EDIT: ok guys i think the system just needed a nice flush. the coolant was tested for combustion gases and the new hg is a-ok. more details at the end of page 2

hey guys. i really hate to ask an overheating question but i just cant figure this one out. my turbo gsr swapped hatch keeps overheating on long highway drives. it is completely fine around town no matter how much i beat on it but after being on the highway for about 30 minutes or so the needle will start to slowly climb. i turn the heat on immediately if it gets over half and the temps will stay in check for a while but eventually start to rise again. the other day it got to just above half with the heat on.

im confused because all components of the cooling system seem to be good. waterpump is only about 18 months old and the system has been pressure tested for leaks. i have a del sol dual core rad and working slim fan that i have had previous to the turbo install and never had any problems.

the problem started when one day i overheated pretty bad due to a bad thermostat (lower hose was cold). replaced it things were cool expect for the highway driving when it would oveheat after the long drives. noticed some leaking coolant from between the block and head and coolant looked a little milky so i figured a blown headgasket. pulled the head off and checked it for warpage then replaced the hg with an inline pro 3mm and some arp headstuds. and now it is still overheating. the system has been bleed to death and i dont think there could possibly be any air left.

what do you guys think the problem could be? my only guesses are that there still may be some air somewhere, the radiator itself cant keep up, or maybe the water pump is going bad (doubtful but possible)

sorry for the lengthy post but im stumped


Modified by dpetro1 at 1:30 PM 11/11/2005

 

check the water temp sensor and also check the radiator if your on the highway it should cool it down. i had the same thing happen but not on the highway. it will cooled down on the highway. it was a bad water temp sensor, the 2nd time that it happen i thought it was the sensor again so i replaced it and nothing same thing. so i change the radiator and that fix it.

 

very weird, was the HG copper or MLS? If it was MLS did you use copper spray?

Is your block sleeved?

Did you replace the Intake manifold gasket when u did the HG? Is there any more coolant seepage between the block and head? Anymore liquids mixing (coolant/oil)?

 

its an inlinepro 3mm installed by inlinepro, pretty sure its mls. stock block, leakage has stopped, and fluids look clean. its only been one day so ill see how the fluids are doin in the next few days intake mani was not removed from head during the hg replacement so its the same gasket.

do you guys know which is the water temp sensor that controls the cluster in this pic?






Modified by dpetro1 at 9:14 AM 11/7/2005

 

i also noticed that if i put it in neutral on the highway the temp went up some but once in gear again the temp dropped (but not back to normal) so i figure the waterpump is working or at least a little bit.

also i noticed that the heat was warm when i first turned it on but got cooler after a while and temp was still above normal. does this mean anything?

 

head gasket!

the head is lifting. the temps drop back down when your moving because the pump is pumping enuff air to maintain temp again. when you pop to neutral, rpm goes down, water pump slows down, heat builds up.

its your HG. or your head is lifting.

 

how do you think that would be possible. this is a 3 day old inlinepro gasket with arp headstuds. any ideas what would cause a fresh gasket to not work? there is no head warpage

 

Arp studs or not.......

Head lifting = bad timing

DAN

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ginoboy1978 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Head lifting = bad timing
</TD></TR></TABLE>

How do you equate head lifting to bad timing?!

 

Too much timing in the motor causes excessive cylinder pressures, hence.....head lifting.

DAN

 

too much timing cam wise or ignition wise?

 

my car did the same thing, it was because when i was on the freeway my waterpump isnt pumping enough to make up for how much air my IC was blocking from my radiator. i got a slit in the bumper to the radiator and that solved the problem, so look into something like that.

Just my .02

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by stockredej1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">my car did the same thing, it was because when i was on the freeway my waterpump isnt pumping enough to make up for how much air my IC was blocking from my radiator. i got a slit in the bumper to the radiator and that solved the problem, so look into something like that.

Just my .02</TD></TR></TABLE>

yeah im thinking this is possible. has anyone else ever had this problem with the IC blocking the rad., revhard IC (6.5' tall) with a del sol dual core inparticular

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ginoboy1978 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Too much timing in the motor causes excessive cylinder pressures, hence.....head lifting.

