Cooling system problem - Help!!
Discussion
Hi All,
The information below my post is pasted from the thread “WHY DID WE GET THE CRAPPY BOX? :/”
I am having cooling system problems. I thought it was the pump but after feeling around inside the intake pipe and turning the pump it seems that the impeller is turning.
What happens is: the car starts, runs just fine while the water temp is rising. Once the temp hits about 80c on the gauge; it accelerates to the red line like crazy and starts blowing water out of the overflow. The cooling fans don’t kick in (unless I put the A/C on which kicks them in automatically) and the radiator is not getting warm. I have bled the system several times (from the top left hand side of the radiator as per the service manual) and still no joy. I have checked and replaced the thermostat (just to be safe) but STILL the temp keeps rising. The hose at the top of the pump (outlet) gets hot but it doesn’t seem to be getting to the radiator.
I assume this is an unrelated issue but just in case; it also seems as though my alternator is not charging as the amps/volts gauge drops and I have to put on the charger to start the car.
Any help or thoughts would be much appreciated as I am pretty much stuck now.
Mark – 88 Turbo
This post in reply to Calvin from the thread “WHY DID WE GET THE CRAPPY BOX? :/”
Well, when my timing belt was changed back in June I had the water pump rebuilt because there was a small amount of coolant weeping through the fail-hole (which usually means it is on its way out as I am sure you know). It ran fine until last month when all of a sudden it decided to start gushing coolant. As luck would have it the car was in having a sport muffler fitted with the same guy that rebuilt the water pump the first time, so I got it rebuilt again under warranty. On Sunday I was coming back from Tucson, and I look in the rearview and there is water spraying all over the road (from the overflow) and the water temp just maxes out on the gauge, so I had to get a tow home (about 40 miles). I topped up the cooling system when I got home and when I start the car the gauge just rises and doesn't stop where it usually does (82c), it just keeps going in to the red so I figure it has to be the thermostat or the pump (water not being circulated to the radiator). Tested the stat and it opens fine so I have to assume the only thing it can be is the BLOODY PUMP! again. Unless you can think of anything else it could be? I certainly can't.
Mark - 88 Turbo
The information below my post is pasted from the thread “WHY DID WE GET THE CRAPPY BOX? :/”
I am having cooling system problems. I thought it was the pump but after feeling around inside the intake pipe and turning the pump it seems that the impeller is turning.
What happens is: the car starts, runs just fine while the water temp is rising. Once the temp hits about 80c on the gauge; it accelerates to the red line like crazy and starts blowing water out of the overflow. The cooling fans don’t kick in (unless I put the A/C on which kicks them in automatically) and the radiator is not getting warm. I have bled the system several times (from the top left hand side of the radiator as per the service manual) and still no joy. I have checked and replaced the thermostat (just to be safe) but STILL the temp keeps rising. The hose at the top of the pump (outlet) gets hot but it doesn’t seem to be getting to the radiator.
I assume this is an unrelated issue but just in case; it also seems as though my alternator is not charging as the amps/volts gauge drops and I have to put on the charger to start the car.
Any help or thoughts would be much appreciated as I am pretty much stuck now.
Mark – 88 Turbo
This post in reply to Calvin from the thread “WHY DID WE GET THE CRAPPY BOX? :/”
Well, when my timing belt was changed back in June I had the water pump rebuilt because there was a small amount of coolant weeping through the fail-hole (which usually means it is on its way out as I am sure you know). It ran fine until last month when all of a sudden it decided to start gushing coolant. As luck would have it the car was in having a sport muffler fitted with the same guy that rebuilt the water pump the first time, so I got it rebuilt again under warranty. On Sunday I was coming back from Tucson, and I look in the rearview and there is water spraying all over the road (from the overflow) and the water temp just maxes out on the gauge, so I had to get a tow home (about 40 miles). I topped up the cooling system when I got home and when I start the car the gauge just rises and doesn't stop where it usually does (82c), it just keeps going in to the red so I figure it has to be the thermostat or the pump (water not being circulated to the radiator). Tested the stat and it opens fine so I have to assume the only thing it can be is the BLOODY PUMP! again. Unless you can think of anything else it could be? I certainly can't.
