Did I break it?
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 462
Likes: 3
From: Boulder, CO
86 W124
Did I break it?
Hey,
So the situation is this. I have been running at around 100c all summer without ac, and way warmer with ac. So I went ahead and changed my rad, hoses and the aux fan switch. Put everything back together, nice and shiny. Then I go for a drive, its happy with the ac in 90C weather idling for a while and then the guage goes up to 95C. Sticks there for a while but then keeps going. I put it in drive and start going around. The temp doesnt drop as fast as it should but finally does. I get home, and shut it off with the temp at 85C.
THEN DISASTER
I open the hood, look around for leaks and decide to check if I need more coolant. Then it starts boiling and going crazy for a while, I lost a whole bunch of coolant with tons of bubbles.
QUESTION
Did I just pop my headgasket as the car has 152k on it.
Thanks for the answers.
Pete
So the situation is this. I have been running at around 100c all summer without ac, and way warmer with ac. So I went ahead and changed my rad, hoses and the aux fan switch. Put everything back together, nice and shiny. Then I go for a drive, its happy with the ac in 90C weather idling for a while and then the guage goes up to 95C. Sticks there for a while but then keeps going. I put it in drive and start going around. The temp doesnt drop as fast as it should but finally does. I get home, and shut it off with the temp at 85C.
THEN DISASTER
I open the hood, look around for leaks and decide to check if I need more coolant. Then it starts boiling and going crazy for a while, I lost a whole bunch of coolant with tons of bubbles.
QUESTION
Did I just pop my headgasket as the car has 152k on it.
Thanks for the answers.
Pete
Super Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 801
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From: Anaheim, CA
a TVR Cerbera Speed Twelve
Originally Posted by ptoro01
I open the hood, look around for leaks and decide to check if I need more coolant. Then it starts boiling and going crazy for a while, I lost a whole bunch of coolant with tons of bubbles.
Pete
Pete
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Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Long Beach, Ca
lots of cars
If you turned on your car and let it warm up and then opened the cap it will flow back out like crazy!! It's under pressure with the steam and it has nowhere to go but out. You should twist the cap and release the pressure. Then you slowly open the cap until it's safe. Use a rag so u won't burn your hands!
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 462
Likes: 3
From: Boulder, CO
86 W124
yes i did that but then the pressure was released really quickly and it started boiling out. Crazy amounts of steam and boiling water came shooting out. Did I just wreck my headgasket
Super Member
Joined: Feb 2006
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From: Anaheim, CA
a TVR Cerbera Speed Twelve
don't think so...You didn't wait long enough, did you burn your hands? There is a warning label on the tank that tells you specifically not to open the cap if the engine is at 80-100C above temp...
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 462
Likes: 3
From: Boulder, CO
86 W124
Didnt burn them noticeably but it was a tid bit warm. I guess I rushed to it. The project took an extra 30 min so i just wanted to get it done with.
If my theory is correct, the pressure that would have broken anything escaped through the tank so all is well.
We'll see in the upcoming days. I will see what a thermostat does to the situation. I dont know what else could be done to solve the running warm issue.
If my theory is correct, the pressure that would have broken anything escaped through the tank so all is well.
We'll see in the upcoming days. I will see what a thermostat does to the situation. I dont know what else could be done to solve the running warm issue.
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1967 Morris Cooper "S", 1983 911SC, 1997 Toyota Tacoma, 1999 HD FXSTB, 1998 C43
I dunno if you have anything wrong. What's the peak temp when sitting at a light with AC on? Also, once you shut the engine down, the temp is going to climb. Even though you have an electric fan, in some cases two, water is no longer being recirculated by the water pump and the temp might even climb since now the H20 in the system is now stagnant. Give us more info, i.e. car sitting idle with AC on, for instance.
Remember too, the whole idea behind your coolant system is that it might run above the boiling temp of water which is typically 100 degrees, which is why it's under pressure, akin to a pressure cooker...If you live at higher altitudes (like above 3000 ft) water boils at lower temps.
Remember too, the whole idea behind your coolant system is that it might run above the boiling temp of water which is typically 100 degrees, which is why it's under pressure, akin to a pressure cooker...If you live at higher altitudes (like above 3000 ft) water boils at lower temps.
Last edited by StapleGun; Jul 19, 2006 at 07:30 AM.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 462
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From: Boulder, CO
86 W124
I think I just freaked out but as I have 2 of these cars and one of them runs a lot cooler and when it warms up, it actually drops down instead of staying warm, I know there is something wrong. When it warmed up to 100C, it maintained the temp with the aux fan on instead of dropping to the normal 80C
Member
Joined: Mar 2006
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From: Washington, the State
1993 300CE Sportline
take your time
When checking coolant it really should be cold...you found out how risky it is and the waste of coolant by opening hot. I always check in the morning after car has sat all night. I notice your in CO, probably above 5000 ft. I'm at sea level. FYI: My 93 w/ 83,000 miles runs from the top to the bottom of the 80C mark, on the highway it sits at the very bottom of 80. After a long drive and car sits for 10 minutes w/ engine off, upon starting the temp is above 80 for a minute at the most before returning to the mid 80 area. I also recently replaced coolant. I can't remember the brand but it has something like G5 (?) and maybe it was zerex, it is supposed to be compatible w/ MB engines. ANd it is much less than the MB branded stuff. Of course this is not an area you want to be cheap and use the wrong coolant. What brand did you use?
kurt
93 300CE Sportline
kurt
93 300CE Sportline
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 462
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From: Boulder, CO
86 W124
Yeah, I guess its inaccurate to check it when warm as it not only expands but also splashes. I put in a 50 50 of yellow mercedes coolant. It seems to me that after a 10 min highway drive it will warm up to 100C really quickly and stay there unless I do some more above 40 mph driving. It almost sounds like a fan clutch but it seems fairly tight.
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dont delude yourself into thinking that there is a "normal" range for the temperature. some run hotter than others. some have marginal cooling systems, live with it.
it sounds like nothing happened other than you taking off the radiator cap when the system was
a) still hot
b) still under pressure.
others have obviously told you about letting the pressure out.
but you have to rememeber that the water was being kept from boiling by being under pressure. increasing the pressure increases the boiling point of water. when you releases that pressure it allowed the water to boil, causing it to come spewing out.
just remember that antifreeze doesnt have the same cooling capacity as water.
it sounds like nothing happened other than you taking off the radiator cap when the system was
a) still hot
b) still under pressure.
others have obviously told you about letting the pressure out.
but you have to rememeber that the water was being kept from boiling by being under pressure. increasing the pressure increases the boiling point of water. when you releases that pressure it allowed the water to boil, causing it to come spewing out.
just remember that antifreeze doesnt have the same cooling capacity as water.
