiator cap while the coolant is hot (i've had one erupt on me and believe me, it's no fun)

Ah, yeah i knew there was a safter way to check the temps but had forgotten (rad probs are pretty rare in modern day cars).
Ive had a nice boiling over rad explode over me too, well i was using a large rag and a long arm, cus i could kinda see it coming! :wink: