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Temp gage needle pegged - engine damage ? 700

posted by  sdewolfe on  Sun Jun 21 02:06 CST 2009
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last visit: Mon Jan 31 05:56 CST 2011
[RELATED]

Howdy,

Are there things i can check , or do i need to let the mechanic do the testing ?

The answer to the first part of that question is yes. The answer to the back half is maybe.

With the car cold, check the oil. You are looking for a milky appearance, frothing, bubbles; none of that is good. It should have the appearance of oil, maybe a little dark if it has been awhile since the oil was changed. If it is brownish, white, or has a pasty, frothy consistency, that is coolant contamination. The head gasket is damaged at a minimum; maybe more. If the oil is OK, remove the radiator cap. The coolant will probably be a bit low. Top it off, but leave the top row of coolant passages uncovered so you can watch for flow. Start the car and let it warm up until the thermostat opens and the coolant is circulating fully. Look at the coolant. Do you see globs floating past as the coolant moves? Are there air bubbles escaping? Either one of those things is also not good. Shut the engine down and don't bother to restart it.

If you have contaminants in the fluids or bubbles in the radiator, I am going to assume you are either not interested or not able to tackle further testing and taking steps to remedy the problem. Take it to a shop. Be sure to sit down before you ask how much it will cost. Don't drive it, tow it. Bearings don't like coolant.

If the oil and coolant are clean and you have no bubbles rising in the radiator, you may have stopped in time to prevent major damage. Now you need to determine why it overheated. Did you see coolant moving briskly and flowing through the radiator tubes? If not the thermostat is stuck or the water pump has failed. Neither of those replacement jobs is beyond the typical DIY mechanic.

If the coolant is moving OK watch for leaks. Hoses, pipes, heater core, radiator, thermostat housing, etc. You should be able to resolve those problems (if present).

If you need help, just post back.

--
Mr. Shannon DeWolfe -- I've taken to using mister because my name misleads folks on the WWW. I am a 53 year old fat man. ;-)






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