Engine Overheating after beating on it...

[ScoobyLegacy]

So this has happened a couple of time now i just replaced the radiator and then read that it would be the head gaskets..

well i took off the head gaskets and there was no sign on the cylinder passing through the gasket into the coolent passage.. BUT!!

the coolent passages have massive build up on them im taking A LOT but the hole line up.. The water pump looks brank new like the outside i replaced the thermostat when i did the radiator so... what you guys think i just got the driver side head on now so im waiting for the another gasket.. i will have it on tomorrow..

[ScoobyLegacy]

you think by fixing the head gaskets it would fix my problem?!?

[Shaggy]

Maybe, mine had a blown headgasket and i fixed and it ovEr heated on me the next day when i was mobbin my car up a pass and it ended up being a radiator hose that a a tiny hole that looked like it had been stabbed with a pen and it would steam or even spray out the hole.

Or u might have to much build up in ur cooling sytem and it needs to be flushed so it can flow properly.

[ScoobyLegacy]

but would that create overflowing into the overflow tank?!?

[Shaggy]

There is nothing wrong with my car and it holds an inch of water in the holding tank. I fill it up and it all magicaly disapeers. Yes i believe it would cause ur overflow to overflow because ur car is over heating and the water expands and starts to boil and goes into the overflow tank. The problem i had with hole in hose would make the water level drop from the escaping steam and there wasnt enough water to cool my engine so it would get to hot and over heat. If it is a blown head gasket then ur problem should be solved when u finish replacing the gasket. U'll know for sure when u finish. U should flush ur radiator any way though, u said there was a lot of build up so im sure it wouldnt hurt to do that too.

[Apex3]

Is there oil in your coolant?

I would start by flushing your coolant.

If your coolant is disappearing you either have a leak, or you don't have enough coolant, are you filling from the plastic overflow tank? Because that won't fill it up all the way, you gotta do it from the metal tank, just slowly fill it with the engine running until the level stops dropping.

One thing I would definitely not do is just keep replacing things hoping it will fix it, that's a good way to spend a lot of money for no good reason.

Also have you checked your oil level? If you're too low on oil it will overheat as well.

[bry]

1. remove radiator cap and start car. allow to warm and then check the radiator coolant for bubbles. bubbles = blown head gasket.
2. borrow a coolant system pressure checker from autozone BEFORE removing the heads. the pressure will cause a noticable leak or hiss if it is radiator or hoses. otherwise, it will just bleed down if it is a head gasket.
3. if #2 shows bleed down, borrow a compression gauge and check your cylinder pressures. this will tell you if it is leaking between adjacent cylinders. this will also tell you if only one head gasket needs replaced.

i can't understand why anyone would remove the head without verifying the problem. that makes no sense at all....

[ScoobyLegacy]

well i have the heads torq down to specs now im just gunna put it all back together which im only like 2 hrs from being done the car had 265,000 miles and from what the head gaskets looked like... they needed to be replaced i am going to replace the hoses and stuff like that... i work at Oreillys auto parts so i get parts for hella cheap.

there was bubbles in the coolant and the coolant was murky when i drained it.. if that helps..

[ScoobyLegacy]

Is there oil in your coolant?

I would start by flushing your coolant.

If your coolant is disappearing you either have a leak, or you don't have enough coolant, are you filling from the plastic overflow tank? Because that won't fill it up all the way, you gotta do it from the metal tank, just slowly fill it with the engine running until the level stops dropping.

One thing I would definitely not do is just keep replacing things hoping it will fix it, that's a good way to spend a lot of money for no good reason.

Also have you checked your oil level? If you're too low on oil it will overheat as well.

I am not loosing coolant it is boiling over into the overflow tank...

[bry]

yes, at 277k it probably does need some new gaskets, in lots of places.... bubbles are the first thing i look for. cheap diagnosis that is nearly fail-proof.

sounds like the block is full of rust and corrosion. you might want to pull the plugs out of the lower part of the engine block and clean out what you can reach. then flush the coolant system until it runs clear. if the corrosion has caused a blockage, it may have contributed to the failed head gasket.