Engine cooling problem

Tiny
CUBALE7204
  • MEMBER
  • 2004 BUICK CENTURY
  • 3.1L
  • V6
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 191,000 MILES
Hi.
Last month my car overheated while driving so when I got home opened the hood and after a quick inspection it was obvious that my water pump needs a replacement. Said obvious because it squeaks and you could see the serpentine belt was moving to the sides a lot.
I am not a mechanic but have some basic knowledge and always try to be a DIY person so I replace it and at the same time flushed the circuit.
Okay, to make things a little short, right now, after two pumps, two thermostats, one rad cap, two flushes and bleeds, a full check at the temp sensor, relays etc, the car keeps overheating and now the radiator hoses, both in and out, becomes harder and harder as the car runs. Only way to keep temperature at bay is to have A/C on but still the radiator hoses get so hard that are impossible to squeeze. What could be next? I am running out of ideas.
Also, checked the coolant to see if it bubbles while the car is on and in between also an oil change. Oil is free of water and no bubbles on radiator with the car running (thinking about a head gasket). Do not now what else can be causing this issue. Know it is an old car with plenty of miles but is still in perfect condition, or at least it was until know, lol.
Thanks in advance.
Do you
have the same problem?
Yes
No
Saturday, December 30th, 2017 AT 3:36 PM

9 Replies

Tiny
CJ MEDEVAC
  • MECHANIC
  • 11,004 POSTS
Head gasket issues are not always "oil in the water" or "water in the oil".

A no brainer is compression blowing to the outside of the motor.

Then we have compression blowing into the water jacket.

Seems you have suspected this already!

To verify this, you can obtain a combustion gasses test kit.

Names for this vary tester, sometimes hard to guess right.

Napa auto parts has them, I grabbed you a video to show how they work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHp5E7XnbXo

You might also "Google", "chemical test for head gasket leak", click on "images" to maybe find another place that carries 'em, or something more pocket book friendly.

Let us know how it goes.

The Medic
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Saturday, December 30th, 2017 AT 7:50 PM
Tiny
CUBALE7204
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Thanks for the quick reply to my question. I already ordered the combustion test kit. I will let you know the results.
Happy new year.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Sunday, December 31st, 2017 AT 9:03 AM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 42,553 POSTS
Please let us know what you find. We are interested to see what it is.

Cheers, Ken
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, January 2nd, 2018 AT 11:33 AM
Tiny
CUBALE7204
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Well, after 3 chemical tests to check for CO2 (1 at the expansion reservoir and 2 directly on the rad) I'm at same point or even more confused. Liquid stays deep blue and, while waiting for the test kit, I realized that the cooling system sometimes builds pressure but sometimes don't. A visual inspection to the liquid inside the radiator shows no movement even with the thermostat open. I know it opens because have a Bluetooth ODB connected to the car and when the coolant reaches 195 F you can feel the heat increasing by touching the hose that connects the stat with the radiator. But still no liquid movement. Only some vapor coming out of the rad mouth.
Thanks in advance
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, January 4th, 2018 AT 7:06 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 42,553 POSTS
It is difficult to see movement inside the radiator when looking from the top although I have seen where a water pump impeller can become loose or corroded which can cause flow issues but it is rare. I am wondering if the radiator cap is not holding pressure? This will make the engine overheat.

This guide can help

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/engine-overheating-or-running-hot

Please let us know

Cheers, Ken
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Friday, January 5th, 2018 AT 12:02 PM
Tiny
CUBALE7204
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Oh yes, I forgot to mention in my previous post that I have 3 rad caps. Two originals and one aftermarket, all three with the same result. Sometimes the sistem builds a lot of pressure sometimes don't.
Anyway yesterday I checked for codes and.
P0128
P0404
P0480
P0481
P1115
Definitely I'll take it to a shop to check for an electrical failure. I think the other option left is the computer because with all that codes still the check engine light is off.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Wednesday, January 10th, 2018 AT 10:20 AM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 42,553 POSTS
The fact that the system builds pressure sometime and not others is what I am concerned with. It must have a leak or a blown head gasket that is not showing up in the chemical test. This test is only about 75% accurate because the combustion process is not 100% exhaust.

Can you remove all of the spark plugs and look for one that is colored different than the rest? This will show us the cylinder that is having a problem.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Wednesday, January 10th, 2018 AT 11:54 AM
Tiny
CUBALE7204
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Well, been a V6 GM 3, 1 engine leaves me only 3 accessible sparkplugs. The other 3 would have to remove couple of things and move the engine a little forward. I'll try those three first.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Wednesday, January 10th, 2018 AT 12:04 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 42,553 POSTS
Okay it should be obvious. Let me know.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, January 11th, 2018 AT 11:47 AM

Please login or register to post a reply.

Sponsored links