Took my Buick up the canyons long rather steep road. Halfway up, the engine starts overheating. We pull over, pop the hood.....and the fluid in the recovery tank is boiling. I can hear fluid leaking out the bottom, and I can see it dripping aggressively. We let it cool down for an hour or so....go back down the mountain. Warning light is fine...only halfway.
I JUST took the thing in to have the cooling system checked last week, because I found a small puddle, maybe 1/4 to 1/2 cup of fluid in the driveway, under the car. I couldn't spot a leak...and there wasn't a drop in cooling level. I checked the oil, not milky, assumed it wasn't gasket, but maybe water pump or thermostat. The guy said it was fine and checked out fine.
Given it has been a ridiculously hot summer, but today I SAW it leaking after it overheated. Now it's not leaking or dripping or anything. Although I still haven't added more coolant since the level never noticeably dropped...What's going on???
2006-08-18 13:02:06 · 7 answers · asked by Jaded Ruby 5 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
i think what might have happened to it,,was that it might have had a air bubble in it,,that caused it to do this,,when it finally pumped it out ,it over flowed a little,,and like you said it has been a hot summer,,even my t ruck has done it once or twice this summer,,i own a repair shop,,and have had a bunch of people come in with the same question,,and i could not find nothing wrong with their vehicle,,i would keep an eye on it though,,just in case,,the thermostat may have stuck on it,,and if it did it once,,it will do it again,,good luck with it,,i hope this help,s.
2006-08-18 13:12:40 · answer #1 · answered by dodge man 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
During your trip up the canyons your car heated up and boiled because there was air in the cooling system. Coolant under pressure can sustain 245/250 degrees 50/50 coolant to water mix at 14 psi. Air compresses and the pocket of air in the cyl. heads of your car's engine after you turn it off causes the boil. It took several, heat up and boil out to suck in enough coolant and expel the air. Your doing right just keep the tank at the full line. Not knowing what buick The 3.8L engine thermostat housing has a bleeder for air on it.
2006-08-18 13:25:41 · answer #2 · answered by John Paul 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
believe it or not it is suppose to boil over into the recovery tank. When the radiator gets pressurized the cap will release teh pressure into the overflow tank. In the same way once it cools it will pull fluid from teh recovery tank back to the radioator to equalize the pressure.
now kepe in mind on a hot day in traffic or climbing a hill cars do over heat. Given this isnt' the case you may wish to flush the radiator, check yrou hoses and most important check that the thermostat is working properly.
2006-08-18 13:09:28 · answer #3 · answered by Briggs 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The radiator cap is supposed to maintain a pressure in the system. At pressure, the liquid can be at a temp higher than boiling point but it won't boil. I suspect you have either a leak somewhere in the system or the cap itself isn't holding pressure. The cap is a cheap fix... any auto parts store will have them. Good luck!
2006-08-18 13:08:49 · answer #4 · answered by Dave 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
attempt flushing the cooling equipment. each in certain situations, the bypass is blocked only sufficient to back up into the fix tank. the reason why the point of the cooloant dropped is in part because it went into the fix tank!
2016-12-06 09:18:47 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
my g/f has the same type of thing happen to her and it was just a air bubble in the cooling system
2006-08-18 13:14:54 · answer #6 · answered by grey_wolf54486 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
have your head gasket pressure tested, could be blown.,
Or rad. is plugged
2006-08-18 14:32:15 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