Not sure if this will help, but I had a similar issue with '96 Chevy lumina the radiator overheating, coolant was low, no indications on my dash that anything was wrong. My car was in prestin condition. Bought in in Dallas, drove it to AZ. And in AZ. After about 8 months i started to notice the gauge to the coolant was running low, figured I take it in. Machanic checked for leaks, no leaks, did a flush and refilled it. Worked good for about 2 weeks. Then same thing again. Nobody seemed to know anything, then I decided to ask a friend of mine who does some work on the side. He was telling me that the coolant they use in those cars, they tell you to use special coolant thats orange. Well that stuff after many years of usage eats through the gaskets and bolts. He right Away told me to replace the coolant but before I did that he said check your oil if you see water in your oil it has ruined your gaskets and leaked into the oil tank, we checked it and Thankfully it was ok.
He talked me through what I needed to do to change out the thermostat in the housing chamber. He wasn't around to help, so I turned to YouTube for guidance, taking pictures so you know how to put it back together, as you follow the YouTube instructions how to, you practically end up remove what seems to be half the ingine just to get to the thermostat.
But after my efforts and hard work and changing it all out and buying reg. Coolant, NOT the ORANGE STUFF. IT WORKED! After that never had an issue with it again. Hope it helps. Good luck.
Take the spark plugs out and fill the water up. turn over the engine. see what comes out of the spark plug holes. should just be fuel. smell. you will need some one to turn the engine over and have good charge in the battery. fill the water to the top so it is level. if you see the water go down when the engine is turning. then it could be air or a leak in the head gasket.
SOURCE: 2003 Hyndai Elantra oil light has started flickering, Why?
If it flickers at idle, it "might" be engine wear, especially if you are approaching 200,000 miles. It might also be a faulty oil pressure gauge sending unit which is a little more likely.
SOURCE: 1995 Mitsubishi Diamante is overheating. Oil
the symptoms are that you have a burnt head gasket, its consuming the water into the cylinders and at the same time it builds combustion pressure in the cooling system causing it to overheat, and when it overheats it makes the oil loose viscosity so you loose oil pressure, i recommend not driving the car any more and the first solution is to replace the burnt gasket, and change your oil, go to a local shop and only do these they probably tell you the engine is worn but the problem is what i told you above, make them replace the thermostat unit yes to be sure good luck
SOURCE: 2004 VW Bug leaking antifreeze. small puddles
the VW beetle has a plastic radiator, where the cap is if you look to the front of that it does a 90, it is cracked there. Here is the fun part, with a throx wrench ( I think it was a T-30) take apart the fenders and front bumper. At the auto parts store there is a plastic tank repair kit, the kit includes resign,fiber glass cloth, and a stick. You will need to rough up the crack as it is right where it angles and lay on the cloth and resign. Let it dry and it will not leak from there again. Good Luck Tim
Testimonial: "much more knowledge than the mechanic I took it to in the first place. Sounds like something my Dad and I can try to fix ourselves. quick response! "
SOURCE: the checj engine light on my 99 pontiac sunfire
first of all, was the water on the passenger side from the air conditioner or a leak (what color was the fluid?)-the cap has to be tight, otherwise it will not hold pressure, so that has to be checked before you set off again-push down as you turn the cap clockwise, and it will not hurt to have water in the system (it actually transfers heat better than antifreeze) but it has a much lower boiling point, so the cap has to be tight. Pay attention to the temperature gauge and do NOT overheat it-it is an aluminum engine and they do not tolerate excessive heat. Take your time, no AC (although the AC being on can keep a good cooling system more stable since the radiator fan is forced on when the AC is running, so you can, within reason, experiment)-no matter what, just don't let it run hot-not worth it.
Testimonial: "The information provided was what I needed confirmed for this immediate problem to drive my car safely home. I appreciate the help!"
There is a TSB for this problem. Here it is.
Bulletin No.: 04-06-02-007
Date: August 11, 2004
TECHNICAL
Subject:
Low Engine Coolant Level Indicator Always On (Diagnose Low Coolant Level System
Operation/Check Sensor for Oil Contamination)
Models:
2000-2002 Buick Century, Regal
2000-2001 Chevrolet Lumina
2000-2002 Chevrolet Impala, Monte Carlo
2000-2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
2000-2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue
Condition
Some customers may comment that the low engine coolant level
indicator is always illuminated.
Cause
The cause of this condition may be due to engine oil
contaminating the coolant. Possible sources of oil contamination are internal
engine leaks, improper service procedures, or the addition of some types of
anti-leak additives to the cooling system. Once in the coolant, the oil leaves
deposits on the level sensor creating an insulating film. This film results in
a false activation of the coolant level indicator.
Correction
Diagnose low coolant level system operation and check the sensor
for oil contamination using the procedure listed below.
Important: No coolant supplements should be used in GM cooling
systems, other than what is approved and recommended by GM. The use of
"aftermarket" over-the-counter sealing and cooling supplements may
affect the operation of the low coolant level sensor. Discoloration of the
coolant recovery bottle is normal and does not necessarily indicate that
coolant contamination is present. Flush cooling system only when instructed by
this bulletin.
1.
Verify that the coolant is at proper level in the radiator and
the coolant recovery bottle. If the coolant is low, add proper amount of 50/50
water and DEX-COOL(R) mixture. If the low coolant light operates properly,
diagnose the cooling system for loss of coolant as outlined in SI. DO NOT
proceed further with this bulletin.
2. Remove the low coolant level sensor. Refer to Coolant Level Module Replacement
in the Engine Cooling sub-section.
3. With the key on, the engine off and the coolant level sensor disconnected
from the vehicle wiring harness, observe the low coolant light:
^ Light is on - Chassis wiring or instrument cluster concern.
Follow the appropriate diagnostic information in SI.
^ Light is out - Proceed to Step 4.
4. With the key off, connect the coolant level sensor into the vehicle's wiring
harness. Connect a ground wire (1) to the battery negative terminal. Using a
sharp probe (3) attached to the ground wire, ground the coolant sensor probe
(2) as shown in the illustration. Make sure a good contact is made. With the
key on and the engine off, observe the low coolant light for at least 15
seconds.
^ Light is on - Replace the low coolant sensor and re-check
system operation.
^ Light is out - Proceed to Step 5.
5. Using a small wire brush or emery cloth, polish the low coolant level sensor
probe to remove any film or oxidation. The probe should be a bright brass color
when finished. Use Brake Parts Cleaner to flush removed deposits from the low
coolant sensor probe. Re-install the low coolant sensor into the vehicle and
proceed to Step 6.
6. Flush the cooling system and install new DEX-COOL(R) mixture as outlined in
the SI. Check the vehicle's warranty history to determine if any engine gasket
had recently been changed. If there has not been a recent gasket replacement,
locate and repair the source of the engine oil contamination.
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