After coming home from school today I looked under my hood and saw the coolant reservoir boiling and steaming like crazy. I shut off the car and after a few minuets the coolant started making bubbling noises and got to a really low level. After starting the car back up, the coolant reached ABOVE MAX level. I'm hoping it's just a bad cap...what do you guys think?
Blown Head Gasket or bad radiator cap?
- Thread starter Mter00s
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Sounds more like a cap to me. Check the oil and see if it is a milky color. Also worth it to put a piece of cardboard or something under the engine and check for leaks. Just in case
Nick1994
$100 site donor 2024
Sounds like a bad cap to me too. A leaking cap will leak out coolant from the radiator, making the engine overheat, and then the boiling leftover coolant goes into the overflow bottle. (Happened to my grandfather's Jeep when I was driving it).
Let it cool off completely, preferably overnight, top off the radiator (if it has a cap) or tank, start it with the cap off, watch for sudden pressure increase/bubbles. If you see them, combustion gases are getting in somehow. A combustion gas detector kit would find it as well.
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Speaking of radiator caps,is OEM always the best way to go? That's been my understanding.
Originally Posted By: Mter00s
After coming home from school today I looked under my hood and saw the coolant reservoir boiling and steaming like crazy. I shut off the car and after a few minuets the coolant started making bubbling noises and got to a really low level. After starting the car back up, the coolant reached ABOVE MAX level. I'm hoping it's just a bad cap...what do you guys think?
Let's hope it's a radiator cap or the result of some leak that's easy to fix... like a water pump, cap, hose leak. Otherwise, if it's the car in your signature - they are not noted for being especially durable. Could be a head gasket job or internal issues instead. Not trying to scare you, just being realistic..
BurrWinder
After coming home from school today I looked under my hood and saw the coolant reservoir boiling and steaming like crazy. I shut off the car and after a few minuets the coolant started making bubbling noises and got to a really low level. After starting the car back up, the coolant reached ABOVE MAX level. I'm hoping it's just a bad cap...what do you guys think?
Let's hope it's a radiator cap or the result of some leak that's easy to fix... like a water pump, cap, hose leak. Otherwise, if it's the car in your signature - they are not noted for being especially durable. Could be a head gasket job or internal issues instead. Not trying to scare you, just being realistic..
BurrWinder
Lets go the (almost) worst place first:
Coolant overheated Overpressurised and steamed when the cap opened - possibly.
Lets ignore the T-stat for now (since its not a ford) and check for coolant movement:
Lower radiator hose soft or collapsed when revved?
Water pump disintegrated?
Some of the above you will check cold no cap other hot and capped.
I always start the car cold with the cap off and watch from there as it warms. I need to see flow when the t-stat opens.
If the t-stat is a easy job - pull it and check it with a hot glass of water (boil the water, pour it into a glass and submerge the t-stat and hopefully watch it open. It should be CLOSED when cool.
Have cap pressure tested at a garage or buy new. The test will give you a clue, buying NEW wont.
You'd be Better off using NO CAPDOWN until you figure out the rest.
Coolant overheated Overpressurised and steamed when the cap opened - possibly.
Lets ignore the T-stat for now (since its not a ford) and check for coolant movement:
Lower radiator hose soft or collapsed when revved?
Water pump disintegrated?
Some of the above you will check cold no cap other hot and capped.
I always start the car cold with the cap off and watch from there as it warms. I need to see flow when the t-stat opens.
If the t-stat is a easy job - pull it and check it with a hot glass of water (boil the water, pour it into a glass and submerge the t-stat and hopefully watch it open. It should be CLOSED when cool.
Have cap pressure tested at a garage or buy new. The test will give you a clue, buying NEW wont.
You'd be Better off using NO CAPDOWN until you figure out the rest.
Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
Speaking of radiator caps,is OEM always the best way to go? That's been my understanding.
I would agree with that statement
Speaking of radiator caps,is OEM always the best way to go? That's been my understanding.
I would agree with that statement
Saw no signs of a bad hose or water pump leak. The only thing that happened was the over flow tank spat out about 3/4 a quart of coolant. Now I have to clean my driveway before my parents come home
I had a bad cap on a firebird. It was coupled with missing air dams under the rad. Bad airflow on that car without them. It ran about 220-230'F driving down the road. Didn't overheat, but got "up there".
I parked it, heard bubbling. Checked overflow tank. (Non-pressurized, like yours sounds like.) There were bubbles but it wasn't vomiting all over the place.
The quantity and violence of your overflow has me suspecting serious internal engine issues, sorry. But hope for the best!
PS a head gasket leak does not have to mix oil and coolant.
I parked it, heard bubbling. Checked overflow tank. (Non-pressurized, like yours sounds like.) There were bubbles but it wasn't vomiting all over the place.
The quantity and violence of your overflow has me suspecting serious internal engine issues, sorry. But hope for the best!
PS a head gasket leak does not have to mix oil and coolant.
The coolant tank on mine is pressurized. I'm suspecting it's the cap, i'll let you guys know.
They're in check bigD1
Originally Posted By: Mter00s
The coolant tank on mine is pressurized. I'm suspecting it's the cap, i'll let you guys know.
If its the car in your sig with a 2.7, I wouldn't be hopeful for a simple solution.
Even if it did start out as just a radiator cap, those engines are fragile and any overheat may have caused additional damage. Hoping for the best for you- try the easy stuff first- replace the coolant cap, and let the system purge then top off.
The coolant tank on mine is pressurized. I'm suspecting it's the cap, i'll let you guys know.
If its the car in your sig with a 2.7, I wouldn't be hopeful for a simple solution.
Even if it did start out as just a radiator cap, those engines are fragile and any overheat may have caused additional damage. Hoping for the best for you- try the easy stuff first- replace the coolant cap, and let the system purge then top off.
I topped off the coolant, replaced the cap and drove for a good amount of time with heat and fan on max. No issues at all and I checked the oil, they're not mixing. Looks like it was a cap issue. 2004+ Sebrings were fine, anything before had major issues. All you have to do is keep the car in maintenance, as you should with every car.
Considering the water pump (AFAIK) is in the crankcase on a 2.7, I'd say you were lucky-buy a lottery ticket!
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