Car Engine Overheating - Causes and Symptoms of Over Heating Car Engine
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- Опубліковано 29 лип 2012
- www.TrustMyMechanic.com
"Why is my car engine over heating? What causes an engine to overheat"
I hear this question all the time on my websites and especially during the hotter summer months. I made this short video to help you determine what might be the cause of your overheating problem and what you can rule out as not causing the issue before you go to your mechanic. This can save you some time, frustration and money by doing so.
"My engine overheats at freeway speeds"
When you are on the freeway you have lots of airflow across the radiator which helps remove the heat that the engine antifreeze/coolant has accumulated from the cooling system. Since the engine is running at a much higher RPM than that at idle, the water pump is spinning around and pumping coolant at a much higher rate as well.
If there is a restriction in the radiator, the coolant will not be allowed to circulate fast enough inside the engine. The coolant will basically be roadblocked inside the radiator due to the restriction. A radiator usually gets build up of rust, minerals and calcium type deposits at the BOTTOM of the radiator. This restriction really can not be removed by "flushing" with a garden hose. In most cases this restriction will require a new radiator.
Think of this type of engine overheating problem like this. You are trying to run a 10 mile marathon, but you have to do it with your mouth taped shut. You can walk with your mouth shut but running at full steam for a long distance requires more air than your nose can provide. A restricted radiator is the biggest culprit in an engine overheating complaint on the freeway or at higher speeds. Although, if the radiator is low on coolant....that can also be the problem, so check coolant level first.
"I am constantly having to add coolant to my radiator, do I have a leak?"
Anytime I hear of a coolant leak or engine overheating complaint I ALWAYS start my diagnosis with a cooling system pressure test.
"My auto mechanic said I have a head gasket leak in my car"
I get tons, literally tons of emails each week with this question. I would say that most of them are NOT having a headgasket problem but rather a lazy auto mechanic problem who failed to do a proper cooling system pressure test.
Here are a few common symptoms I would expect to see if you had a blown headgasket or any other internal coolant leak.
1. Constantly having to add coolant to the radiator, with no visible external leaks found
2. White steam/smoke coming out the tailpipe, and worse or more smoke at freeway speed
3. Failing a cooling system pressure test, meaning the air pressure gauge drops but there are no external leaks to be seen.
4. An engine miss fire, due to coolant leaking inside the cylinders and fouling out the spark plugs. Lack of overall engine power and performance.
5. Usually a yellow check engine light will be on the dash, since the computer sees the engine miss fire and stores that code inside the computer memory.
6. Lack of engine compression. A manual compression test should be done on each cylinder to prove that there is a compression problem with 1 or more cylinder. This is different from the PRESSURE test which I mentioned above.
7. White powdery residue on the inside tip of the spark plug. When coolant enters the cylinder on the inside of the engine (which It should not be doing) the engine is going to try and burn that coolant, which it will have a very hard time doing. This coolant is what causes the engine to miss fire and produce the steam white smoke out the tailpipe. A white powdery residue will some times form on the internal engine tip of the spark plug.
If you have any of those symptoms AND you have rule out all other possible issues then you might want to consider trying this very simple and effective head gasket sealer you can do yourself. I have had great success with it over the years. It's a sealer additive made by K&W, called Engine Block Sealer, but don't use it as the can direction say. I think my way of using it works much better and its much easier.
www.myhonestmechanic.com/artic...
Do NOT use a radiator stop leak additive! check out my sites for more free information
www.myhonestmechanic.com
www.trustmymechanic.com/forum (ask your questions for free on my forum board) - Авто та транспорт
Excellent vid, one thing that's often overlooked is a faulty coolant reservoir CAP. If that leaks even a little bit, could lead to all sorts of problems......
That will show up with the pressure test.
learned alot from only watching a couple of your videos, thank you.
Thanks for the info. Very informative. I'm having trouble with my 2004 Durango. Replaced water pump and fan clutch. Coolant flushed out too and still running hotter than should be.
