ok, i drove 40 miles to the renaissance festival and then 40 miles back. i have a 96 neon (there's the problem i know). when i got off my exit when i got home, my engine sounded like garbage (very unusual, it runs pretty quiet) and the temp gauge went all the way up waiting at the light on the off ramp. i pulled into a lot and turned the car off and heard bubbling and saw my antifreeze pouring out under my car. a friend brought me antifreeze and a quart of oil (it was a bit low). i put them in after the temp was down and the antifreeze started coming out again. i made it back to my apartment about 3 min later with her following but it all gushed out again when it overheated again. less than 12 hours later the whole radiator was drained onto the ground. does it sound like water pump or cracked radiator or something else??
2007-10-23 11:40:49 · 9 answers · asked by i_left_my_mind_with_the_baby 4 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
I worked at a dodge dealership,and unfortunately 1996 neon's are notorious for blown head gaskets. If it is that you will be better off to get another car. Parts alone will be over $1500 and labor $1500 as well. sorry
2007-10-23 12:23:08 · answer #1 · answered by ubc4todd 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Head gaskets are installed wrong all the time. But it could be a cracked block where the crack only opens up when warm. Just leave the thermostat out until you find the problem. One of the advantages of that is you'll be able to see the water circulating. Electric water pumps were one of the dumbest ideas ever and never should have been on engines. Get two temperature strips made for the purpose and put them on both radiator hoses. That will tell you if the radiator is doing it's job. And don't use money as an excuse to replace that aluminum piece of crap with a good copper radiator. It will cost you a lot more money if it's not doing it's job. Put an exhaust gas analyzer on the radiator. You don't always see bubbling right off when head gaskets leak.
2016-05-25 06:19:06 · answer #2 · answered by flor 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It may have started with a stuck thermostat, but I think the engine may have gotten hot enough to crack a block or a head. You might be lucky and have had freeze plug or something come loose. Whatever happened, somebody with a brain needs to take a good look at it and find out what's wrong. Is the water pump belt still on? They've been known to fall off and cause this problem as well.
2007-10-23 12:04:36 · answer #3 · answered by Jay 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First of all if you engine gets hot, you will definitely burn some oil. I know from experience, lol. Sounds like it may be that a belt broke off and therefore the water pump is not running. That is why you can drive a couple of miles before it gets hot. Look for this first.
Here is the URL to look up your info:
http://www.autozone.com/addVehicleId,2141001/initialAction,repairGuide/shopping/vehicleSelected.htm
Located your water pump and when you start up your engine see if any water is leaking from it. If not, check to see if your radiator has any drip marks on it. Also is your fans to the radiator are not coming on your radiator may overheat. There are too many problems.
1. Check and locate water pump. When starting see if any leaks around it. Remember about the broke belt for the water pump.
2. Check radiator before you start it up for any drip marks and also check the hoses too as they may have a pinhole in them leaking water.
3. Once you engine is warm, are the radiator fans coming on.
Check the URL from Auto Zone and they can guide you as to what to do and look for. Good luck.
2007-10-23 12:02:07 · answer #4 · answered by Big C 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well your losing antifreeze somewhere.
Water pump doesn't all come out at once.
Might be radiator but I think it's some connection or hose.
Use water until you find where it leaking.
Start up and run until hot. Turn off and listen and look where it is coming out or hissing. That's the problem.
Last resort is bad thermostat.
2007-10-23 11:49:21 · answer #5 · answered by Michael S 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Could be a hose, these fail more often then either of the above.
There are a lot of hoses under the hood (heater, and radiator as well as "by-pass hoses".
Sorry I am not there to get down on the ground and crawl around looking to see where the coolant is leaking from.
2007-10-23 11:48:04 · answer #6 · answered by yosemitezuzan 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
could be bad thermostat, water pump, blown gasket, cracked hoses or a clogged system. where is the antifreeze coming out of?
2007-10-23 11:45:59 · answer #7 · answered by koma 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
get compression test done to aqscertain if there is any more severe engine damage. check water pump, the belt driving it. get radiator flushed. change all hoses, coolant and engine oil and filters
2007-10-23 11:45:48 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
it could be eather
2007-10-23 11:56:48 · answer #9 · answered by art z 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