CKCC Prez's Car at 223,000 miles OVERHEATING????

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CKCC Prez's Car at 223,000 miles OVERHEATING????

Postby 89ARIES » Sat Sep 07, 2013 12:28 am

Synopsis:

Went to Monterey, and the temperature guage seemed normal like it always had been. Drove through 105
degrees in Sacramento. The following day, went to my friend's home in Lodi, and it was only 97.
Parked the car for four hours. Said my goodbye and was about to leave for SoCal. Went only 5-8 minutes down
the road, when the temp needle jumped almost to the top. I pulled over, and waited a minute. Was about to shut
the car off when the needle suddenly dropped down below half. Turned straight around and drove back to
my friends house. We immediately blamed a sticky thermostat. Got one from Pep Boys and swapped it in. Did not bleed
the system. Bear in mind that the temp guage is acting totally normal at idle, but erratic at times while driving.
So, I assumed the problem was fixed and made it back home the following day down the central coast without incident. Did
notice that morning in Gilroy that the temp needle came up higher than 2/3rds, more like close to 4/5ths, and stopped there
for a few seconds. It then shot down below half.

When I got home, the next day I started the car up in the morning to go to work. It shot almost to the top again. Wasn't sure
if it was going to come down. Turned the car off, but immediately restarted to see what would happen. At that instant, it dropped
like quickly below half.

Took it into the family mechanic shop, and had him bleed the system. He checked for a blown headgasket, did the engine test, said
he did the liquid headgasket test with the radiator, and charged me over $100 accordingly. I drove the car for three days after that. I thought everything was fine.
It seemed to act normal at idle. While driving, a few times, it came up to 2/3rds, maybe slightly higher, and then would come down. Came down
quickly in the morning. Very slowly in hot weather.

Two nights ago, the car had been parked for a mere three hours and I left the restuarant at midnight on a warm valley night of about 75-80 degrees.
I had only driven five minutes when that damn temperature guage came up almost to the top again. More like 4/5ths, and I was sweating it. It suddenly
popped back down real quick, below half. So, I tested it at idle, it acted normally. The next morning, I drove a couple miles, to see if the temp guage
would shoot up again. It didn't, but came down at 2/3rds while driving, and quickly cause it was cool.

Took it back to the mechanic. He is now blaming the temperature gauge, and threw a temperature engine sending unit at it. Probably going to get raked
another $100 bucks for that. I am basically taking the car back tonight and I am going to risk driving it this weekend. I am so pissed off at this car.

I don't know what to do. The only reason I "assumed" it was a headgasket was because the cooling system apparently seemed maintained, and the temp gauge is acting
way too erratic, and I am at 60,000 miles plus since the last head was done, and I know we reused the blots and put a FelPro in it.
There is no oil mixed with the coolant at the moment and car is running fine.

I don't know whether to take it to another mechanic, bleed the system myself, take my mechanics word for it and just monkey with the temp guage
by playing wire doctor, or just put an aftermarket temp gauge under the dash.

Maybe I am better off finding an assistant, bleeding the system one more time, and see what happens.

This whole thing is unnerving as I have no idea how hot the engine is running, and I should be able to enjoy driving my car.

Thoughts?

Your fearless and temporarily carless leader,
Guy
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Re: CKCC Prez's Car at 223,000 miles OVERHEATING????

Postby 86dodge600esconvert » Sat Sep 07, 2013 7:00 am

I would agree that it is not the head gasket in that the temp wouldn't shoot down while running. I have had a low coolant level do weird things with the temp. I have had trouble with thermostats and have put them into a pot of water with a candy thermometer to see where they open and if they open all the way. Just because it is new doesn't mean that it is good. I have seen some mechanics drill a small hole (about 1/8 and some come with one) in the thermostat to let a small amount of coolant flow all the time the car is running. This can help with bleeding the system. Your car seemed to work for a few days after you had that done. You seem to have trouble after it sits then start it again. Once the temp gets hot and cools off is it OK until it is shut off again? When you start your car the coolant expands,makes pressure then overflows into the overflow bottle. When it cools the cooling system pulls some vacuum and sucks the coolant back from the overflow bottle. 60s cars just sucked air into the rad and worked fine. You might have some kind of a small leak at a heater hose or some connection on the motor. I did put an aftermarket electric temp gauge on a Horizon I had and for a few dollars everything was new and an easy install. Just some thoughts good luck
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