You are more than welcome, thank you so much for the kind words. Yes, I have more videos in my youtube channel for you to watch. Have a great week.
greetings from South Africa, nice video.
Imre Csoka /Ay ni yo estudié en cuenta tu Thousand One ventro echarleI need troubleshooting heating up in the 2001 Chevrolet
I have a 1999 Buick Park Ave. I need to know if it's the engine because it had overheated in they drove on it a little bit longer and I don't know what happen now there is a loud noise and someone said that it sounds like it's the engine I don't have anything that leaks I keep up on everything with The only thing I didn't do was add oil which I needed to do that day do I need to get a new engine or is there a fix I can do really need some help here
Ant inputs will be greatly appreciated. Thank you again!
Most welcome, glad to help. Hope you came to my sites listed in the description, TONS of good information there.
Yes the waterpump could be your leak source. They tend to leak more when the engine is running than when engine is off...and leak more at higher RPM like on the freeway when the engine/RPM/water pump is spinning faster.
They do make some supposed water pump leak additives but I have never seen them actually work :( replacement is the only real option. You have not mentioned any of the common head gasket problems so I would say no at this time. Let it overheat real good just once...then yes!
The mechanic had the thermostat removed at the installation of a replacement/new engine to allow free flow of water or coolant into the engine. I got another radiator but keep loosing water after every 20km or less (in heavy traffic situation).
2. Is it right to remove thermostats from the car because the car is now being used in the tropics where the atmospheric temperature is high like Africa ,to prevent overheating?
well i have rust in my cooling would that cause my car to overheat
What an amazing person! Thanks for your work in making others' lives better.
This was very helpful.
Thank you!!
YOU ARE ALWAYS RIGHT #TrustMymechanic.i believe you and TRUST YOU!! I took my radiator for thorough check and cleaning.i thought my Daihatsu Feroza is dead but believe me NO MORE OVERHEATING,i felt the radiator cap it was cold as if in a refrigerator,not like before,it was so hot you wont attempt to feel it! Hey man,welcome to Kenya i give you a ride to Masai mara national park!
Awesome, I hope to take you up on your offer one day :)
What was the problem
@@justincooper3211 over heating
hi, every time i drive for only 30 minutes my radiator is always empty with coolant though i didn't see any leak on it. need your help. thanks
You need to get a cooling system pressure test to help you locate the source of the leak.
Great video. You explain everything throughly and easy to understand.
Many thanks my stress level has gone down! I'm a 67 year old women and don't know anything about cars but I understood everything you said! I'm going to check the things I can and if I can fix it by myself will, only then will I take it to a mechanic and will feel more confident that I won't get ripped off!
failed to mention about water pump for the belt
I changed my radiator,thermostat, and water pump..stIll overheats 'm lost on my 2000 Chevy venture 3.8
Did you do a cooling system pressure test? Check radiator cooling fan? When does it over heat, at idle or at freeway speed? Is there an air pocket in the system that needs to be bled out? You got homework :)
bad catalytic converter ?
Was it over heating and did it stop
blown head gasket .....
NOBOX7 my 2003 chevrolet venture is smoking from under the hood in the back on the passenger side and my service engine light is flashing off and on
So good to watch .... all his points are so relevant! Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge ....
Excellent video. Great presentation on tracing engine cooling issues.
You do not need to go to 20 pounds for a psi test. Maximum you will need is 15 or 16.
Magna Norris fuck no Max is 13 going over that you’re going to mess a o ring up or seal
@@Jorgetherealtor Fuck Jorge you are wrong This time,my Acura TL has a 16psi cap.
Normally radiator caps are rated at close to atmospheric pressure of 1 bar (14.5 psi) +/- 10%.
This guys family has been in the auto repair business for over 63 years so he's an expert. This video helped me solve my over heating problem in 10 minutes. He was a technical consultant on a car maintenance software program www.lonewolf-software.com/automotivewolf.htm you can use on your computer to monitor and manage your vehicle maintenance schedules. All the maintenance schedule requirements in the program are from this guy (Austin Davis). I've been using the software for over 8 years and both my vehicles are always running great and it has saved my a lot of money in repairs.
