ok it got down to 5-10 degrees 2 days ago and i got in my car, it statred fine then i drove for about 5 miles and i noticed my tempertautre gauge was all the way on hot and my heater was blowing out cold air still, so i pulled over and shut it off. so i guess what i am asking is, is my egine frozen or maybe thermastat i have no idea??????? i had plenty of anafreeze in it. but when i checked my coolant i noticed my water in the overflow is not circulating.could that be it???????PLEASE HELP???
2007-02-08 08:21:47 · 15 answers · asked by Laura C 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
1994 Cvalier 3.1 engine
2007-02-09 00:22:56 · update #1
If the car was running OK the day before with the sudden dip in temperature, sounds like your anti freeze in the coolant system was not protected to minus 10 (or lower as needed) and ice has formed in the coolant flow. After the engine has thawed, recheck for anti freeze level and a reading to minus 10 and restart the engine to see if the same problem happens. The heater should be putting out heat after driving at lest 2 miles.
2007-02-15 13:12:24 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
First of all what is the year, make and model of your vehicle, that helps.
-Your coolant is not suppose to circulate.... it is just that, an overflow; when your coolant gets hot it expands and overflows into your overflow tank.
-Was your coolant frozen or any bit slushy... if that's the case then you need a coolant system flush and it needs to be replenished with the proper mixture to prevent freezing.
-But it sounds like a frozen (stuck) thermostat... preventing it to work properly i.e. regulate cooling your engine along with providing heat to your heating system. A thermostat is usually pretty cheap and depending on what kind of car you have not to hard to change... or not that expensive to have it changed. I would check these things before doubting your water pump. Hope this helps you!
2007-02-08 16:43:09 · answer #2 · answered by silltnwild 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Theres a good chance its your head gasket. Mine was blown out and didn't seem to loose any coolant. Check your oil to see if coolant has started to mix. I noticed the mixture on the underside of my oil pan cap.
It's an expensive fix unless you can do it yourself, so try to rule out your thermostat first. Take it out and place it in boiled water to see if it opens up. If its okay, put it back on with a new gasket ($2). To rule out your water pump, squeeze the rubber hose coming from the thermostat housing to the radiator. You should feel a surge of coolant flow through the hose if the water pump is okay. If all is okay, there may be a chance that your cooling system has a blockage in it somewhere which may require new hoses, new rad, cooling system flush.
In my opinion, it's your head gasket, sorry to say. Good Luck.
If you need a D.I.Y. guide, or any further questions answered, feel free to inquire.
2007-02-08 16:57:51 · answer #3 · answered by Jason P 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Yea, the water pump is out, or the thermastat is stuck shut. Check to see if the belt is still on the pullys too.
2007-02-08 16:28:35 · answer #4 · answered by supercop33_99 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
the water pump is out, or the thermastat is stuck shut. Check to see if the belt is still on the pullys too. Make sure you have a cell phone ancase you break down.
2007-02-08 16:29:57 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
I had the same problem, who thought your car would over heat in the winter, all these answers were pretty good, but you might want to check to make sure your hoses are not corroded. That is what happened to me. That and the o-ring next to my thermostat had disintegrated. Good luck.
2007-02-15 19:31:52 · answer #6 · answered by emrjudy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's not a thermostat problem. Check the belt(s) first - see if the water pump belt is there. If it is, you likely have a blown head gasket.
2007-02-15 12:31:37 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
CHECK THE THERMOSTATE. if the gauge reads hot but the heat is cold, the thermostate is not opening up to allow circulation. better get it done ASAP. if you can remove the radiator cap, do it look to see if water is even moving. slow moving water go with thermostate first. NO moving water check water pump.
2007-02-14 09:23:36 · answer #8 · answered by ray_long69 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yeah i would say eather water pump or thermastat
2007-02-15 13:06:05 · answer #9 · answered by Bubby S 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
could be thermostat, engine fan, temperature sensor, heater core. the list goes on. see a mechanic before you cause engine damage.
2007-02-15 20:09:38 · answer #10 · answered by racingirl14 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