P38 Over Heat

[georgep]

2001 P38, 146,000 miles, NEW by dealer Radiator, belts, hoses at 143,000 miles. Will run for two or three days with temp in CENTER of the range then RED LIGHT hot. Shut down let it cool and it takes about 1 gallon of 50/50 mix to top up. Now the confusion, drove to Columbia S.C. at 75 mph (72 miles) drove Back at 75 mph (76 miles) no problem, drove the next day 4 miles and HOT. Signs: 1. Drip from expansion tank overflow at the RF Wheel after a short run after top off (overfill ?) 2. WET mat on drivers side SOMETIMES. 3. No Water in the oil 4. No indication of a head gasket problem. 5. CAN NOT FIND MY RAV CD!!!!! Thanks folks George P.

[Savannah Buzz]

RAVE download in my signature below.

So where is a gallon of coolant going? No drips, no oil contamination, so out the tail pipe or HG leak / valley pan gasket leak when at higher rpm (and you are driving and can't see it)?

Seems like a coolant system pressure check would be something to look at. A very bad thing can be slipped cyclinder liner (yikes!) - but these are said to have the ultra quick heat up symptom.

Water pump sieze up and release (usually have some belt squeal, or noticable pulley wobble at certain speeds)? WP left in pix would wobble and drip out the front, I thought it was AC condensate until I looked closer. WP would give coolant loss and over heat on/off with approaching lock up.

I made the commute from Easley (90 mile) to Gervais & Henderson for several years, then moved to Savannah and made the 125 mile each way up through Estill. Beautiful country, too many unmarked police cars....

[georgep]

Thank you for the link, now I am going to do some testing this weekend starting with a 50 mile drive then park the unit on CLEAN CARDBOARD to look for a leak pattern.
I am thinking of giving it the official Jag V12 Treatment:
Stop Leak and Quick Kool, worked on both XJS and on Mutley

[Savannah Buzz]

Before you apply the stop leak, consider this:

1. The leak is a small spot, and will take about a match head size quantity of the majic chemical to fix.

2. The rest of the bottle will sink to the low spot in the cooling system, like too much sugar stirred into ice tea. That spot would be the lower part of the radiator.

3. In an older radiator the tubes are covered with scale, providing more places for the stop leak to attach to. If it does not fully close them off, reducing cooling capacity, it will coat the inside of them, like putting on a sweater, and reduce heat transfer.

4. So before you use said product, no matter the brand, old radiator should be strongly flushed. And with a new radiator, like yours, perhaps consider that once leak stops (usually the initial application and running for "X" minutes) that you drain and properly dispose of the coolant and remaining stop leak, so that it does not do extra work to the radiator, not allow the system to cool off fully before draining.

5. There have been a number of posts of persons using Bar's, etc., and the leak stops, but overheating get worse, radiator plugs.

6. Still might want to do a coolant pressure test before this, in case HG got folded up in a spot or such on install. What does dealer say about all this - time for new engine I suppose?

7. A whole lot of horse power in your stable when you add it up. Guess it was cheaper to just buy the insurance aganecy?

8. Hose on bottom of tank clamp loose?

[georgep]

I use American Collector Car Insurance on ANYTHING over 25 years and GEICO for now on the balance. They both give me a good discount since I have more than in my signature to insure.

Will use the Quick Kool to start and see what that does and then try the cardboard to pattern the leak.

Thanks for the input.

[Savannah Buzz]

I have also used the quick kool on heavy equipment that needed to keep working, and it did the job.

[Savannah Buzz]

Mr. George,

Another "angle" could be that your leak occurs only when hot. That may be not when running 75 mph, but only when stop and go. If system was loosing pressure (bad coolant cap), it would not hold water below boiling point. Underway you are below that temp, stop and go you might be close. Lines for heater core may have been disturbed, might account for some under dash moisture. But it doesn't sound like you have a gallon inside with you. The coolant bottle and hose deserve close attention.

[EUR Mechaniker]

cooling system pressure test is always the first place to start... your just wasting time otherwise. just my .02

[georgep]

Need to get a tester so I can do that. We have one for the Modified maybe we can use that one.
ANOTHER CURVE BALL to night
Put in the quick Cool and let it idle for 10 min, drove it 20 miles, let idle for 5 min still no overheat problem
BUT
I got a message that Fuse 8,9,10,11 had failed, the A/C system shut down and the 20 MPH warning came on on the display, WHILE IT WAS IDLING. I turned off the unit, called it a dam Chevy, turned the key and all was fine.
This is almost like it is MAD I SOLD It's LITTLE BROTHER MUTLEY !!!!
Figure that one out! I parked it and will think about it since we have OVER $6,500.00 in it in upgrades and repairs using a Land Rover Dealer INCLUDING get away for the bag system. Hate to dump this one but my rule is you leave me stranded 3 times and you are GONE.

We drove the 99 Ford Ranger to run the errands and got there and BACK.

[LRScott]

When its wet on the driver's side, is it water or coolant? If its water then your a/c drain ports are clogged. Another thing to check is the throttle body heater, it is a common leak point, of course it should puddle on the valley gasket.... I'm pretty sure mine leaks. I think it has been leaking for years but I have never been able to verify it with absolute confidence that is what is leaking. I put about a quart of coolant in every 3k miles or so. No gasket problems, it just disappears... About once a year in spring I'll notice a coolant drip from somewhere, open the hood to check and the leak stops lol.

Do you have a scanner that can read engine temps? Might be good to see what temp it is at when the needle is center and or "overheating" if you get a chance. Mine acted like it was overheating and drove the PO crazy while they replaced the thermostat, radiator, etc. I got a great deal on the rig, and the problem turned out to be a grounding issue of all things.