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I have a 1998 Nissan Altima. I've had it for a week, got it for cheap.
I have noticed that the overflow tank fills up with what "steams off" from the main radiator, and then it never flows back into the main radiator. Today I got a siphon hose thing so I can empty it out and return it back to the main unit (or dispose of it etc). As long as I have sufficient coolant in the main unit, it doesn't run hot.
In the reading I've done it has been suggested that such could be the radiator cap but it has also been suggested it could be a blown head gasket. (One person said it had been diagnosed as a "cracked sleeve" in their case.) I am hoping it is something simple like the thermostat, I have noticed that there are occasions where the heater blows warm but at times after it's been on awhile the heater will then blow cooler air. Also I am not seeing any funny stuff in the motor oil dipstick, although the coolant in the overflow is sometimes "milky" looking (still greenish). Also just a day or two ago the "service engine soon" light came on (then again I have a 2000 Toyota Corolla VE which has always been that way from day one with no ill effects) At the same time when I first got the car it had no overflow tank (I had to add one) and the water when coming out sometimes seemed a bit rusty.
I am guessing I need to have a pressure test performed to know for sure?
No worries, I almost got it even after selling the last clunker, even after paying tax title and license. If it gets me by until tax refund (plus 1 month if possible to give time to shop etc), I can't complain. That's all I'm asking.
Too bad though, for crying out loud the AC works on it. If not for this issue I'd be OK with it for the next year or so. Oh well, better make sure my AAA is paid up, and keep the phone charged.
Doesn't sound like a blown head gasket unless the cloudy mixture you are seeing in the tank is partly oil. Also, a blown head gasket will usually result in white smoke from the tail pipe.
Not knowing which engine you have, you may be losing coolant via a bad intake manifold gasket. Can you ever smell coolant when the engine is warmed up? It could just be a bad radiator cap that allows coolant to pass to the overflow before it should and not allowing it to pass back. I'd try that first.
BTW, when the heater starts blowing cool air after the engine is warmed up is a sign of low water in the radiator.
OP, do this. Start engine and bring to operating temperature.
When it warms up, shut it down.
Put a thick glove on and cover radiator cap with loose rags. Loosen cap a little to release pressure. It'll hiss for a little, then slowly remove cap. Coolant will overflow, so do this somewhere in suitable place.
Ask buddy to start the engine. Or, do it yourself but then immediately go back to the radiator.
Now, look inside the radiator. Do you see something like a beer foam inside or a bunch of tiny air bubbles coming up towards neck? Then that's your gasket. Leaking exhaust into coolant.
Of course, you can buy fancy exhaust leak tester kit... But why?
If it's a 4 cyl, replacing head gasket is not much of a deal, simply wrong time of the year, unless you are somewhere real warm.
Doesn't sound like a blown head gasket unless the cloudy mixture you are seeing in the tank is partly oil. Also, a blown head gasket will usually result in white smoke from the tail pipe.
Not knowing which engine you have, you may be losing coolant via a bad intake manifold gasket. Can you ever smell coolant when the engine is warmed up? It could just be a bad radiator cap that allows coolant to pass to the overflow before it should and not allowing it to pass back. I'd try that first.
BTW, when the heater starts blowing cool air after the engine is warmed up is a sign of low water in the radiator.
I have looked at the "boiled over" water but I can't tell if there is oil in the overflowed coolant. It does have some brownish nature to it, but again when I first got it and was observing water coming out of it (I had to replace the "bypass" hose and so a lot of water was coming out) it seemed like rust-colored. (Again today I got a bulb "turkey-baster" like siphon hose from OReilly Auto, it's a battery pump of some kind, and I pump the water out when it gets to be too full.)
I do smell some radiator-like substance in the air blowing through the air vents, if that means anything. When I first got the car the vent air smelled a lot like fish, that has gone away, it now just smells like the radiator kind of.
There was some white smoke coming out of the exhaust when the guys at the inspection were fooling around with it, maybe they were revving it harder, and it was colder that day, but most days no you don't see much of that.
The main reason I'm asking is because I like the car enough to fix some other issues with the idea of keeping it long-term (the inspection place told me it needed a new motor mount on the passenger side, get another alternator vs charging the battery inside on a charger), it's pleasant to drive and I was stunned to see that the A/C worked (which will matter a LOT in about 3 months) but if it's got this serious of an issue then I know it's in a "drive it til the wheels fall off" stance and I'll keep such improvements to a minimum. I'll try the "beer foam" test later and possibly post back with what I've noticed. The one person said if it's a 4 cylinder (it is, 2.4L 4) that a head gasket repair is not that big of a thing, how much $ likely (as in $400 or so vs $2000 or so)?
Water pump could be bad causing the coolant to boil and overflow. Lots of cases of water pump impellers rusting away due to not flushing the coolant at proper intervals. Without the impellers on the water pump the coolant can't flow through the system obviously.
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