I use the Automotive Wolf software too. It's great :)
You explain these things very well. Thanks for the info
sir i can say for sure that u r helping to much and u r truly honest with ur profession
Helped a lot - thanks for giving such thorough info!
Thanks this helped a lot I was stumped by my car overheating with recurring antifreeze refills today, I'm so mad have an old 99 Toyota Camry and it just keeps overheating when I run on the freeway. I need to pressure test it and check for any blockage and leaks for sure.
superb video; explaining all required stuffs. excellent job.
You are such a nice man!!!!! I wish YOU could be MY mechanic!!!!!! thank you so very much for the video...Hoping you have made more videos like this because you are soooo helpful!!!!
Awesome information, thanks for all the good tips
Thank you I even before finishing your Video you have helped solve my Problem your methodical Diagnostic analysis system is class A
Great video thanks!! But I was waiting for you to touch on the fan clutch wearing out over time and not engaging the fan which effects the cooling!
Lots of good info about cooling systems in this video. Best I've seen, and I've been watching several this morning because my wife called me and said her car was overheating this morning... :( Hopefully I can get it sorted out when I get home.
Thanks for sharing!
Great, keep me posted as to what they find out.
Thanks man this really helped me out I have a 2003 Dodge ram 1500 that does run hot on the highway and at idle speeds replaced fan clutch and radiator which stopped problem and it gets really hot out here in Killeen TX too
Wow I read the description great causes and examples has helped me
Wow thank you for this great explanation of the parts been looking for a detailed simplified explanation keep the videos coming.
Great video, Thanks! Saludos from San Antonio
Gracias Amgio, I love San Antonio!
Is it natural for the radiator to sizzle after the engines been shut off? and what does it mean if you're smelling something strange every time you engage the defroster or air-conditioning?
Sounds like you have a coolant leak, and need to get a cooling system pressure test to help you locate the source. The smell inside the vehicle with the defrost on, could be due to a leaking heater core located in the dash on the passenger side.
Very helpful and informative!
Ok thank you for your help. It still over heated today so I will need to do a pressure test and buy a new radiator possibly.
Nice video! Wish I would have watch this before the other 30 videos.
Great video! Also good to replace the cap with a new oem one.
Great video man. Surprised I'm just coming across your channel now. Subscribed.
Yea those I am not having any of those symptoms. No smoke or milky oil but there is air getting into the system somehow. Thank you once again for your help!
Helped A LOT. Thank you so much
Great video, very helpful. Thank you
Thanks,I had my 2008 ford focus.one owner,me great on gas great car.im just now starting to put work into it thanks for the upload
Excellent video and information. We recently had our trans rebuilt on a ford taurus (trans leaking now and still hasn't been repaired because repair man putting us off). The next day the engine light came on and comes to find out it was a fuse by the transmission. Now the car is overheating shakes and cuts off. Any thoughts?
Very detailed and informative video great content, thanks brotha!💯🤙
thank you! Really helpful advice for a total novice when it comes to things under the hood of my car! I appreciate your Insight and honesty!
Very good explanation. Those who thumbed down have probably never trouble-shot a vehicle problem....
Great, keep us posted as to what you find out. Yes, white smoke/steam under the hood would indicate an external coolant leak spraying coolant on the hot engine.
great video, what do you do when your vehicle has overheated and antifreeze is all over the
road...you tow it home...where do we start?
Excellent...
My car went hot when I was in traffic light..
When I drove it it went down ..
But it happen few times but then it never happen ...what do you think what happen
very informative video. i have a car that is overheating in idling and at stop lights. i just noticed the overheating when i stopped the car this morning from gym. i saw the coolant reservoir was empty and poured some and drove 8 miles for lunch. it over heated and touched the red zone. so i immediately stopped by pulling over. i waited for 10 minutes and the engine cooled a bit , so i started and drove the needle was much lower than before start. no leaks whatsoever. refilled more coolant
this was helpful my cousin has a 2001 pt cruiser the fan dose not come on when the air conditioning is on so would it be a fan mutter or the fan its self ???
