Car overheated and pegged temp gauge at 260F. Replaced thermostat and temp sensor and ran engine. Left off the upper hose clamp to see what coolant looked like after thermostat opened. Had Dexcool sludge in radiator at cap and wanted to flush radiator and engine.
Drain cock on radiator broke as I tried to open it. I tried to remove it with pliers but more plastic snapped off. Tried closing it and went on with test of car with new thermostat and temp sending sensor.
Filled radiator with water and started engine.
Thermostat opened partially after a few minutes. Took upper radiator hose off of thermostat discharge pipe and saw brown colored coolant spitting out.
Added water to radiator with garden hose to replace the coolant running out of the thermostat pipe. Temp gauge was working and went up to 4 marks past 210 printed on gauge. I guess it is about 230 degrees F. SERVICE ENGINE SOON light blinked on and off and then came on solid.
Shut off engine, removed plus lead from battery to reset the MIL indicator and put upper radiator hose on with a hose clamp to the thermostat pipe.
After about 15 minutes restarted engine and attempted to bleed out the trapped air in the system. Left bleed port above the water pump released air and then sputtered coolant. Right bleed port on thermostat pipe going to upper radiator hose spit out steam for several minutes. Finally it sputtered a small amount of coolant then went back to solid steam. Expected some air but not 5 minutes of steam.
SERVICE ENGINE SOON (MIL light) is on solid again. I thought that removing battery voltage for 15 minutes would reset the MIL status.
What do I have? A blown head gasket?
No evidence of coolant in oil or exhaust. Temp in the 30s outside. Saw some exhaust plume but not steam.
Was going to flush system to get rid of Dexcool sludge in radiator and engine but not sure if engine not blown. Have about 110k on the engine.
What do i do next?
Drain cock on radiator broke as I tried to open it. I tried to remove it with pliers but more plastic snapped off. Tried closing it and went on with test of car with new thermostat and temp sending sensor.
Filled radiator with water and started engine.
Thermostat opened partially after a few minutes. Took upper radiator hose off of thermostat discharge pipe and saw brown colored coolant spitting out.
Added water to radiator with garden hose to replace the coolant running out of the thermostat pipe. Temp gauge was working and went up to 4 marks past 210 printed on gauge. I guess it is about 230 degrees F. SERVICE ENGINE SOON light blinked on and off and then came on solid.
Shut off engine, removed plus lead from battery to reset the MIL indicator and put upper radiator hose on with a hose clamp to the thermostat pipe.
After about 15 minutes restarted engine and attempted to bleed out the trapped air in the system. Left bleed port above the water pump released air and then sputtered coolant. Right bleed port on thermostat pipe going to upper radiator hose spit out steam for several minutes. Finally it sputtered a small amount of coolant then went back to solid steam. Expected some air but not 5 minutes of steam.
SERVICE ENGINE SOON (MIL light) is on solid again. I thought that removing battery voltage for 15 minutes would reset the MIL status.
What do I have? A blown head gasket?
No evidence of coolant in oil or exhaust. Temp in the 30s outside. Saw some exhaust plume but not steam.
Was going to flush system to get rid of Dexcool sludge in radiator and engine but not sure if engine not blown. Have about 110k on the engine.
What do i do next?
