Main IndexAuto Repair Home Search Posts SEARCH
POSTS
Who's Online WHO'S
ONLINE
Log in LOG
IN









Search Auto Parts

Van Overheating: Upper Rad Hose Cold and Soft


  Email This Post



MT86
Novice

Jan 11, 2020, 3:32 PM

Post #1 of 9 (1226 views)
Van Overheating: Upper Rad Hose Cold and Soft Sign In

Hi all.

The struggle to keep this vehicle operational continues...

VEHICLE:
2006 3.3L Caravan
Currently in sub zero climate

ISSUE:
Engine overheating with upper rad hose cold and soft right after. and during. AC and Heater seem to function fine when engine is warming up. Rad cap cold after running and ZERO pressure when opening cap. Also rad fans don't seem to turn on when observing and idling in park - it is freezing at the moment so not sure if that's normal.

DONE RECENTLY:
- new thermostat
- new tstat gasket
- heater core flush
- New Rad Cap
- Coolant Levels ok

I'm guessing there's a clog in the rad somewhere or could it be the water pump? No unusual sounds coming from water pump area though.

Any troubleshooting insight greatly appreciated! Cool


(This post was edited by MT86 on Jan 11, 2020, 5:44 PM)


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jan 11, 2020, 4:38 PM

Post #2 of 9 (1218 views)
Re: Van Overheating: Steaming Rad + Upper Rad Hose Cold and Soft Sign In

You need to have the system pressure tested for leaks. If you see steam from the radiator, then you have a leak in the radiator.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



MT86
Novice

Jan 11, 2020, 5:17 PM

Post #3 of 9 (1214 views)
Re: Van Overheating: Steaming Rad + Upper Rad Hose Cold and Soft Sign In

Thanks. Will do ASAP. FYI no visible leaking/ dripping observed.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jan 11, 2020, 5:20 PM

Post #4 of 9 (1209 views)
Re: Van Overheating: Steaming Rad + Upper Rad Hose Cold and Soft Sign In

The steam is the leak. It's probably near the top of the radiator and the coolant is below that line.

You are very likely very low on coolant so be very careful about driving it.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



MT86
Novice

Jan 11, 2020, 5:42 PM

Post #5 of 9 (1205 views)
Re: Van Overheating: Steaming Rad + Upper Rad Hose Cold and Soft Sign In

Hey Hammer.

Edit: There actually is no steam near rad. It was burning off the engine from a small coolant spill when I replaced the tstat. So, not sure if there is any leak. I did a top up the other day and there was no apparent loss except for what was lost when replacing tstat...


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jan 11, 2020, 5:55 PM

Post #6 of 9 (1201 views)
Re: Van Overheating: Steaming Rad + Upper Rad Hose Cold and Soft Sign In

I still think you are low on coolant and have air pockets in the system. It's difficult to get all the air out of these system. If there is air around the T-stat it will not open. We use vacuum fill tools to get them full.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Jan 12, 2020, 2:01 AM

Post #7 of 9 (1168 views)
Re: Van Overheating: Steaming Rad + Upper Rad Hose Cold and Soft Sign In

Sorry late to see this: AIR! Smacks of not being full. Heater would still work, blow warm if full enough bet isn't.
Cold to VERY cold just makes doing all this a lot harder - you already know that,


T



MT86
Novice

Jan 12, 2020, 11:38 AM

Post #8 of 9 (1149 views)
Re: Van Overheating: Steaming Rad + Upper Rad Hose Cold and Soft Sign In

Thanks guys!

Will let you know how things go.

I read that it's possible to purge some air if I idle the vehicle for a while with the rad cap off. Worth a try?

Cheers.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jan 12, 2020, 12:11 PM

Post #9 of 9 (1144 views)
Re: Van Overheating: Steaming Rad + Upper Rad Hose Cold and Soft Sign In

That will not work. It will end up purging coolant out the cap and losing even more.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.







  Email This Post
 
 


Feed Button




Search for (options) Privacy Sitemap