GreaseMonky81 Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 Ok so yesterday bunch of friends and I decided to go up in the hills out side of washougal and do a little wheelin. Anyways it was a bad day for my finder, first broke a left front cv axle, second took out the centerlink, and last think I may have blew the head gasket or head. What happened is we where driving in a convoy to a trail and the bypass of the water pump blew, steam rolled out from under the hood, instanly shut it down but didnt see where the temp was exactly at, towed it back to camp, thats where the centerlink went, friend ran into town and got me a hose put it back together, and now its running way hotter than before and has a miss at idle when you give it gas seems to clear out, coolant level has stayed up and no milkshake yet in the oil any ideas? Hopefully its not to major, cause I was recently terminated from my job for being injured at work, in the mits of a legal battle at this time, but anyways the finder is my main driver so any help would be apreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 (edited) Were you up at the Power Lines? That doesn't sound too good. It would seem like you blew a head gasket but if your coolant level is staying full...hmmm. How long did you run it for? It may take a little while to notice any differences in the coolant. And you mean the bypass hose for the water pump right? That little 90 degree hose above the thermostat and behind the timing belt? Edited September 14, 2009 by Kingman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreaseMonky81 Posted September 14, 2009 Author Share Posted September 14, 2009 Were you up at the Power Lines? That doesn't sound too good. It would seem like you blew a head gasket but if your coolant level is staying full...hmmm. How long did you run it for? It may take a little while to notice any differences in the coolant. And you mean the bypass hose for the water pump right? That little 90 degree hose above the thermostat and behind the timing belt? Yes we where up at the powerlines, up from the motorcross track, i think its called bear prarie. yes the little 90 degree hose from the water pump i drove it all the way home from there to by evergreen highschool, maybe 25 miles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrimGreg Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 I would doubt you blew a gasket or cracked the head. If you are running hot, you might have a bad thermostat. As for the miss, it could be unrelated and just be that you got some water in the wiring/distributor when you blew the hose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreaseMonky81 Posted September 14, 2009 Author Share Posted September 14, 2009 Thats what I am hoping do you know of any ways to test? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrimGreg Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 Thats what I am hoping do you know of any ways to test? Compression test is the most effective, but won't tell you if you have a cracked head or blown gasket, only that there is a loss in compression (which could also be a ring or valve issue). Since you said you aren't seeing any mixing of coolent and oil IF it is blown it isn't near a water jacket or oil passage, which would be uncommon since they tend to blow out at a thinner spot. Pull your coil wire and hold the end near a ground point on the engine while someone cranks the engine, the spark should be bluish, if it is yellow or white it is weak. Pull the distributor cap and check for any scortching on the contacts inside and on the rotor. While doing the compression test, check your plugs for fouling. Check your plug wires for any cracking in the insulation that may be arcing out your spark before it gets to the plug.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreaseMonky81 Posted September 22, 2009 Author Share Posted September 22, 2009 Ok this is where I am so far. I did plugs, wires, caps, rotor, pcv, fuel filter, air filter, and home made snorkel, I also changed the oil, and seafoamed the intake, crankcase, and fuel system, and thermostat. . Now my finder is running better than it ever has at least since I have owned it . Problem I am having is it is still running hot, I did a test to see if I was getting any combustion gases in the coolant system and it passed, but just slowly overheats, and depends on my driving style, how fast it warms up. Like on the way on a test drive last night got hot easy driving but a few little grades, but nothing major, came home a totally different way coasting down a hill, in 4th using more brakes than I should , and cooled right down to normal. Funny thing is I got a little frustrated and started pushing it hard and didnt seem to affect how fast it got hot. Any ideas? I am about ready to Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beastpath Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 check for leaks in your cooling system. I am having the same kind of overheating problems after changing my head gasket, thermostat, radiator, etc. While working on stuff for the transmission the other day I noticed that coolant has leaked from the rubber hose connecting the thermostat houseing to the metal tube below. It has left a trail of green stuff. I havent confirmed this but the leak could be allowing air into the system. This would mess up the cooling efficiency of the system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beastpath Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 could try replacing the rad cap too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreaseMonky81 Posted September 22, 2009 Author Share Posted September 22, 2009 could try replacing the rad cap too. I did try replacing the cap I forgot about that one, and also I replaced that hose as well the bypass hose I believe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 Sounds like you have air in the system. Did you 'burp' it?? There is one other thing to check. Perhaps your fan clutch is tired which is why it overheated in the first place?? Fan clutch does the cooling below about 25mph. If it heats up when you go slow/idle but cools down or stabilizes when you drive 40 or faster, then it is the fan clutch. With the engine cold, try to spin the fan by hand as fast as you can and let go so it freewheels. It shouldn't spin more than a 1/4 turn, certainly not more than 1/2 turn Is the inside of your radiator fairly clean?? B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreaseMonky81 Posted September 22, 2009 Author Share Posted September 22, 2009 Sounds like you have air in the system. Did you 'burp' it?? There is one other thing to check. Perhaps your fan clutch is tired which is why it overheated in the first place?? Fan clutch does the cooling below about 25mph. If it heats up when you go slow/idle but cools down or stabilizes when you drive 40 or faster, then it is the fan clutch. With the engine cold, try to spin the fan by hand as fast as you can and let go so it freewheels. It shouldn't spin more than a 1/4 turn, certainly not more than 1/2 turn Is the inside of your radiator fairly clean?? B Yes inside of the radiator looks clean. When I did the thremostat I rotated the water pump a few times and seemed to move water, when its running and the cap is off seems to be circulating the clutch fan dosent spin much when I free spin it either What is the process for burping the cooling system on these? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unccpathfinder Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 (edited) i skipped all the posts after reading the first few...no i don't think you blew a head gasket or anythign like that...your coolant system is simply vapor locked so the WP doesn't circulate... my procedures: remove radiator cap and run engine until the water circulates or gets hot. Let it cool with the cap off. put cap on and run it until truck is at normal operating temps and leave the cap on and let it cool then top off the system and take it for a test drive to see if it overheats. If it doesnt then i'm good if it does I go back and repeat I really wish nissan would have included some bleeder screws like a lot of other cars do Edited September 23, 2009 by unccpathfinder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 I really wish nissan would have included some bleeder screws like a lot of other cars do It does have one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreaseMonky81 Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share Posted September 23, 2009 i skipped all the posts after reading the first few...no i don't think you blew a head gasket or anythign like that...your coolant system is simply vapor locked so the WP doesn't circulate... my procedures: remove radiator cap and run engine until the water circulates or gets hot. Let it cool with the cap off. put cap on and run it until truck is at normal operating temps and leave the cap on and let it cool then top off the system and take it for a test drive to see if it overheats. If it doesnt then i'm good if it does I go back and repeat I really wish nissan would have included some bleeder screws like a lot of other cars do Ok I have refilled the collant system several times never exactly like you posted. Last time let it sit in the drive way and idle for about 20 minutes temp gauge went to half and stayed, toped of system, and went for drive, got hot, almost to the first hot line, pulled in driveway, and let it idle, sprayed raditor from the front with garden hose and droped all the way down to about a quarter on the gauge, im stumped I will try filling it the other way and see what happems the last time I did burp it with a funnel, but I will give this other way a shot. By the way where is the bleeder is that the screw on the upper rad hose? If so I tried that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beastpath Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 are you sure the thermostat is working? even with air in the system it shouldnt get that hot unless the water isnt circulating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrimGreg Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 The bleeder is pretty easy to see on an 86.5-89, it is on the upper hose right above the power steering pump, little thumb screw. Sounds like your fan clutch might have gone bad in the "free spin" range so it isn't spinning when your engine gets hot, where as most will lock up and sound like a frieght train because they are locked in and constantly spinning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreaseMonky81 Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share Posted September 23, 2009 are you sure the thermostat is working? even with air in the system it shouldnt get that hot unless the water isnt circulating. I am almost positive that it is circulating, its a new one and when I pulled the old one out I did it when it was hot and it was still open. With it running and cap off water level is right at the top, start it up it fluctuates a little, but them the water level drops and you can see the coolant moving past the neck, so I am pretty sure its opening Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beastpath Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 That sounds like it works. In that case x2 what GG said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrimGreg Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 I am almost positive that it is circulating, its a new one and when I pulled the old one out I did it when it was hot and it was still open. With it running and cap off water level is right at the top, start it up it fluctuates a little, but them the water level drops and you can see the coolant moving past the neck, so I am pretty sure its opening Then your temp sensor for your guage might be bad.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedPath88 Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Sounds like your fan clutch might have gone bad in the "free spin" range so it isn't spinning when your engine gets hot, where as most will lock up and sound like a frieght train because they are locked in and constantly spinning. Same thing crossed my mind as well, since it happened to mine a year or two ago. Burp the system and see if that solves it, but the next time your warming it up, listen to the fan, if should get noticeably louder do to the clutch locking up and moving more air, when you reach operating temperature. If it does not, then the fan clutch is histroy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreaseMonky81 Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share Posted September 23, 2009 The bleeder is pretty easy to see on an 86.5-89, it is on the upper hose right above the power steering pump, little thumb screw. Sounds like your fan clutch might have gone bad in the "free spin" range so it isn't spinning when your engine gets hot, where as most will lock up and sound like a frieght train because they are locked in and constantly spinning. That just dawned on me the fan does not sound louder at all, friend of mine when he first fires his 87 up it sounds like a "frieght train" but then gets quiet the gets louder later min is quiet all the time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreaseMonky81 Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share Posted September 23, 2009 That just dawned on me the fan does not sound louder at all, friend of mine when he first fires his 87 up it sounds like a "frieght train" but then gets quiet the gets louder later min is quiet all the time The sending unit is new I am tring to swap fan out now, its great having a computer in the garage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Same thing here, when I first start mine up the fan roars then settles down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Same thing here, when I first start mine up the fan roars then settles down. X3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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