Coolant tips? please
08-08-01, 08:59 PM
#2
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Jessica,
From your description, you probably have a bigger issue than needing your coolant flushed... the white smokescreen almost certainly means bad coolant seals. To confirm it, do this:
Remove the coolant fill cap on the thermostat housing. Fill it with coolant... then start the motor. If it blows bubbles in there, or shoots coolant out, the motor is toast.
There IS hope, however. You could TRY some "Block-Seal" to try to fill the leak. This is NOT (supposedly anyway) a long-term solution- it may work for a few days, or a few months, or not at all. It may also do additional damage- but if your motor is already bad, it may be worth the risk while you save up for another one.
As far as flushing, I would remove (or at least loosen) the lower radiator hose and drain the coolant out there. You can also drain coolant from the block by loosening the bolt in the center of the motor-mount area (NOT the motor mount bolts... the one up inside the bracket) on the passenger side I think. Tighten everything up, fill with pure water, start the car up and let it run a bit. Do this a few times before using the block seal if you plan to do so. (You want to get all the coolant out of the system if you want to use that product.) Then, once you have added the block seal, you have to let it run for (I think) 30 minutes to get fully warmed up so it will seal. (Follow the manufacturer's directions.)
Brad
From your description, you probably have a bigger issue than needing your coolant flushed... the white smokescreen almost certainly means bad coolant seals. To confirm it, do this:
Remove the coolant fill cap on the thermostat housing. Fill it with coolant... then start the motor. If it blows bubbles in there, or shoots coolant out, the motor is toast.
There IS hope, however. You could TRY some "Block-Seal" to try to fill the leak. This is NOT (supposedly anyway) a long-term solution- it may work for a few days, or a few months, or not at all. It may also do additional damage- but if your motor is already bad, it may be worth the risk while you save up for another one.
As far as flushing, I would remove (or at least loosen) the lower radiator hose and drain the coolant out there. You can also drain coolant from the block by loosening the bolt in the center of the motor-mount area (NOT the motor mount bolts... the one up inside the bracket) on the passenger side I think. Tighten everything up, fill with pure water, start the car up and let it run a bit. Do this a few times before using the block seal if you plan to do so. (You want to get all the coolant out of the system if you want to use that product.) Then, once you have added the block seal, you have to let it run for (I think) 30 minutes to get fully warmed up so it will seal. (Follow the manufacturer's directions.)
Brad
08-15-01, 01:16 AM
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I think her seals are good 
her car idles at 2 speeds, 600 and 1500 rpm... if it sits for a few seconds at the higher rpm it will begin to smoke, but if its at the lower(or any other) rpm it will run fine. Also, we did't find any trace of water in the oil, nor oil in the water, but i guess it could be leaking directly into the housing.. Everything looks ok with the radiator cap off also, no bubbles whatsoever. I think she needs to check her tps, or something else that could be bad making her car idle funny and ultra rich at the higher idle. Just my 2 cents
~Jesse
Also, where is that plug on the engine for the coolant.... i didn't see anything obvious and the manual has a pretty sucky pic, anyone have an actual pic of where it is? Thanks!
her car idles at 2 speeds, 600 and 1500 rpm... if it sits for a few seconds at the higher rpm it will begin to smoke, but if its at the lower(or any other) rpm it will run fine. Also, we did't find any trace of water in the oil, nor oil in the water, but i guess it could be leaking directly into the housing.. Everything looks ok with the radiator cap off also, no bubbles whatsoever. I think she needs to check her tps, or something else that could be bad making her car idle funny and ultra rich at the higher idle. Just my 2 cents
~Jesse
Also, where is that plug on the engine for the coolant.... i didn't see anything obvious and the manual has a pretty sucky pic, anyone have an actual pic of where it is? Thanks!
08-15-01, 05:47 AM
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Here...
Go to Robinette's site. It's for 3rd gen's but it shows a pic of the coolant drain plug on the engine block.
Robinette's Site
-Brian
Robinette's Site
-Brian
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