1994 Acura Legend Car overheating

Tiny
DUNSON-B
  • MEMBER
  • 1994 ACURA LEGEND
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 270,000 MILES
Engine was running hot so I got a new radiator, temp sensor, and thermostat. Drove away from repair shop and 5 mins later, car starts overheating, again. It seems like there water coming out of my plastic reserve tank need the top of the lead. My friend thought the reserve tank might me too full of water so I dump a little more of half of it out and it still over heats when I drive around town. When I am on the highway it runs just right. HELP! THANKS!
Thursday, January 21st, 2010 AT 1:43 PM

14 Replies

Tiny
DOCFIXIT
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,828 POSTS
Cooling fans comming on?
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Thursday, January 21st, 2010 AT 1:53 PM
Tiny
DUNSON-B
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  • 7 POSTS
YES COOLING FANS ARE COMING ON
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Thursday, January 21st, 2010 AT 1:55 PM
Tiny
TOOOMANYTOYS
  • MECHANIC
  • 513 POSTS
Have you checked the operation of the cooling fans. See if they come on when vehicle gets past operating temperature. If they do not trying turning the a.C on to see if the fan comes on. If the fans function properly, and you have new cooling components. Also has the water pump ever been replaced.
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Thursday, January 21st, 2010 AT 1:57 PM
Tiny
DUNSON-B
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  • 7 POSTS
I TESTED THE FANS AND THEY ARE WORKING PROPERLY. THE WATER PUMP HAS NEVER BEEN REPLACED.
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Thursday, January 21st, 2010 AT 2:00 PM
Tiny
TOOOMANYTOYS
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Have you done a block check to make sure you have no internal leaks?
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Thursday, January 21st, 2010 AT 2:19 PM
Tiny
DUNSON-B
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  • 7 POSTS
Block check? How do you perform that?
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Thursday, January 21st, 2010 AT 3:14 PM
Tiny
TOOOMANYTOYS
  • MECHANIC
  • 513 POSTS
Its a kit you can buy at an autoparts store. They called a block tester. Its a clear tube with a rubber end that goes into the radiator. Then you pour a purple chemical into it, use a vacuum pump supplied in kit. Start the vehicle pump the vacuum bulb. If the chemical turns from purple to yellow. Then you are getting exhaust gases into the cooling system. The kit comes with all instructions. If after testing the color of the chemical does not change, you now that things like the heads, block, and head gasket are ok.
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Thursday, January 21st, 2010 AT 3:53 PM
Tiny
DUNSON-B
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
Thanks for the info. Right now all my car has in it is water. I have some older cars and they have only have had water put in them. Do Acura's need 100% antifreeze? Could this be my problem?
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Thursday, January 21st, 2010 AT 4:27 PM
Tiny
TOOOMANYTOYS
  • MECHANIC
  • 513 POSTS
Not normally water usually cools better than antifreeze. Antifreeze is put in to prevent the water from freezing in low temperatures, and lubricate components. It doesnt really raise the boiling point by much. Which poses another question. Have you changed the radiator cap?
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Thursday, January 21st, 2010 AT 9:38 PM
Tiny
DUNSON-B
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No I have never changed the radiator cap. This problem is just strange because my radiator had a crack in it and I replaced it. Now all of a sudden the water in my reserve tank is boiling out of the tank when I am just driving around town and its never happened before until I replaced the radiator.
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+1
Friday, January 22nd, 2010 AT 10:32 AM
Tiny
TOOOMANYTOYS
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It does not happen but sometimes even new parts can be defective. You can buy an infared tempature gauge. Run it along the cores of the radiator and see if there is any blockage.
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Friday, January 22nd, 2010 AT 2:50 PM
Tiny
DUNSON-B
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  • 7 POSTS
I am thinking back to when the new radiator was put in I remember there was a lot of transmission fluid spilled and I forgot to refill it. Could this have something to do with it? I am off to the auto store to by a temp gauge. Thanks for your help?
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Friday, January 22nd, 2010 AT 3:11 PM
Tiny
TOOOMANYTOYS
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The transmission fluid being low will not cause the engine to overheat. It can however damage the transmission running it low on fluid.
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Monday, January 25th, 2010 AT 11:37 AM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
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Was the cooling system bled of air trapped in system after replacement of the radiator?

Do you have coolant losses at radiator side?
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Monday, January 25th, 2010 AT 2:27 PM

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