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VT engine/radiator heat help

Gokz777

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ok where to start.


Over the past very long while, I have noticed that the water and coolant in my radiator boils. I hear a large gurgling/boiling sound coming from the radiator, and if I put my finger on the radiator cap i get 3rd degree burns. I have had regular services done.

The car has overheated a lot of times. I wait for 20-30 + mins for it to cool down, I open the radiator cap and pour in concentrated coolant and some water. I had a thermostat put in a few months ago, didnt know it was missing, and it still overheats. I thought the thermostat was meant to release the cool water/coolant mix when the car got to a certain heat?

When I go to fill the radiator, my coolant bottle is always full, never changes. I open the cap (when its cooled down completely), turn the car on and turn the heater on full blast. I poor the water or coolant in and then all of a sudden it will bubble up and almost all of the stuff in the radiator will come pouring out of the radiator, it just bubbles up and splurts out all over the place. When it finally stops and i pour heaps and heaps of water back into and put the cap back in, a short drive has the stupid thing boiling again.

Sorry for the lack of description, if anymore details are needed ill be sure to throw them in.


Anyone got an idea as to what the hell is wrong with it?
 

accentstencil

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It may need bleeding to get rid of the air in the system. Fill it with coolant, put the cap on and run it till normal operating temperature. Then undo the bleeding screw on the thermostat housing a couple of turns, air should escape. When coolant and no air comes out tighten the screw again. Repeat a few times until no more air comes out.
 

Gokz777

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It may need bleeding to get rid of the air in the system. Fill it with coolant, put the cap on and run it till normal operating temperature. Then undo the bleeding screw on the thermostat housing a couple of turns, air should escape. When coolant and no air comes out tighten the screw again. Repeat a few times until no more air comes out.

thank you very very much. will try asap and report back to u



sorry but when you say undo the bleeding screw, do you mean when the engine is on or off? sorry might seem like a stupid question
 
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edals

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Also make sure your heater is on max to make sure air is also out of the heater cores :)
 

accentstencil

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thank you very very much. will try asap and report back to u
Good luck, it should solve your problem. After you bleed it you will need to top it up again, but wait until the car has cooled down again.
 

Gokz777

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UPDATE: Never got a chance to release the air through the bleeder. The car overheats after a very short drive, then water and coolant pours out everywhere. I don't know whether it means I have a hole in the radiator or something else.

When i turn on the heater ONLY COLD AIR blows out, CONSTANTLY.
 

banga

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is there coolant coming out from around the water pump?
 

BECS

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take the thermostat out and make sure it is opening just put it in boiling water are both hoses hot and under pressure. head gasket check
 

Cheap6

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UPDATE: Never got a chance to release the air through the bleeder. The car overheats after a very short drive, then water and coolant pours out everywhere. I don't know whether it means I have a hole in the radiator or something else.

When i turn on the heater ONLY COLD AIR blows out, CONSTANTLY.

You should try the bleed - air doesn't transfer heat as well as coolant/water does. You do need to have the engine running when bleeding as the coolant won't flow from the height of the radiator cap up to the height of the bleed screw unless pumped there by the water pump.

Alternatively, use a "funnel" eg. bottle with the base cut off or similar, in the radiator filler neck, sealed to it (with electrical tape around the bottle neck) so as to raise the height of the water or coolant above the height of the bleeder screw.

The heater does have to be on but not all the way, just enough to open the heater tap. Run the engine for a few seconds if the car has been sitting a while first as the vacuum that operates it can bleed away on some cars.

If the bleed fixes it temporarily, you have a leak somewhere.
 
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