732xghost

i replaced my T-stat recently on my 97 2.2cl and im wondering why my car still eats up about a resvior full of coolant a day. i dont think my radiator is leaking, because there are no signs of leakage anywhere. i dont think i put my thermostat in wrong because its pretty straight forward. soo yea i cant figure out whats going on. any insight would be helpful. thanks

lunarone

optimistically... your car shouldnt use ANY coolant. whether or not it uses too much coolant is just a problem in itself

iam7head

check the coolant, see if there's any oil, brown poop smirk in them


do a pressure test on the coolant system, unless you have a major leak, it's mostly going to be a headgasket leaks

Perfectionist

Did you have a problem with coolant loss before the t-stat replacement? If not, you probably didn't get all the air out of the cooling system. Keep topping it off for a while. It should eventually get satisfied.

732xghost

it was never this bad. it got really worse after the T-stat install. im praying to God its not the headgasket. my idle is always bad, could that have anything to do with it.

technine

Are you overheating at all? If so at idle or at highway speeds also?
When my car use to overheat due to no fan coming on at idle I would loose coolant. Fixed the problem and no more coolant lose.
Double check for leaks everywhere possible, too, a small leak is still a leak.

732xghost

no the car doesnt overheat at all. the fans never come on. thats why i dont get it.

YeuEmMaiMai

did you properly bleed the ssytem when you got done (nipple valve above s-stat housing)?

when you replace a cooling system part this is what you do in this order

1. fill up rad
2. start car
3. add until rad gets full again
4. open bleeder valve and let coolant come out untill there are no more bubbles then close valve
5. add coolant to rad as needed while doing #4
6. replace cap
7. add coolant to overflow tank until it is just above the full mark.

watch overflow and add as needed.....
'

732xghost

did all of that

heres the bit. i lost alot of coolant, like a shitload while i was take the old T-stat out. could this just be a way of the cooling system re-circulating itself.

732xghost

bump.

technine

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by NJ JDM CL &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">did all of that

heres the bit. i lost alot of coolant, like a shitload while i was take the old T-stat out. could this just be a way of the cooling system re-circulating itself.</TD></TR></TABLE>

So you didn't put more coolant back in after the t-stat install or you did?? I'm confused.

After you drive around for a while, put a piece of cardboard under your car where if anything leaks it will soak up into the cardboard, wait like 10min and check it. That will tell you if you are leaking.

732xghost

i did put more coolant in after the thermostat install. i bled the system and used a special tool i had at work to fill the radiator back up. it was like a temporary cap attached to a funnel. i also topped off the resvoir.

iam7head

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by NJ JDM CL &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">bump.</TD></TR></TABLE>

without testing the car, there's no way to know.

YeuEmMaiMai

if you only filled the rad once you still got lots of air in there....when your car is cold do exactly what I said and see if that helps. you always have to fill the rad at least 2 times.....sometimes 3 or 4 depending upon what was replaced in the system.

732xghost

ok i will. thanks alot man.

732xghost

just to get some piece of mind, i brought it to a shop today and it turns out my water pump is leaking.

now there trying to tell me that if they replace my water pump that they should do my timing belt again. i honestly dont think its needs to be done again.

732xghost

ok yea i take that back about the timing belt being done. he didnt know that i had it done at 80 some K. i have 125 know, shouldnt be neccesary.

so the thermostat gasket is slightly leaking. im just gonna put some silicone on the gasket, and replace my waterpump myself.

thanks for the advice and help.

YeuEmMaiMai

did coolant get on the belt? if the belt is damaged by contact with fluid, then it will need to be replaced. I would change it since it would suck to have to do that work again later on..........

732xghost

im sure it has, but ill do it once i get some cash so i can live comfortably again.

i work at a honda dealership so it should be a problem.

as_fast_as_u

once you do water pump you should as a rule do your timing belt as well, and vice versa....you're there already, so no extra labor, just the cost of belt which is pretty cheap anyways

Jonzey94

Well my friend has a toyota supra it does this every time he blows a head gaket, bhg's are common in supras ....but it sounds like you have al the symtoms... ...sounds like a blown head gasket or cracked one........

as_fast_as_u

blown head gasket will give you white thick smoke out of exhaust, if you open radiator cap u would see oil bubbles floating up on top, yhats another indicator too

732xghost

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Jonzey94 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Well my friend has a toyota supra it does this every time he blows a head gaket, bhg's are common in supras ....but it sounds like you have al the symtoms... ...sounds like a blown head gasket or cracked one........</TD></TR></TABLE>

nah man thats what i was praying to God wasnt the case. i brought it to a shop and they ruled out a blow head gasket. plus i dont think i have the sypmtoms of a blown head gasket. i dont have power loss and i dont think i would have been able to drive my car this much with a blow head gasket.

its my waterpump for sure. and ill probaly get the timing belt done as well.