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Blowing cold air - boiling antifreeze/overheating engine
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hutchdog
New User
Dec 29, 2012, 9:57 PM
Post #1 of 3
(3082 views)
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Blowing cold air - boiling antifreeze/overheating engine
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Vehicle is 2003 Dodge Dakota V6 3.9L engine. Mileage about 102,000. First noticed the heater started blowing cold air. Further investigation found the water pump was leaking. I checked all hoses, replaced the thermostat and water pump. Thermostat is installed correctly and not upside down. After running it at an idle for a while, no leaks were found. Took it on a little drive and noticed/heard the fan along the radiator was continually running. Pulled back in the garage, popped the hood and could hear the antifreeze boiling and it was bubbling out the overflow. Top hose to the radiator was hot, lower hose was just kinda warm. Smaller bottom hose going to the firewall was warm (not near as hot as the top radiator hose) and the upper hose going to the firewall was cold. While running the vehicle with the cap open it looked like there was circulation in the antifreeze and there was bubbling. Not sure if the bubbling was due to air in the system or just boiling. Any ideas on what the problem is? I appreciate any help.
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nickwarner
Veteran
/ Moderator
Dec 29, 2012, 10:10 PM
Post #2 of 3
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Re: Blowing cold air - boiling antifreeze/overheating engine
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sounds like you have an airlock. You need to bleed the air out of the system. What I use is a coolant funnel made by Lisle that you can get at most any parts store. Has various adapters that fit different types of radiator caps and a large funnel that fits into it. You top off the radiator and leave the funnel on while you run the engine. You'll know when the thermostat opens because you'll get a big surge up into the funnel, which is the air purging out. After the surge you'll see the level drop down lower than it was when you started, and you add some more coolant. Have the heater turned on so you can reach in through the window into the cab to feel the heat vents. You'll know you got it when the heater is suddenly blowing good heat. The air in the heater core doesn't transfer heat very well, nothing like liquid coolant does. Same problem inside your engine, which is getting it hot. Give that a try. Trust me, you'll like the funnel.
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Sidom
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/ Moderator
Dec 29, 2012, 10:37 PM
Post #3 of 3
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Re: Blowing cold air - boiling antifreeze/overheating engine
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You definitely what to make sure you don't have any air in the system, you can use the method Nick mentioned. Another way would be to fill it as much as you can, run the engine until it reachs the 3/4 mark, get it hot but don't peg the gauge and then just let is sit and cool down with out removing the cap or doing anything. After its cool to the touch and all the pressure is gone, then you can remove the cap, if there was any air it should've worked itself out and the system will be low......
If there is no air, then going off you symptoms, you really need to rule out a bad head gasket. I can't see those bubbles and they may just be from overheating or it could be worse....
Is there any white smoke out the tail pipe? Look at the oil & take off the oil cap & look around there. You can get a pick up a chemical testing kit or may just want to have a shop do it if the kit is too high......You could pull the plugs and see how they look. If you get one that is very clean or appears to have coolant on it,,,,,that would be a bad sigh......
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