Okay, so I'd just like to get some thoughts on whether this is the water pump or not.
My Maxima is overheating. I just replaced the thermostat and noticed that there was some buildup in the hose (greyish sludge) but not on the other side of the thermostat.
To be sure, I flushed water back through the hose and out the bottom to get that sludge out, as well as flushed out the radiator itself with water.
I closed it back up and filled it up with antifreeze, started it up, and it still overheats.
What I want to know is, should I jump straight into replacing the water pump (huge pain) or should I try flushing the radiator again to make sure it isn't clogged? Is there a better way to flush it? Like taking off the top hose, running water through the radiator (and hopefully through the thermostat) and out the other side?
I would like to state that I don't have much experience working with cars but I'm quick at learning, I've already done quite a bit of repair on my own vehicles in the past, and after reading through the method of replacing the water pump, it seems like more of a nightmare than replacing the transmission in my '92 Tercel.
My Maxima is overheating. I just replaced the thermostat and noticed that there was some buildup in the hose (greyish sludge) but not on the other side of the thermostat.
To be sure, I flushed water back through the hose and out the bottom to get that sludge out, as well as flushed out the radiator itself with water.
I closed it back up and filled it up with antifreeze, started it up, and it still overheats.
What I want to know is, should I jump straight into replacing the water pump (huge pain) or should I try flushing the radiator again to make sure it isn't clogged? Is there a better way to flush it? Like taking off the top hose, running water through the radiator (and hopefully through the thermostat) and out the other side?
I would like to state that I don't have much experience working with cars but I'm quick at learning, I've already done quite a bit of repair on my own vehicles in the past, and after reading through the method of replacing the water pump, it seems like more of a nightmare than replacing the transmission in my '92 Tercel.