Need a mechanics advice

ODanksta

ODanksta

Well-Known Member
I am having problems with my SUV. Its a DOHC V6 Japanese motor, 01. Since this summer if I was sitting in traffic my truck would run hot. So about once a week I'd add about a gallon of water to the radiator. Well its getting worse, last night in the cold, rainy weather I was driving about 25 miles away and it got hotter then its ever got before. By the time I made it home it was steaming from the overflow tank really bad.. and my heater stopped working on me too. And the hoses were swollen looked like they were about to burst..

Ok, Im thinking a blown head gasket or thermostat.

So tomorrow Im going to to take the thermostat out and see if that works, maybe its sticking closed Idk, and if its my head gasket where is the water going? I have no water in my oil.

I don't think its the heater core.

Well last night after I loss all water, I filled it back up and drove for about a hour and a half with no problems at all..

So tomorrow I am removing the thermostat, if that doesn't work I am using this stuff called blue devil it helps repair blown head gaskets, I used it in my other truck and worked perfectly, lol but its 80 dollars a bottle...

Any suggestions?
 
6ohMax

6ohMax

Well-Known Member
Water pump..it's obviously not flowing coolant...could have a bad radiator too...flush it the system first

What kind of vehicle is this
 
ODanksta

ODanksta

Well-Known Member
6ohMax said:
Water pump..it's obviously not flowing coolant...could have a bad radiator too...flush it the system first

What kind of vehicle is this
Click to expand...
I don't wanna say for anonymous reasons, but it's a Japanese SUV 4x4 V6 3.2L with a 4 cam motor.. hint they sell the most commercial trucks in the world.. lemme get you the engine name real quick
 
whitebb2727

whitebb2727

Well-Known Member
Radiator leak. Hose leak. Bad thermostat. Bad water pump. Head gasket. Bad intake gasket. Cracked block or freeze plug.

Could be a lot of reasons.
Look for leaks first. Then thermostat then pump.

If no leaks and thermostat and pump don't work that leaves head gasket or intake.

Run the car and check for foam in oil. If not check for oil in over flow tank. If no that leaves intake gasket.
 
6ohMax

6ohMax

Well-Known Member
I dont think you need to be nervous about the vehicle...I drive a 2006 GMC Sierra Vortec MAxx...whoopie do


Its a fucking beast too... Those LQ9 6.0 are monsters..only thing I need to do is get a tune...shift points suck
 
ODanksta

ODanksta

Well-Known Member
Its a 6VD1 Rodeo_engine2000.jpg

Lol, before and after.. this was when I let the pressure off

IMG_20150121_232534.jpg
 
Last edited:
M

mainliner

Well-Known Member
ODanksta said:
I am having problems with my SUV. Its a DOHC V6 Japanese motor, 01. Since this summer if I was sitting in traffic my truck would run hot. So about once a week I'd add about a gallon of water to the radiator. Well its getting worse, last night in the cold, rainy weather I was driving about 25 miles away and it got hotter then its ever got before. By the time I made it home it was steaming from the overflow tank really bad.. and my heater stopped working on me too. And the hoses were swollen looked like they were about to burst..

Ok, Im thinking a blown head gasket or thermostat.

So tomorrow Im going to to take the thermostat out and see if that works, maybe its sticking closed Idk, and if its my head gasket where is the water going? I have no water in my oil.

I don't think its the heater core.

Well last night after I loss all water, I filled it back up and drove for about a hour and a half with no problems at all..

So tomorrow I am removing the thermostat, if that doesn't work I am using this stuff called blue devil it helps repair blown head gaskets, I used it in my other truck and worked perfectly, lol but its 80 dollars a bottle...

