Originally Posted By: Bgallagher
Originally Posted By: Nick R
This is probably the most irritating behavior ever. I drove it with the mom yesterday (she knows a decent amount about cars) and I noticed something. First of all, it drives perfectly. Lots of power, steering is tight, suspension is good. It doesn't feel like it has anything wrong with it. Well other than the ABS light and temp gauge.
I asked her and her husband if the temp gauge had ever actually been pegged. They both said no, it got high and to the red, but never completely all the way over. Also, the water pump is flinging water around. AND, if you come to a stop, the temp climbs quickly. But if you put it in neutral and rev it up, or are driving it, the temp drops down below normal. Pics area below. It really does remind me more of a bad water pump and thermostat.
also, something that my lady friend had neglected to tell me, this is a rebuilt engine. It was put in at about 100k miles, it has 161k on it now. It was a GM rebuilt engine, in probably about 2005/2006 she said. So I'm wondering, don't the newer versions of these engines have better gaskets than when it originally was built? The coolant semes fine. What I want to do is replace the water pump and thermostat, and flush the cooling system. The rad is full of gunk. Might just replace the radiator. I told her that there is every chance that the head gasket or LIM gasket is bad, but we'll do the little stuff first. She agreed and had actually been planning on changing both of those herself before they parked it.
This is about where it goes very quickly after stopping, sometims a little bit past the line, but never fully into the red. Then if you rev it up, it very quickly drops down to the bottom one. That is where it stays when driving. Only when stopped does it start to get hot. IT all happens very quickly too. Within 10 seconds of revving the engine at a stop, it drops down fully.
It's also worth mentioning that the coolant level is full and has stayed full since I filled it. Perhaps it's just the LIM, waterpump, and gunked up radiator?
EDIT: Also, there is a pipe that goes over across the front of the engine that needs replaced, it's the coolant one. Does anyone know what it's called so I can price it out?
It must be from all those leaves in the cowl. jk. My Equinox (same engine) was doing that same problem beforte the headgasket went. Luckily it was under GM certified warranty and I got a top end rebuild with the revised gaskets done by their master mechanic (I have been kind of a PITA for this dealership and I feel like they had their master do it so it would be done right and I would stop coming in for a long long time.) haha
The front pipe looks like a heater hose. It starts from inside the firewall and goes across the front of the engine? That is my guess. You might be better off measuring the hose and going to a hardware store and have them cut you a length (make sure to get hose that is capable of handling those temps.) it will save you more money for the headgasket/rebuild kit you will need.
No it's the metal one that goes across the front valvecover/block, behind the dipstick and motor mount, under the ignition wires. Also I forgot to ask, they said that the ABS light wasn't on before, I'm thinking it's a dirty wheel sensor, or the fact that it's running completely off the alternator, because the battery isn't doing anything. Either way from what her mom told me, and what I was observing, I'm willing to bet that the heads are fine, and the gaskets just need replaced,