Thank you very much, hope it was helpful for you.
Nice tutorial bro..very informative..tq👍
This is super helpful. Thanks so much!!
Very good information... Thank you 🤗
Thankyou this has helped me a lot, I have a 2002 Chrysler sebring convertible Lx 2.4L , My temperature gauge jumps up sometimes when I accelerate too hard, I came home parked in the driveway , I noticed I have a Leak in the front, I think its oil, I need to buy a compression test to see where its coming from. I'l be back on here to comment when I find out more.
Top man.
I have an overheating seat
Water pump changed thermostat changed
Pressure test done and still overheating
Radiator next to check?
It only overheats on freeway not when idle.
Very Helpful thanks. Mine was the Electric Fan
Great video. My Trams am is overheating when I'm stop at a Red light. I will check the fans. When I start moving and picking up speed the needle goes back to normal. Only when I'm stop at a red light the needle goes all the way up
This video is very good I learnt more and im gonna do level 2 motor vehicle course it will help me in College keep up the good work
first off thank u for the video I don't know where to start I need to know if I have a fixable problem or if I'm screwed car overheated on a hot day it holds pressure has heat air works changed waterpump fans work unless it has a shortage two things that appears strange to me is when the radiator hose is squeezed it makes a clicking sound over at the radiator area and when I take off the radiator cap the coolant was just running over spilling out while engine is cold
Great video! thanks for sharing!
It could be, but since you saw smoke I would assume you probably have a coolant leak spraying water on the engine, so get a cooling system pressure test first to rule out an external or internal coolant leak. Then check the inside of the radiator for a restriction or heavy rust build up. If you see rust/mineral deposits inside then the bottom of the radiator will be heavily restricted and could be your overheating issue.
Usually when that happens its due to a restriction in the radiator or some other coolant restriction like a stuck thermostat, or from lack of airflow across the radiator. Make sure the radiator is full of coolant, check upper and lower rad hoses when engine is warm (they should be close to same temperature) and that there is plenty of airflow across the radiator...ie. cooling fans working, or manual fan is turning fast enough.
Circulation inverted? Did you replace the water pump with one that pumps in a different direction than the old one? I don't understand your question can you please elaborate more.
Just make sure there are no kinks or restrictions in the radiator hoses that would reduce coolant flow. As a rule of thumb, I always replace the thermostat when replacing the radiator or where there was an overheating problem.
Wonderful guidance. thank you so much. appreciate it sir. i detected myself that i have a water pump leak which is causing the overheating now. thank you so much
Thanks for your comment. Glad you found it helpful and solved the issue.
hi ,thank you for your video ,i have a problem in my van kia sadona wich ther is a leak off antifreez come out from the middel of maflor and smell and smoke from ther each time i drive it is it serieus and sometimes i have overheat thank you
thanks for your kind information.--Mohamed Ghouse
excellent, very educative video. thank you very much
great video but what should i check next if i have replaced everything, water pump, thermostat, flush the radiator, new radiator cap, pressure test, check for leaks, sensor,fan clutch. i don't know what i should look for next. 06 dodge dakota. anything will help thanks
Very good video, I have a 2006 Toyota Highlander 397500 miles on it, I had check engine light come on test said bad
Cats had the replaced (engine never run hot) after the were installed highway driving the engine will get hot, A/C on or off, no leaks.
Slow down it will cool down useless run 65 mph. The cats cost 1350. Parts and labor, what do u think? Thanks
Been watching your videos for some time now can u tell me what can be causing radiator to get real hot I've changed radiator thermostat temp sensor don't see any leaks any suggestions thank you
Did you get the cooling system pressure test to rule out a leak? Did you have the radiator checked for a restriction? Are all water hoses hot when engine is warm?
