Car running hot?

[2006wrxtr]

My car is getting alot of bubbles coming out if the radiator and running hot.
What could be making it do this?
Head Gasket?
Thermostat?
Radiator Cap?
Anything else.?
The only time the car was run hard was when Allen at Alternative Motorsports had it on the Dyno. Do you think they could have blown the headgasket?

Thanks, Mike

[-stew-]

Head gasket. Diagnosis is easy. Pull the plugs and put a cooling system pressure tester on it and wait for coolant to run from one of the plug holes.

[2006wrxtr]

Head gasket. Diagnosis is easy. Pull the plugs and put a cooling system pressure tester on it and wait for coolant to run from one of the plug holes.

I did that last month and nothing came out. Could there still be air trapped in the system.?

[Car Guy]

It's possible but not very likely that there is still air trapped in the system.....

[-stew-]

Could be air trapped, but I doubt it on a SBF (i'm assuming the problem is on your five liter). If I recall correct, you just did a motor build.

Some things to think about:

Do you have the correct water pump and is it spinning the right direction?

Did you have the pressure tester on it long enough to fill a cyl that was on BDC?

Factory radiator? Plugged?

Is it belching air out or tiny bubbles you see in the radiator with the cap off?

[lordairgtar]

Yes, try opening the cooling system at the highest point to let any captured air out. Refill at that point and see what happens. Cars used to have a tee fitting with screw on cap located in one of the heater hoses. Install one of those and prop that up as high as possible and open it to let the air out. Does your heater intermittently blow cold, then hot, then cold again? That's usually an air pocket causing that, or low coolant.

[-stew-]

Yes, try opening the cooling system at the highest point to let any captured air out. Refill at that point and see what happens. Cars used to have a tee fitting with screw on cap located in one of the heater hoses. Install one of those and prop that up as high as possible and open it to let the air out. Does your heater intermittently blow cold, then hot, then cold again? That's usually an air pocket causing that, or low coolant.

The radiator cap is the highest point. ("Throttle body!!" blah blah blah, prolly bypassed.) Those t-fittings were something people installed in their driveway to do a home cooling system flush. They are trash, any car that has one should have it removed and the correct heater hose installed where the fitting was. They can cause leaks and actually alow air to enter the cooling system.

[Voodoo Chick]

My car had a few heat issues last summer, and it was just the thermostat, and radiator cap. Always try the easiest fix first, sometimes you get lucky and that's all it takes, if that doesn't work, well.....move onto the next possiblity. Good luck.

[lordairgtar]

The radiator cap is the highest point. ("Throttle body!!" blah blah blah, prolly bypassed.) Those t-fittings were something people installed in their driveway to do a home cooling system flush. They are trash, any car that has one should have it removed and the correct heater hose installed where the fitting was. They can cause leaks and actually alow air to enter the cooling system.

True about the t fitting, but if done right, it helped in a trapped air situation. Sometimes the radiator cap is not the highest point, especially on older cars. I had a 69 Buick like that. Early and middle 60s Vettes had that problem too.

[-stew-]

My car had a few heat issues last summer, and it was just the thermostat, and radiator cap. Always try the easiest fix first, sometimes you get lucky and that's all it takes, if that doesn't work, well.....move onto the next possiblity. Good luck.

Trying the easiest fix first isn't the way to do it. In the auto repair trade we call that "throwing parts at a car." And the people that do that are "parts changers" and "hacks"; because they just keep changing parts (or "hacking away at it") until the car is fixed. Those of us that diagnose things, and only repair what is needed are called "mechanics" and "technicians"

[2006wrxtr]

O.k. it seems to be working the air out of the system. They did a few dyno runs and it was staying at 180*. Today is a test and tune day down here so no more tuning until later this week.

[Cryptic]

my brother's suby just needed a head gasket. check plugs for white green buildup

[2006wrxtr]

my brother's suby just needed a head gasket. check plugs for white green buildup

Nothing on the plugs, no white foam or goop anywhere. I am going to get the test kit at AutoZone the detects exhaust gasses in the coolant.

[Car Guy]

Trying the easiest fix first isn't the way to do it. In the auto repair trade we call that "throwing parts at a car." And the people that do that are "parts changers" and "hacks"; because they just keep changing parts (or "hacking away at it") until the car is fixed. Those of us that diagnose things, and only repair what is needed are called "mechanics" and "technicians"

QUOTED FOR THE TRUTH...!!!

I refer to myself as a Mechnician or a Techanic.....




.

[-stew-]

Nothing on the plugs, no white foam or goop anywhere. I am going to get the test kit at AutoZone the detects exhaust gasses in the coolant.

Are you at school? Is that where you are working on the car? If so, and if they have one (any good autos school should) hold the sniffer for a five gas analyzer by the radiator neck (cap off obviously) and watch for HC readings from the bubbles coming from the cooling system. This will tell you if it is exhaust (read combustion gasses) are entering your cooling system.

[-stew-]

QUOTED FOR THE TRUTH...!!!

I refer to myself as a Mechnician or a Techanic.....




.

I here ya. Working where I'm at now makes this more true than ever. Not only do I have to figure out how to fix it, but I have to figure out how to operate it.

[Car Guy]

Where are you working currently...???

[-stew-]

Heavy Equipment Tech. City of Milwaukee DPW.

[CAMAROJV123]

its ur thermostat pretty sure

[Cryptic]

boil some water and through your thermostat in it... see if it opens and closes as expected

If I remember right your going too loose all your coolant taking it out though