Car over heated due to lack of antifreeze?

Tiny
MESASFINNEST13
  • MEMBER
  • 2010 CHEVROLET IMPALA
  • V6
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 112,600 MILES
So, it's a used car from Byrider and it decided to tell me engine overheated idle and it's on the car off. Now my uncle decided to wet the radiator with a water hose from the outside to try to cool the car down and then proceeded to put the hose in the new bottle of antifreeze that was Dexron 50/50 disregarding. The label says do not add water. Put it in the car with a car running and then put the water hose in it in the reservoir. After that we waited for the car to cool down entirely for about 2-3 hours, came back to find out that the argument of the 50/50 meeting water the bottle said do not add water. So, I unplugged the radiator drain some of the liquid inside out which came out almost completely. Antifreeze everybody put the hose in the reservoir it was still too hot and came out the back of the reservoir the Overflow so the way the antifreeze look the Dexron looked coming out of the bottom of the drain hole it was mostly dextron. So, I plugged it back up and moved over to the reservoir on the hook the reservoir and poured out the water down dextron in a bucket since the car is completely cold at this point. I pour all the extra on into the reservoir and leave the radiator cap tight fill up the reservoir and then turn the car on, car is running just fine idling just fine. Then we take it around the block but it's time we only got three streets down in the neighborhood and back to the house the gauges red that the car was in the middle temperature which is normal. Opening the hood there was slight smoke coming from the radiator like very slight only can see in a certain angle. When I go to take off the radiator cap it spewed out indicating to me that it's too hot for only going three streets up and back. So, then I go and look and radiator cap once it's cool and there's nothing that I can see and there's that slight smoke coming from inside radiator cap. So, I take a funnel put it in the radiator cap entrance turn the car on turn the heat on nothing happens it's still reading normal turn on the heater and it starts to bubble if I pour the Dexron in to the radiator cap hole while the car is running for the car back off put the radiator cap back on turn the car back on but the car sitting idling it reads normal, but the hose from the radiator and radiator cap engine is now stiffening and the fans do not turn on. So, I have to now jump the fans in order to get my vehicle home correct without overheating. Is it the fans or the thermostat that's the problem?
Wednesday, July 12th, 2023 AT 1:14 PM

2 Replies

Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 42,959 POSTS
Yes, the thermostat is the first thing I would do. Also, I would do a chemical test to test for a blown head gasket. Here is a generic guide to help you step by step with instructions in the diagrams below to show you how on your car:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/replace-thermostat

and

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/head-gasket-blown-test

Check out the images (below). Let us know what happens and please upload pictures or videos of the problem so we can see what's going on.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, July 13th, 2023 AT 12:12 PM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 108,262 POSTS
Hi,

I'm confused. I need you to confirm something for me. Are you adding Dexron to the radiator and overflow? Dexron is a transmission fluid and shouldn't be added to the cooling system.

Also, when you turned the heat on, there may have been air trapped in the heater core which you saw bubbling out.

With the engine cold, open the radiator and let me know what you are seeing. If possible, take a few pictures and upload them for me to see.

If you did see transmission fluid in the coolant/radiator, stop driving and running it until we get this figured out. The transmission cooler is located in the radiator. If it failed, you could see trans fluid in the coolant. However, you could also be getting coolant into the transmission which can cause serious damage.

Let me know.

Joe
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, July 13th, 2023 AT 12:12 PM

Please login or register to post a reply.

Sponsored links