Overheating Problem #2

[POS Racing]

Im guessing that someone used some radiator stop leak previousely in this radiator & the cleaner removed the plug slowly, seeing as the leak is so bad & didnt show up untill now. Maybee also would explain the plugged radiator.

Well Duh

So you get the poor car a decent radiator yet??

[Jiggerachi]

^I'm working on it.

Ive got an old beater radiator to get me by for a few days, & I think im going to get this OE replacement...its JDM y0!

Link

[Jiggerachi]

Well the test drive with this temporary radiator didnt go very well, I couldnt make over 20 miles without stopping to put water in the damn thing. Any idea what would make it start violently puking steamy coolant into the overflow tank after not even 10 minutes of idling after a cold start, & continuing the whole drive?? Whatever is causing this it is loosing enough coolant to start getting hot around 20 miles or so later.

I guess shes parked untill the new radiator arrives.

Also, at startup tonight I noticed just a tad of water dripping out of the tailpipe, just a drop every 10 seconds or so. While this might be normal on cold days, it seems a bit odd in warm weather. This wouldnt be an indication of a head gasket leak would it?? The engine runs exactly the same as it always has, smooth & strong, the only difference is the condensation in the tailpipe. Is there a cheap & easy way to find out for sure?

[black roadster]

You could do a compression check on all cylinders. Typically blown headgaskets will result in smoke, not water coming out the tailpipe. I'd still guess condensation. Watch it and see if it continues.

Foaming coolant? Could be the waterpump. A waterpump going bad would certainly cause over-heating.

[Jiggerachi]

Thats good to hear, ill keep an eye out for smoke, but I did not see any.

I have worried that the water pump was on its way out(for no reason other than paranoia) but the car has NEVER gurgled coolant out like that, it has to be related to this radiator. Short of the occasional temperaure spike in traffic(now known more or less to be a clogged radiator) the engine has had no unusual activity as long as I have had her, which includes last summer & with lots of traffic.

[POS Racing]

Can you please just go get a decent radiator before you smoke the motor.

Did you burp the system before you took your test drive and did you pressure test the loaner radiator once it was installed??

[channelmaniac]

Radiator, radiator cap, thermostat, not burping the system, timing way too advanced, you forgot to hook the fans back up, the fuse for the fans is blown, the fan wiring harness could have a bad spot... there are several things tha can cause the car to overheat...

You need to check each one down the list to make sure you've replaced & checked each. The thermostat can be checked with a cooking thermometer and a pot of water on the stove if you are paranoid that a new one isn't working right... The radiator cap should just be replaced if it's over a year old... etc...

RJ

[Jiggerachi]

Can you please just go get a decent radiator before you smoke the motor.

Did you burp the system before you took your test drive and did you pressure test the loaner radiator once it was installed??

The car is parked untill the brand spankin new one arrives in a day or so. And dont worry, the car never got all the way hot, necessary steps were taken in plenty of time...it was the first overheat last week that came out of nowhere that has me slightly worried, but im sure the engine is fine.

Yes...and no, but there were no leaks that I could tell, just gurgling water.

Radiator, radiator cap, thermostat, not burping the system, timing way too advanced, you forgot to hook the fans back up, the fuse for the fans is blown, the fan wiring harness could have a bad spot... there are several things tha can cause the car to overheat...

RJ

Brand new radiator cap, brand new thermostat, system burped, both fans working properly, radiator is a POS.

Whatever is causing the radiator to puke all the coolant out is what eventually is causing the overheat, & this is what has me puzzled. Not because I care at all for this radiator, but because im just curious.

[Jiggerachi]

Woohoo!!

Just installed it this morning, drove around town for a good hour in the heat with the AC on, no signs of previous problems. As a bonus, for some reason the AC seems to be blowing much colder now, maybee in my head, but really felt like it.

I wil find out tuesday how she holds up in rush hour.

As I was down there I noticed the alternator belt has had it, lots of cracks, I guess its time for a new one as well.

[mvalant]

OK, I'll say it.








Cool!

(dodges flying objects)

[Billy Blaze]

Kewl!

I notice you sprung for the KOYO Complete radiator rather than the alternate partial Radiator.....kudos

[Jiggerachi]

Actually this is the KOYO OE replacement, aluminum/plastic, but is still brand new and appears to have solved most of my problems for just over a bill.

I think ill wait for a supercharger before I shell out over $400 on a radiator...& that isnt going to happen for awhile on my budget.

Edit: forgot to mention its the OE replacement for automatic Miatas...higher capacity, dual core.

[black roadster]

About damn time! (we've only been telling ya for months!)

Is this the sign of the apocalypse? Black_zx3 got a Miata and Jiggerachi got a new radiator!

[trackdog]

If you are spitting out water that easy you have a blown or leaking head gasket, the hot combustion air is blowing into the water passage causing overheating and pushing the water out. Look at your water when you drain it and look to see if oil will settle on top.

Gary

[Jiggerachi]

If you are spitting out water that easy you have a blown or leaking head gasket, the hot combustion air is blowing into the water passage causing overheating and pushing the water out. Look at your water when you drain it and look to see if oil will settle on top.

Gary

No oil in the coolant thank God, just some nasty water that must have come from that radiator. Now I am worried what is lurking in the water lines in the engine now.

All is fine & dandy now, just drove home in the same infamous 121 traffic that started all of this...with AC on, no boiling coolant & the needle did not move at all, looks as if I am cured, woohoo!

The boiling phenomenon must have just been something wierd with that spare radiator.

[Titus]

Now I am worried what is lurking in the water lines in the engine now.

You can flush it pretty good with a garden house per instructions from Miata.net garage, but just be sure to fill with distilled water, run, and drain a few times after. If you leave the tap water in there, your new radiator will get like your old one in no time.

By the way, distilled water can be had from Walmart for 64 cents a gallon. It is always a good thing to have a few gallons in your garage.

[Titus]

Actually this is the KOYO OE replacement, aluminum/plastic, but is still brand new and appears to have solved most of my problems for just over a bill.

I think ill wait for a supercharger before I shell out over $400 on a radiator...& that isnt going to happen for awhile on my budget.

Edit: forgot to mention its the OE replacement for automatic Miatas...higher capacity, dual core.

I know the timing kinda sucks, but.... This would have been perfect for you.