10,500 Mile Update

Only CEL for the last 3 months or so (Other than the other bank 1 o2 dying last week) have been P14XX SAI related.

I broke my expansion-to-radiator hose. Between replacing that and tightening up the heater hoses, I stopped 2 slow yet annoying leaks.

Temps all winter in the 180s with occasional low 190s at idle. Heater worked great which was huge cause this has been a brutal one...50 days below zero. 4th all-time I believe.

Just warmed up to the 40s the last few days. With the heater off on Monday it would hit 206-210 sitting in traffic and go back down to 188-194 on the highway.

Checked things out Tuesday morning. Oil was about a quart low and coolant level about an inch below the line (hadn't checked it for over a month). Coolant cap was a little loose. Filled the oil and coolant and made sure the cap was tight. 40s again Tuesday afternoon it was 180s on the highway and 188-194 at idle.

I really cant complain about much at this point for a vehicle that cost $2000, headgasket parts, some fluids and some time

Odd that throughout all this testing, no one suggested a coolant temp sensor? I don't know these vehicles well enough to know if there's one or two temp sensors, or a specific one that the ECU uses to control the gauge, but it's a $10-20 (usually) part that I would have tried a long time ago.

The ultragauge (or whatever it's called) and OBD-II scan tool are nice and all, but they read from the same place-- a simple thermistor (variable resistor) the ECU uses to determine coolant temp.

In a perfect world, manufacturing tolerances would be such that every coolant temp sensor reads like every other, but in real life, that's hardly the case. Sure, 95 out of 100 will read perhaps within a fraction of a percent of the next one, but you'll always have those oddballs that read a few degrees high or low, but not enough to get thrown out or labeled a problem child.

I've seen oil pressure and coolant temp readings swing 5-10 degrees just by changing to a different sensor. Might be worth a try if you've exhausted all other avenues.

Im pretty sure the temp sensor is right.

It has been verified multiple times by the "how long can I touch the top hose" and "when it is over 220, is my expansion jug boiling over" tests

15,500 Mile Update

Packed on the miles the last few months making drives up north and down to Sioux Falls.

Only codes are the P1412 and P1415 for SAI. Coolant goes from full to about an inch below the line in about a month or so.

With the temperature outside in the 70s and 80s these days, temps are a little strange. I think I have cooling issues somewhere.

My morning drive is mostly free flowing highway and I am at about 188-194 going to 199-201 when I hit a little traffic midway.

Going home the interstate is horrible, so I take side-streets for the first half. Doing this, the temps will slowly rise to about 204-206. If I use the AC, it'll hit 212-215.

The weird thing is, when I hit the highway again it doesnt cool down much at all. If I am at 204 when I hit the interstate, it will stay there for a few miles before slowly dropping to 199-201. If I go low throttle down a hill or coast on an off ramp, it will drop to 194 or so. With the AC on, temps will stay in the 206-210 range, going to 201 on hill/ramp.

So, more or less ok, but some things to watch as the weather gets hotter.

20,000 Mile Update

Sprayed cleaner in the purge valve, and no more P1415 or P1412, which means no codes at all for a few thousand miles.

Based on the fact I have a LR 180* stat, it runs "hot" in weather over 75* i.e. 199 - 206 with no AC, 206-212 with AC, peaking once at 221 going up a hill at 65mph with AC.

It was mid 40s this morning. With the heater on Hi and low fan, I was mostly at 185, peaking at 190.

Since my radio broke, I have also noticed what I think is a liner tick during low to mid speed acceleration.

what is it like a year and half now with the irontite?

How do you mean?

Performance?

Your temps sounds like mine a little. Headgaskets I was told were done by previous owner but not positive. They had at least switched to green coolant and already done the throttle bypass.

Anyway my temps in a long drive through wait would creep to 220 but when moving I was around 190. Replace the thermostat last year with a Motorad one and replaced condenser fan since mine was seized and it seemed better but still creeped at idle. It never really sit idle to long so was no huge hurry on it since i didnt have a garage yet (In between houses). I did find a leak in the upper radiator hose (old style), replaced that but never really had it sit idle to test.

This year I my house got finished and so finally had a garage. Purchased a Genuine 180 LR stat but before I put it in decided to do a flush using the detergent method. My plan was to run that way a few days then flush it out again and put new thermostat in. Well its maiden voyage was ok to some bike trails but heading home it almost immediately got really hot. As in 2 miles down the road and I saw 230 on the ultragauge. I assumed the detergent clogged up somewhere but anyway I got off to the side of the road. It cooled off and once I started it up again and drove it, it went back to acting normal. Not sure what the deal was exactly.

So I immediately went ahead and pushed all that out with several round of just water through some heat cycles. Put new thermostat in and in the process I noticed my nipple on the radiator was leaking. Previous owner had broken it, put a temporary new nipple on with jb weld or whatever, but it had started to leak. Since I dont need it everyday I went ahead and ordered a new radiator, cap, water pump, and viscous fan. Replaced all three and still issues at idle. Rented a pressure tester. Sure enough found multiple leaks at hose connections. Replaced the pinch clamps with the screw kind and got all the leaks resolved (i think). It held 18psi for 10 hours so think I am good there. Still issues at idle

So right now I see 180 to 188 while moving and maybe 194 in slow traffic, but at idle it will get to 204/206 with no ac, but with AC I have let it go to 220. Its weird in how it does it. In that it might first go to 197, then back to 194 then start creeping up. As soon as I start moving (within 15 to 30 seconds) it will cool itself back down to 190.

My first thought is airflow but I know condenser fan is pulling in. My new viscous fan will turn about 1/4 turn once warmed up (old was about 1/2 so it may have been ok) and feels like peanut butter. I will say the new fan is definitely louder and seems to sound the same all the time. Seems like the old would quiet down after getting to temp. I didnt purchased an HD version but not sure that even matters. I know my belt is routed ok and based on pictures I think my fan is on the right way, as in the blades extend out the of the ring they are in towards the engine side. Also even at idle if I rev the motor to 1200-1500 rpm (as a test), the temps will actually drop, not all the way but a few degrees here and there.

I am still playing with bleeding it and every couple weeks I can open the bleed screw, raise the overflow and hear a little air come out but once the air is gone I have a steady stream and I have let it bleed for several minutes just to be sure. So my theories are:

• I have an air pocket but no waterfall sound
• I have a leak that is only there when car is hot so that's why the pressure test is ok. I am not sure if am losing coolant or not as still playing with bleeding but we are talking maybe 1/2 cup every few weeks to a month. I do have some water out the exhaust but no white smoke which I think is normal on a lot of cars but maybe not? The water is not always there and only last a minute or so. I have no coolant smell but not sure all this matters
• Air flow is not there with the condenser or viscous fan though not sure why not since both are new and seem to be working

My next thought was to try testing for exhaust gases but I need to get the equip for that. Or maybe look into getting a bigger condenser fan. I am not sure CFM of the one I bought but its a VDO PM9116 which is mentioned as correct part on this forum.

Holy crap that was a longer post than I expected to put my trying to get all my info out there for advice as well so guess I hijacked your thread a little.

I like all the work and reporting you've done in this thread. Thank you!

Sorry to revive an old thread but I too suffered a cracked block which was dumping coolant into my oil sump at operating temperature. No misfires or CEL as pinkytoe had. This thread gave me a glimmer of hope that I could at least temporarily repair this problem without replacing the engine. I ran the Irontite treatment as well and so far so good...no coolant in the oil and not a drop missing from the reservoir after about 500 miles.

A big thanks to pinkytoe for sharing this process and results!