Overheating, Dex-Cool turns from orange to red
September 25th, 2012, 5:05 PM
#11
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OK, I spent 3 days+ flushing it, yesterday and today with the radiator removed. I thought the junk coming out would never end. I even put CLR in it overnight and crap was still coming out. I guess my wife was right... the first time I flushed it, crap must have clogged the radiator. Finally late today the water ran clear. I put the radiator back in, filled it with water to test it and within 30 seconds had tranny fluid floating to the top. Off I go for a new radiator! And I spent 2 hours straighten all the fins on that sucker ::headdesk:: lol
September 25th, 2012, 9:39 PM
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I couldn't have had tranny fluid leaking into it before as I didn't have anything floating to the top like it did today. This stuff went right to the top, was very visible and didn't mix with the water at all. I could soak it off the top with a rag (that crap smells!). And it's more brown then red, so that's not what turned my coolant from orange to red.
Tomorrow I'll put the new rad in, make sure it's all working right, then I'll do a tranny fluid exchange.
Tomorrow I'll put the new rad in, make sure it's all working right, then I'll do a tranny fluid exchange.
September 25th, 2012, 10:02 PM
#14
hopefully the trans fluid went into the coolant and not the other way around; its hard to get all the coolant out of a trans. The trans fluid will be pinkish white if contaminated.
September 26th, 2012, 6:35 PM
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No water got into the transmission fluid. <WHEW>It was dark reddish brown, before I exchanged it.
OK, I got the new radiator in. Tested it with just water. The new radiator (Ready-Rad from Advance Auto) didn't come with a new cap and the old threaded one didn't fit it, so I had to make a trip to get one that fit (standard push-n-hold). It did come with a drain pip-****, which is great! Now I had this running with straight water for at least an hour, without a cap, before I left for the store. Stayed right around 195 degrees... no boiling or overheating. I drove it the 8 miles to the store and back, no cap, and still stayed within a few degrees of 195. So much for the warning about no cap, no pressure will cause it to boil over. New coolant added. Now I'm ready to make a work trip tomorrow and we'll see how it works out.
End solution to my overheating problem was the clogged radiator. Yes, it appears that running the Prestone Flush loosened up some debris that further clogged the radiator, actually making it worse then when I started.
I still don't know why it turned from orange to red. We'll see what happens with the new coolant.
OK, I got the new radiator in. Tested it with just water. The new radiator (Ready-Rad from Advance Auto) didn't come with a new cap and the old threaded one didn't fit it, so I had to make a trip to get one that fit (standard push-n-hold). It did come with a drain pip-****, which is great! Now I had this running with straight water for at least an hour, without a cap, before I left for the store. Stayed right around 195 degrees... no boiling or overheating. I drove it the 8 miles to the store and back, no cap, and still stayed within a few degrees of 195. So much for the warning about no cap, no pressure will cause it to boil over. New coolant added. Now I'm ready to make a work trip tomorrow and we'll see how it works out.
End solution to my overheating problem was the clogged radiator. Yes, it appears that running the Prestone Flush loosened up some debris that further clogged the radiator, actually making it worse then when I started.
I still don't know why it turned from orange to red. We'll see what happens with the new coolant.
September 28th, 2012, 1:59 PM
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Up to 80mph on the expressway.. lookin' good! It never went over 199 degrees. Lesson learned... doing a radiator flush CAN clog the radiator and make it worse.
September 30th, 2012, 11:12 AM
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Same here! I keep telling my mother she should have named me Murphy LOL
I have 325,000 miles experience on my old 99 Astro van, same engine. So I can now expect the heater core to go out, the heater valve, the water pump and various hoses. lol
I have 325,000 miles experience on my old 99 Astro van, same engine. So I can now expect the heater core to go out, the heater valve, the water pump and various hoses. lol
October 1st, 2012, 12:03 PM
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It's the OBD Wiz software
ScanTool.net LLC - OBDwiz Automotive Diagnostic Software
that came with my cheapo OBD interface.
OBDLink SX Scan Tool USB Interface w/ OBDwiz Diagnostic Software (425801) | ScanTool.net, LLC
I use it with my little Acer laptop... which I use as my GPS. Sits nicely on my console.
ScanTool.net LLC - OBDwiz Automotive Diagnostic Software
that came with my cheapo OBD interface.
OBDLink SX Scan Tool USB Interface w/ OBDwiz Diagnostic Software (425801) | ScanTool.net, LLC
I use it with my little Acer laptop... which I use as my GPS. Sits nicely on my console.
Last edited by CableSux; October 1st, 2012 at 12:18 PM.