Ok, for starters i got a 91 ef hatch with a b18c1. To prep the car for turbo, i added a 95 dodge neon half radiator with a filler neck and 16lbs cap. After about 3 days of driving, i noticed teh temp meter creeping up, so i turned on the heat just until i could get home and it worked. it only really got hot at stops, but when i started going again, it would go down slowly. i let it cool down over night and then put a little more fluid in it in the morning, it only needed a little bit. the next day, the same thing happened. this time it would not go down, no matter how much the heat was on. so i fugured it was it might have been a few things,

1. the timing was off? checked it and it was fine.
2. Blown head gasket? changed the oil and it was not foamy, i didnt see anything coming out of the exhaust. just got it changed over the summer when i got the motor.
3. wrong programming. I converted the car to obd1 and got a stock p72 base map (but i am still not running an o2 sensor it was disabled with uberdata)
4. water pump? i just got the motor this summer and i had the timing belt and water pump changed.
5. The fan was not turing on? it is does turn on.
6. Loss of coolant capacity from full radiator to half sized neon radiator???????

The problem started after i put the half radiator in so i am thinking it is the capacity. So, i decided to go turbo any way thinking i would fix the problemduring the process. well the turbo is done and running, but its still getting hot. here are some pics of the radiator and the turbo in the car.












as you can see i had to put the radiator at an angle due the the down pipe and i also had to mount the fan on the other side of the radiator to prevent the (slim) fan from melting. When the car gets really hot, it leaks and steams from the coolent hoses going into the firewall that meet the heater core. not sure which one, but i think it is the lower one with the heater valve.





If i fill the car up with colant, i can drive it for about 30 minutes, highway, with out it starting to overheat. i can just turn on the heat and it will go back down But if i try and drive it the next day with out adding checking the colant, it will only take about 15 minutes. This must mean that there is a leak or something. i dont think it is a bad heater core, because i dont feel the carpet being wet and i dont smell colant, except when it is leaking on the engine side.

I am not sure if the overheating is causing the leak, or vise versa. I need help really bad and i am getting desperate. If any one can help me i could even shoot some cash at you for the help (if in fact you can helps). I just want to drive my car again. I am open to any and all help.

 

well it must be leaking somwhere or your burning it.. the coolant has to be going somwhere.. any puddles underyour car at night? or it might only leak wile the engine is on.

 

the only place it leaks is from the fire wall where the heater core meets the coolant lines. and only when it is hot. I am not sure if the overheating is causing the leak or viseversa

 

I bet you not able to build pressure in the system... so it starts to boil over... Id replace all heater/coolant lines.

 

Ok do this. Get your Helm's Manual, or Chilton's or w/e you have.
-Bleed the system, their could be air pockets in your cooling system, causing it to boil inside.
If the problem continues,
-Pressure test the system / and your cap. You should be able to determine exactly where it's coming from by pressure testing it. And the coolant won't be hot!!
-I would also check the tube that goes to the thermostat, because it has o rings on each end, and sometimes it can come from there.
-If you have a stethescope (sp), put it on the water pump while the motor is running, you shouldnt hear any vibrations.
-Thermostat could be in backwards.
-The cooling system is only SO big, Pick a place to start from and work your way through it. You've got to come across something.

edit: Is you fan blowing air the right way, and also it doesn't look like you can get much air flow from where your radiator is sitting.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by p00n &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

edit: Is you fan blowing air the right way, and also it doesn't look like you can get much air flow from where your radiator is sitting.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Ya if you used the stock fan it's a puller not a pusher so it's not going to work properly on the front like that.

 

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

Ya if you used the stock fan it's a puller not a pusher so it's not going to work properly on the front like that.</TD></TR></TABLE>

You can reverse the wires, and it will run the opp. direction. But what I really think has happened, who ever did the turbo setup looks like they were in a race to get finished. I mean it just looks kinda sloppy, when you get in a rush, you can forget ****, so there is no telling what is wrong unless you do all the things mentioned above. IMO

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Cobra Tim &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I bet you not able to build pressure in the system... so it starts to boil over... Id replace all heater/coolant lines. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I second that
if you have a leak, the pressure is whats leaking out , lowering your boiling point and overheating

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by p00n &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
You can reverse the wires, and it will run the opp. direction.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

but if you reverse a stock fan it won't work nearly as well as it was intended.

the leak it deffinatly a problem and i would fix that first and work from there. seriously though, you know that it has a leak, you know where it is coming from why not just fix it. it doesn't matter if the leak came first or second, its there.....fix it.

 

make sure the fan is indeed blowing air through the rad.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by p00n &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
You can reverse the wires, and it will run the opp. direction. But what I really think has happened, who ever did the turbo setup looks like they were in a race to get finished. I mean it just looks kinda sloppy, when you get in a rush, you can forget ****, so there is no telling what is wrong unless you do all the things mentioned above. IMO</TD></TR></TABLE>

However the blades are angled to only flow optimaly one way.

 

you can also check to see if ur thermostat isnt stuck closed that could also be causing it to overheat

 

problem fixed, the radiator was too small, i bought a Fluidyne half radiator for a 91 civic. works like a charm and the car stays cool.

thanks for all the help.