Coolant isn't making it to the engine

[yungflo]

First of all, thanks for all the help so far. I know I'm a newb, so I thank you for putting up with me:) now, I open the coolant cap and see none of the coolant has been digested? Do I need to bring it in or can my dad and I just fix the problems ourselves?

[jdmgoldcivic]

Do you mean the coolant is full?

[Wilson_]

Is the engine running hot?

[yungflo]

Yeah, it's extremely hot, close to overheating. I've been driving for about a month and it's still full to the top.

Gosh, What's with GM? gosh.

[paxil4x4]

It's been overheating for a month?

Are the cooling fans coming on?

I would start looking at the thermostat and make sure the cooling fans are coming on.

Stop driving it until you find and fix the problem. If you blow the head gaskets mucho dollars to fix, that's if you haven't blown them already

BTW DO NOT Mix green coolant with GM's Dexcool

[yungflo]

recently it's been overheating, within like a week or two. I turned it on, the radiator was running, the blades were choppin and running, I'm not sure what's the problem is, but I guess we're are going to have to do the inevitable. Probably go to a mechanic or sell it. The fans are on, but the coolant is just isn't making it to cool the engine.

I'll have to head over to my friends house, he knows more than me and his dad is a mechanic. Hopefully, they can help me out.

Thanks for all the help and responses.

[yungflo]

Can anything cause this? like say the wrong engine oil or anything like that?

[Wilson_]

Not the wrong engine oil ,no

do what paxil said, check the thermostat or have them

Check this link out

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/cooling-system.htm

[yungflo]

oh man, I hope that's the problem. I don't have any money to replace anything too grand.

unfortunately, I don't think it is the thermostat. Unless, a defective thermostat can cause the cooling system to basically stop functioning? The coolant is filled up to the top. I mean, it's not digested at all. Boy:(

thanks for the help though. I guess I got to go get a consultation from a mechanic

[Wilson_]

The thermostat will some times get stuck open or closed, if it get stuck closed its like a dam and wont allow coolant to pass and go threw the radiator.


From...http://www.musclecarclub.com/library/tech/cooling.shtml

Liquid cooled engines have passages for the liquid, or coolant, through the cylinder block and head. The coolant has to have indirect contact with such engine parts as the combustion chamber, the cylinder walls, and the valve seats and guides. Running through the passages in the engine heats the coolant (it absorbs the heat from the engine parts), and going through the radiator cools it. After getting "cool" again in the radiator, the coolant comes back through the engine. This business continues as long as the engine is running, with the coolant absorbing and removing the engine's heat, and the radiator cooling the coolant.
A cooling system pressure tester is used to check the pressure in the cooling system, which allows the mechanic to determine if the system has any slow leaks. The leak can then be found and fixed before it causes a major problem.

[RNPoo7]

Any updates?

[Wilson_]

it blow up yet?

[yungflo]

ah, nah. haha, not yet. Turns out, my radiator hose is hooked up to my coolant system. No radiator cap:(

plus, it seems(the radiator hose) is hanging on by glue! So, I have to have that fixed.