Overheating Issue

[Rotation]

Hey guys recently I was cruising down the freeway at approx 70mph and out of nowhere my car just bogs down and slowly starts to die out so I pull over at a public parking lot to check out what happened I pop the hood and it smelt like fish, and look like some coolant splattered on the right side of the engine and on the battery. Both the Check Engine light and another Yellow/Orange light with an exclamation point came up and the coolant in the reservoir was empty... Does anybody know what this could have been, or how it happened? Thanks.

[Bryan23ferra]

Check all your hoses.


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[Rotation]

Originally Posted by Bryan23ferra

Check all your hoses.


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I looked at all hoses nothing seems to be loose/ripped/released what I was going to try to do is on Monday buy some more engine coolant put it in and find out where it's leaking from, and try to solve it that way.

[whynotthinkwhynot]

Check for the leak by squeezing a hose and listening for the leak. That's the easiest way to find it wherever it is. You have to do this with the reservoir cap on and tight.

[Bryan23ferra]

If you don't have coolant, it won't hurt to use water for now but drain when your done.


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[Bryan23ferra]

Tip, check your oil.


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[BC_ZX3]

Originally Posted by Rotation

Both the Check Engine light and another Yellow/Orange light with an exclamation point came up and the coolant in the reservoir was empty... Does anybody know what this could have been, or how it happened? Thanks.

The PCM will have initiated "Fail safe cooling mode" upon detecting the engine overheating because of coolant loss. Engine power was limited because cylinders are used alternatively so as to act as an "air pump" of sorts. Full details in your owner's manual.

Check the plastic tube that crosses over the top of the radiator as well as whynot's suggestion of squeezing the hoses. The plastic tube sometimes cracks or the plug at one end comes out.

[Rotation]

Originally Posted by whynotthinkwhynot

Check for the leak by squeezing a hose and listening for the leak. That's the easiest way to find it wherever it is. You have to do this with the reservoir cap on and tight.

Thanks man will do, do you think by chance it might be the water pump?

Originally Posted by Bryan23ferra

If you don't have coolant, it won't hurt to use water for now but drain when your done.

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I'll try that.

Originally Posted by Bryan23ferra

Tip, check your oil.

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I've just recently gotten an oil change so I think it's ohkay but I'll check anyways.

Originally Posted by BC_ZX3

The PCM will have initiated "Fail safe cooling mode" upon detecting the engine overheating because of coolant loss. Engine power was limited because cylinders are used alternatively so as to act as an "air pump" of sorts. Full details in your owner's manual.

Check the plastic tube that crosses over the top of the radiator as well as whynot's suggestion of squeezing the hoses. The plastic tube sometimes cracks or the plug at one end comes out.

Thanks man I'll take a look at it tomorrow in the morning when the suns out.

[whynotthinkwhynot]

Originally Posted by Rotation

Thanks man will do, do you think by chance it might be the water pump?

Of course, and a stuck thermostat is possible. I thought you said you smelled something, so I assumed that it was coolant. I've not heard coolant described as a dead fish smell, but ok.

A basic test for the water pump is to start the engine and grab the lower radiator hose. You should feel the coolant moving whether the thermostat is open or not. Once the thermostat opens, you'll feel it moving through both hoses, but you can typically feel vibrations from the pump on the lower hose when the engine is cold. You can wait until the thermostat opens. To test the thermostat- probably the easiest way is to use the electronic odometer trick, but that could mean you will overheat again. The safest method is to simply remove the thermostat, and put the housing back together without a thermostat. If the engine doesn't overheat, then you need a new thermostat. You can also check water pump flow more easily. If you can't feel the coolant flowing through the hoses with the thermostat removed- then your pump is bad.

Another way pumps go bad is by leaking through the bearings. You'll find coolant residue on the timing cover and at the center of the water pump pulley from this problem. You might even see coolant at the center of the water pump pulley or just behind that pulley leaking down the timing cover.

[SrDudley]

Originally Posted by Rotation

Thanks man will do, do you think by chance it might be the water pump?



I'll try that.



I've just recently gotten an oil change so I think it's ohkay but I'll check anyways.



Thanks man I'll take a look at it tomorrow in the morning when the suns out.

what he meant by check the oil is to see if there is coolant in your oil...not check the level of your oil that has nothing to do with your coolant leak. If coolant in the oil head gasket probably blew on you.