Mark - 88 Turbo
Do you elevate the front of the car to bleed the system?
Could there be radiator blockage and how old is the radiator?
Is the new thermostat opening in the right direction as to the flow or installed inverted? Sorry had to ask.
Hope the head gasket is not blown and is not pumping air.
Calvin
Could there be radiator blockage and how old is the radiator?
Is the new thermostat opening in the right direction as to the flow or installed inverted? Sorry had to ask.
Hope the head gasket is not blown and is not pumping air.
Calvin
Calvin,
All very good questions. I just took out the new thermostat and ran it without for a while. The temp didn't even get near 80c and the water is circulating fine (rad and hoses get warm). Obviously this means that it has to be with the T stat (even though it is brand new). I tested it again and it opens on the dot at 82c. Off to by another one now, just to be sure.
The T'stat is in the right way. I did a compression test on each cylinder and it checks out fine (would think it would show there if the HG had blown, right?)
I didn't elevate the front of the car, but it sure makes sense so I will when I bleed it this time.
Thanks for your help,
Mark
>> Edited by AZ88Turbo on Thursday 9th October 18:04
>> Edited by AZ88Turbo on Thursday 9th October 18:04
All very good questions. I just took out the new thermostat and ran it without for a while. The temp didn't even get near 80c and the water is circulating fine (rad and hoses get warm). Obviously this means that it has to be with the T stat (even though it is brand new). I tested it again and it opens on the dot at 82c. Off to by another one now, just to be sure.
The T'stat is in the right way. I did a compression test on each cylinder and it checks out fine (would think it would show there if the HG had blown, right?)
I didn't elevate the front of the car, but it sure makes sense so I will when I bleed it this time.
Thanks for your help,
Mark
>> Edited by AZ88Turbo on Thursday 9th October 18:04
>> Edited by AZ88Turbo on Thursday 9th October 18:04
Don't know how your cooling system is arranged, but normally the cabin heater taps off upstream of the stat and returns to the water pump inlet (i.e. it acts as a bypass). If yours is similar, you should get plenty of hot water through the heater if the pump is working. If you don't, this suggests you may have nil water flow which could be a faulty pump. Assuming the heater works and you do have water circulating and the problem is just nothing going past the stat, are there any possible gotchas like the stat being fitter back to front (and jamming on something when it tried to open) or anything like that? Otherwise, is there any chance either top or bottom hose or radiator has been crushed/blocked/kinked, foreign object in it or anything else obstructing the water flow?
>> Edited by GreenV8S on Thursday 9th October 18:24
>> Edited by GreenV8S on Thursday 9th October 18:24
A lesson for all who wish to read: --
No matter what your local auto-parts “Joe” says, take it from someone who just spent the last 3 days in and under a Lotus, covered in coolant and other “grime” for no reason: Apparently the “blow hole: or “pellet” in a thermostat DOES BLOODY MATTER! It lets the cooling system on a Lotus BLEED correctly, as well as keep the sensor at the correct reading (got the last bit from an old post from Jim 85, thanks Jim, and thanks “Forum”, what would I do without you all!).
Thanks to all who posted help.
She is running great again (and cooler). I took some advice out of the service manual and went for a cooler (76.7c) T stat (says you can go as low as 74c in hot climates, and that would be Arizona).
Mark – 88 Turbo
No matter what your local auto-parts “Joe” says, take it from someone who just spent the last 3 days in and under a Lotus, covered in coolant and other “grime” for no reason: Apparently the “blow hole: or “pellet” in a thermostat DOES BLOODY MATTER! It lets the cooling system on a Lotus BLEED correctly, as well as keep the sensor at the correct reading (got the last bit from an old post from Jim 85, thanks Jim, and thanks “Forum”, what would I do without you all!).
Thanks to all who posted help.
She is running great again (and cooler). I took some advice out of the service manual and went for a cooler (76.7c) T stat (says you can go as low as 74c in hot climates, and that would be Arizona).
Mark – 88 Turbo
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