Overheating in park

Tiny
ELIZ5465
  • MEMBER
  • 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX
  • 3.4L
  • V6
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 164 MILES
Car overheats only in park, car doesn't defrost, blows cold air out. Driving heater works fine, doesn't overheat. However, sweet smell of antifreeze comes through vents. I have had it checked for blown head gasket, all tests came back okay. Radiator flushed and checked, water pump checked, they did do something to heater core. Heater core valve? Got car back. Still same problem. I see these cars with same problem. Only overheating idling or park? But fine driving it? Also mechanic said the fans were fine too.
Thursday, April 4th, 2019 AT 9:56 AM

9 Replies

Tiny
SEVAG P
  • MECHANIC
  • 405 POSTS
Hello thank for using 2CarPros.

it seems engine is leaking coolant that you smell antifreeze and the system filled with air because of the leak.

check our guide for engine overheating.:
https://www.2carpros.com/articles/symptoms-of-an-overheating-engine
https://www.2carpros.com/articles/engine-overheating-or-running-hot

Check the tables fig 1,2,3,4 trouble shooting specific to your car.
Let us know your results.
Thank you.
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Thursday, April 4th, 2019 AT 11:55 AM
Tiny
ELIZ5465
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
The mechanic has checked all hoses, no leaks. Nor is there a problem with thermostat or water pump. He seems baffled by it too. Check engine light comes on and off as well. Coolant level is normal too. I am not loosing any. They also burped the lines also.
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Thursday, April 4th, 2019 AT 12:18 PM
Tiny
SEVAG P
  • MECHANIC
  • 405 POSTS
Hello,

to narrow our problem read the fault codes and send to us, because you mentioned check engine lights on.
https://www.2carpros.com/articles/checking-a-service-engine-soon-or-check-engine-light-on-or-flashing

Have you performed all the diagnostics step by step as mentioned in the attached picture above? engine belt tightness, coolant reservoir cap holding pressure, antifreeze content, radiator front air duct open? radiator fans are working properly?system properly bled?
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Thursday, April 4th, 2019 AT 1:29 PM
Tiny
ELIZ5465
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Yes, all that has been done by my mechanic. I just dropped it back off to their shop.
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Thursday, April 4th, 2019 AT 2:19 PM
Tiny
SEVAG P
  • MECHANIC
  • 405 POSTS
Problem also can be from a restriction inside cooling system or water pump flow. Please send us feed back what happens with you we are interested to know.
Thank you.
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Thursday, April 4th, 2019 AT 8:50 PM
Tiny
ELIZ5465
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
This was done to my car on 3-15 because of the issues above I was having. Just got a call from the shop since I took it back the second time. Now they say it is a blown head gasket. So why would they have not known that the first time?
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Monday, April 8th, 2019 AT 8:11 PM
Tiny
SEVAG P
  • MECHANIC
  • 405 POSTS
Hello,

Can you see if coolant bubbling inside the coolant reservoir? Oil boiling noises? Have you checked the reservoir cap it's function to prevent coolant boiling.

Check our guide to check head gaskets:
https://www.2carpros.com/articles/head-gasket-blown-test

If you want to check head gasket problem by yourself you can do chemical test you can buy it from any tool shop. it's a tube filled with chemical product color is blue remove coolant reservoir cap put on the reservoir start the engine when this chemical change its color from blue to green or yellow means you have exhaust leak inside te coolant that overheats the engine that means head gasket problem.
If you confirm problem of head gasket I recommend to use product called blue devil it can fix some gasket issues its price is $50.00 you can find it at Amazon.
Please send us feed back what happens.
Thank you.
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Tuesday, April 9th, 2019 AT 3:12 PM
Tiny
ELIZ5465
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Yes coolant is bubbling in reservoir. I saw that happened when I first bought it. However, the same shop said it did not have blown head gasket at that time. Now third time there they say it does? That is why I am confused? I even told the guy it was doing that. But no smoke from exhaust and no milky looking oil either. I may just take to a different shop to have head gasket fixed. I have already heard these equinox's have weak head gaskets anyway.
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Tuesday, April 9th, 2019 AT 4:31 PM
Tiny
SEVAG P
  • MECHANIC
  • 405 POSTS
In my opinion use the blue devil product it's the cheapest way many cars solved gasket problem.
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Tuesday, April 9th, 2019 AT 8:46 PM

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