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Sun 30 Jan, 2005 11:11 pm
Just wondering if anyone here can offer any help or ideas about my cars cooling system. It has a cooling system where coolant has to be added to the reserve tank not the radiator directly (I dont know what the term for this is). Anyway, about a month ago, while I was working, the car started overheating so I brought it into a local shop...they told me the water pump was shot so I had them replace it along with the thermostat, temp sensor and timing belt. Now at this point the car will run ok for a few days but slowly the "normal" operating temp will creep up and if I dont do anything will eventually start overheating again...however if I add coolant to the tank before it gets to that point, the temp will come back down and the process will start over again (this is despite the fact that whenever I add coolant [usually when engine is hot] the tank seems to have plenty in it). Any help that could be offered would be greatly appreciated.
PS: I think I need to have my fuel injectors cleaned...is this something that would be simple to do myself or would it be best to take it in to have it done?
If you are continually adding coolant to the tank then you have a leak somewhere. From the sounds of it I'd guess a head gasket but that is just a guess. I've also had experience with Ford Motor Co. vehicles that when the water pump goes the impeller tends to disentigrate and you get a deposit of fine metal shavings that settles into the bottom of the radiator. Sometimes pressure flushing the radiator is enough to clear it out but I always got stuck having to replace the radiator to finally get the car to stop over heating.
that doesnt explain why there would be coolant in the reserve tank (and not just a little bit always above the cold max line) when it is overheating...if the cap on the reserve tank wasnt sealing properly would that explain this?
The coolant is drawn from the reserve tank into the radiator by pressure. When you have a leak in the system that pressure doesn't build up. That's why you are going through coolant but not emptying the reserve tank.
Check the whole system for leaks. There has to be one somewhere.
<fingers crossed it's not a cracked/warped head>
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