DAN</TD></TR></TABLE>

as far as timing, inlinepro set cam timing using their cam gears to get back to TDC, and then retared the distributor to be safe since im on uberdata and they only tune hondata. so if anything i should be running a little rich and the motor should want more timing due to lower compression ratio and a retarded distributor.

 

also i wouldnt think the head would be lifting on just regular driving, i am having these problems when not even boosting, just cruising at like 70 for about 30 minutes and then the gauge starts to rise. im sure its possible but probably not likely.

 

ok guys im going to feel really dumb if this is the problem but i have been all over the archives and saw that maybe it could be the fan. i got the fan from Viren (b18bturbo) and it is set up as a puller (like stock). i had to reverse the wiring polarity to get the air to pull through the rad and everything seemed fine. but i never reversed the blades so do you think this could be affecting the fans flow capacity. i thought the fan was mainly for stop and go when the rad isnt getting that much airflow. but maybe the fan is working but its just not flowing enough air? i would would think the rad would be getting enough air when crusing the highway, unless its blocked by the IC.

im gonna check it out when i get home from school.

 

then again i had the exact same setup for about 3 months with no problems, then after the thermo went bad i started having the highway overheating issues, that why i dont think its the rad, fan, or thermo. thought it was the hg so i replaced it and still the same problems, minus the coolant leakage.

 

I have the same problem. Since it only happens on the highway, i determined it was the FMIC blocking the air passage. If you got a huge core, it will block a lot of the air, so you may want to get a bigger radiator, or find a way to get more air through the core, maybe cut some bumper out, but that will look shitty imo. Your not boosting on the highway, unless you hammer on it, and im sure this thing is overheating, while OUT of boost, right? Therefor, dont worry about the head, especially if all your fluids are fine. HAHN Racecraft made a DSM FMIC that specifically reduces this problem because of the design, heres a pic:


If your core is too big, or you kept your core support, this will agitate the air needed to cool the core, not sending it direnctly throught the heat sinks, it just sits there, ambient. This is from experience, and the bigger radiator should solve the problem for me, just gotta put it in. I didnt cut the bumper out anymore either.

 

hmm well the rad is a del sol dual core is is technically an upgrade from the stocker but maybe something like a fluidyne or pwr is in order here. the revahrd intercooler is 27" x 6.5" x 3" not the biggest intercooler but maybe still causing the problem.

the only issue with this solution is that had the exact same setup including the turbo for about 3 months with no problems, then after the thermo went bad i started having the highway overheating issues

 

My tiny little drag IC is blocking mine enough to make it over heat. thats probably your best bet. i cut a slit in my bumper to get fresh air to the radiator, rather have a cut bumper then a blown motor.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dpetro1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

i had the exact same setup including the turbo for about 3 months with no problems, then after the thermo went bad i started having the highway overheating issues </TD></TR></TABLE>

considering im only having issues after the new thermo install, im thinking about trying another oem t-stat. its worth a shot i guess, i just figured it was good to go considering both radiator hoses are getting equally hot.

maybe the t-stat is opening but not all the way causing it not to flow enough coolant on those long drives?????

 

bump for some more ideas

 

i have the same problem. it was fine and dandy until my previous tuner got a hold of it. never leaked a drop for almost 2 years. then one day (when not in my hands) it leaks like all hell. and then after getting on it, it warms up. even on long highway drives it starts to get hot (without boosting).

i changed the thermostat and it didnt seem to make a difference. just noticed my radiator is a little wet on the bottom endtank, but i dont think it could cause such a thing. it leaks some coolant but takes several days.

im gonna try a new headgasket.

good luck (to both you and i) hehe.

 

you didn't just take out the t-stat? that will cause the same kinda thing cuz the water will not sit in the radiator long enough to cool, basicaly heat sateration.

oh and the sensor is #12 i didn't see any one reply on that one.
good luck

 

the thermostat is still in. #12 is the fan switch

 

when you got the hg put in, did you have the head shaved? how many miles on the motor b4 u put in the hg? also, what kind of thermo did you use? use oem or try a mugen. change the fan switch too... its not expensive or hard to do, but might fix the prob. if not might wanna try wiring the fan to stay on all the time.