Any suggestions?
Click to expand...
check your ph ;)
 
drolove

drolove

Well-Known Member
well swollen hoses kinda point to one thing....your head gasket. but you say your fluids arent mixing? not yet anyways if thats the problem. never known anything else to pressurize a hose like that other then a blown head gasket. never seen a bottle of anything fix a head gasket either lol but you could give it a shot.
 
drolove

drolove

Well-Known Member
6ohMax said:
I dont think you need to be nervous about the vehicle...I drive a 2006 GMC Sierra Vortec MAxx...whoopie do


Its a fucking beast too... Those LQ9 6.0 are monsters..only thing I need to do is get a tune...shift points suck
Click to expand...
hell ya they are! basically the same thing thats in the GTO just a iron block. we used a LQ9 block to build my buddies 1200hp C5 corvette.
 
whitebb2727

whitebb2727

Well-Known Member
Figuring out what is broke on a car is nothing more than deductive reasoning.

You are losing water. It is a sealed system.

I missed the part of swollen hoses. Its either the head gasket or a stuck thermostat building pressure.
 
drolove

drolove

Well-Known Member
stuck thermostat would definitely make it over heat but it wouldnt make it loose coolant. im saying head gasket. hope for his sake its not though!
 
whitebb2727

whitebb2727

Well-Known Member
drolove said:
stuck thermostat would definitely make it over heat but it wouldnt make it loose coolant. im saying head gasket. hope for his sake its not though!
Click to expand...
I say head gasket to.

But I start cheap and work up.
Replace thermostat and water pump if its never had one and flush system.

A stuck thermostat can cause hoses to swell and cause overflow to boil over.

Which op said happened.
 
whitebb2727

whitebb2727

Well-Known Member
Let me also say that most water pumps have weep hole to show if bad. Most thermostats now fail open.

But that's not always the case on either.
 
butterbudface

butterbudface

Well-Known Member
Doubt it's the head gasket, I rate either water pump or thermostat, might even have a airlock so not all of the water actually goes into circulation.
 
Growan

Growan

Well-Known Member
In my experience, thermostats stick open, not closed. Could be wrong here though.
If you take one of the top hoses off and run the engine you can tell if the water pump is working. If it is, water will pump out. ;)

You can get a kit (or the garage will have one) that you attach to the header tank to test if there are exhaust gasses escaping into the water jackets around the pistons (ie head gasket failure). If there's gas coming out of the header tank....gasket. You'll only see oil in the water if the gasket goes in such a place as it is separating an oil carrying section from water carrying. If the gasket goes right next to a piston you'll get exhaus gas in the coolant (ballooned pipes is a symptom) and sometimes steam coming from the exhaust pipe, like my old kettle of a rover.
If this is the case, there's a product called K-Seal to add to your coolant which forms a permanent ceramic seal/deposit when it gets to temperature and is exposed to air/atmosphere. If there is a leak at the piston, it will seal there. Cheaper than h/g change by hundreds, but obviously not a 'proper job'.
 
whitebb2727

whitebb2727

Well-Known Member
If I was there in front of it I could tell you what it is.

I would also say if your not a good mechanic and going to pay someone to fix it, pay them to diagnose it.

Once again don't use anything that's a sealer it causes problems. I've used it, it works. I only use it on a beater to get extra milage. If you have a nice vehicle fix it right.
 
ODanksta

ODanksta

Well-Known Member
Thank you all.. yeah I have water pumps go out on me, either water drips from the hole or the pulley seizes up from my experience, which I have neither. @Growan Im going to try to take the hose off, thanks.

And I have no smoke from my exhaust, but you can smell the coolant inside the cab, but it could be the pump because I have only added water and no coolant, I hear the coolant is also a lubricant for the water pump.

The Blue Devil stuff really works on head gaskets, not a permanent fix but works. On a same make of SUV I have used it and it worked but I would have to use it again each summer...

Im getting ready to go out of town and need to figure it out soon.. I have changed head gaskets before, and half the time I will give up and scrap the car, but this suv is in good shape and a damn good truck too, idk might be time to sell it. I can probably get 4K for it, if I don't tell the buyer, but karma is a bitch. I would like to buy a old RV and live up in Oregon for the summer.. lol
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top