Great video, Very informative. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful to you, thanks for your comment.
excellent video, I would have to say though always check the lower radiator hose condition as well as when you check the top, in addition if your having overheating issues at highway speeds and you know its been a long time since you've flushed the system running on dirty coolant, it would be a good idea to check the water pump as well, I had the waterpumps internal propeller on my 98 f150 dissolve due to running on old coolant BTW headgasket test kits can be rented from AutoZone fairly cheap
Great Video! i wonder if u can help! i drive a hyundai Santa Fe American specs. I suddenly started noticing that even with the wind shield up and A/c on i smell exhaust smoke in the car. What could be wrong please?
very helpful! good work.
Oh GOOD !!! I just saw that you have MORE VIDEOS..thank you!!!
Great video
When you refer to your truck not having a radiator cap and it being “ here”, are you referring to the cap being the overflow bottle?
I just bleed it with the engine off technique ,, and no more overheat...but I am gonna pressure test it..my mechanic done that before...and about the o2 censors I did notice a 2 mpg drop..thank you for sharing your input
Great video,well explain...keep the videos coming👍👍👍👍
Hello sir and thank you for your video. 05 tahoe here!!. I was in stop and go traffic the other day when I noticed my engine temperature gauge moving past the 210°F point where it usually and normally operates. It would not completely go in to the red zone but it did concern me since it never did that before. I had the heat running at that time when this happened. While trying to diagnose this issue, I notice that when I would turn the heat off the temperature gauge would go back down to its normal operating range of 210°. Any idea on what maybe causing this?? I have a new radiator, new water pump and thermostat. Also new heating and radiator hoses. I have not notice any leaks and my coolant level is normal.
I have a 2004 Mercury Monterey Van that is over heating. It will overheat when driving but if idling will cool down. It will go from normal temperature to red-zone hot instantly (does not rise slowly when overheating ) anywhere from 5-15 minutes when driving .Uses antifreeze but no leaks. Replaced cracked radiator cap and then replaced thermostat but no change. Appreciate any help you can give.
What if you find oil in the overflow tank and on the radiator cap? Can it be a cracked head or seal?
Thank you. I hope 🤞 to hear from me. I don’t want to blow up the engine.
Yes I am a woman doing the work. Almost to old to be doing this stuff.
Great Video Bruh, very informative. Tomorrow by I will check them fans!!!!!
I have a mazda 626. Just got a radiator, timing belt and water pump replaced on it. Lasted a few days but now it's overheating. Any ideas? There's still coolant in it
Good Video. I have 1997 toyota corrola. Radiator Fan in working, thermostat has been replaced. My car overheats, but when I turn on the heat inside the car heat fan to full the car does not overheat. The overheat Gauge goes down as soon as I turn the heat on. I open the radiator cap when the car was cold and heated it up, It spit out hot water, occasionally from the top of the radiator. Any suggestions what may be. I do not really have any equipment to test the combustion air leaks.
Thank you, glad to be of assistance
I have a 2001 pontiac sunfire i just bought it 3 days ago and has already started overheating I had just changed the thermostat and had noticed oil leaking from the valve cover then had to replaced the seal now no leaks but my antifreeze seems to be disappearing but not dripping out what do you think can be the cause the check engine light isnt even on
My husband and I just replaced the waterpump and themo Stat and our 2007 Dogde Dakota set 3.7 liter truck is still running hot. What do we need to do now? Thanks
may car over heats in long driving and noticed that my coolant overflow. i wonder what could be the problem before I bring it to mechanic and charging me repairs that my car dont need.
Awesome video
I have an 06 acura. It will not hold antifreeze. Does not smoke from exhaust but it does steam from under the engine, especially while stopped, but can smell the overheating while driving. Replaced the cap, helped a little bit. I can squeeze the hose from the radiator. The leak is not external, so we are hoping the coolant is not going to ther engine. However oil looks great. Any suggestions?