highlifer432

I just changed my oil and filter myself. I did NOT touch anything else in the process. The car was running perfectly before any of this. Anyway, after the oil change, everything was fine until about 5 miles down the road it started overheating. I let it cool down and proceeded the next 2 miles to my house. When I pulled into the drive way and put it in park, the rpms started revving up and down as if my foot was on the gas! I immediately turned it off, waited a few seconds and started it again. Still revving by itself!
I let it cool down, probably a half hour or so, and decided to put some water in it.
This time I started it and it was a normal start, no hesitation of any kind. I added some water and antifreeze and let it run about 20 minutes at idle, little smoke from somewhere other than the cap but shortly went away. No sign of a problem. I decided to drive to the grocery store about 3 miles away. Start it up, no problem, back out of the driveway and head down the road only to realize that the car is very sluggish, almost like the parking brake is on...it just won't go. About 2 miles out, the temp gauge spiked to red zone so I pulled over, NO SMOKE, no sign of overheating. And at idle it almost dies, I have to keep my foot on the gas and brake pedal at the same time. Can anyone explain to me what this could be? I have had this car forever and NEVER seen anything like this! I'm thinking the thermostat but I changed that a few months ago, also changed the top hose.
Someone mentioned a vacuum leak but I will say again, I touched nothing else!

chikin pickle

Check you overflow tank for bubbles. Sounds an awful lot like you have a combustion leak into your cooling system. The loss of compression would result in a sluggish car, and explain your coolant loss.

Run what's called a "block test" on your cooling system to detect combustion gasses in your radiator.

Accordin2me

Call me crazy but did you put oil in it? That will also cause low compression. I cant speak for your coolant loss but low coolant can cause a needle spike. Check the oil if thats where your coolant's goin it'll look somethin like chocolate milk. If your oil's foul price a head gasket.

highlifer432

Yes I put oil in it. About 4 qts to be exact. I'm going to change the thermostat in a few days after the christmas crazies. Hopefully that will do it. Might try this "block test" also. Also read about the oil sending unit being right above the filter and I may have damaged it during the hell I had getting the filter off, so I'm going to look at that also. Thanks for the replies. Any other ideas?

rxbahamut

Put some water in it and run it on flat ground and look for leaks. It could be a small leak you could barely see in one of your hoses. Did you smell a sweet smell when you was driving? Most of the time a hose bust or leaks bad on me I always smell coolant minutes before he car overheats. It probably was going to bust anyways the oil change was just a coincidence the time it happened. Also like according2me said check you oil cap and see if there is a milkshake type look under it, this would show a blown head gasket.

highlifer432

Ok, put a new thermostat in yesterday. When I started to put water/coolant back in, it just pours out under the middle of the car behind the engine. This is a cold fill of course. I havent gotten underneath the car yet to pinpoint exact location but I do know the hoses aren't leaking and its nowhere near the hoses anyway. My dad says waterpump, what do you guys think?

poorman212

There are many "little" hoses. Using my 95 EX, in fact there is one coming from the block (back left/drivers side) that runs up to (memory) the heater core. There are other things that could be leaking (block drian, ect) back there but I'd be willing to bet it IS a hose.

highlifer432

Is the hose in the back anywhere near the oil filter? I had a heck of a time getting my old filter off and maybe I hit something in the process....?

kidcool1977

Could be your water pump, when the last time you did a timing belt svc.?

There is a coolant pipe that runs horizontal in the back of the engine near the oil filter,one side connects near the water pump the other connects to the t-stat housing. there aren't any hoses besides that pipe. #26 could be whats leaking
Did you properly install the thermostat housing after installing the T-stat?

the pipe

kidcool1977

sound like you didn't tighten something down, I know for sure working near the thermostat housing there are many little details that can be forgotten, double check your work before continuing.

poorman212

Yes there is a hose back there. My post was only trying to let you know there are several things back there that can leak.

If it is leaking that bad, jack up AND SUPPORT the car. Get under there and see where it is coming from.....please don't get under there without supporting the car...yes the hose (using the 95 EX) i ref to would "snake" just behind/above the oil filter...at the same time the "pipe" kidcool talks about could be leaking...that is why you'll need to look.