# overheating, now loss of power, please help!



## echokid98 (May 18, 2007)

over the weekend i ran into some trouble... car began over heating and i had to pull over. One of the rubber brackets that hold the radiator in place wore out and broke allowing tremendous play in the radiator. I guess from the vibrations, it cracked and i leaked all my coolant out. I managed to get the car home stopping every so often and refilling the tank with water. At times i got stuck in traffic for 2 mins tops and i felt the car acting wierd. 

I replaced the radiator and the thermostat did a flush and the car still over heats if i let it idle for more than like 15 mins. I suspect its the waterpump, so that will be changed asap.

** my question though is... ever since this incident has happned the car feel like it has no power whatsoever. The headgasket seems fine, and i dont think the head is warped. Exhaust fumes dont smell sweet etc. :screwy:

What can this be? Feels slower than before i put a flashed ecu in. It worries me.

sorry if that was painfully long.


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## echokid98 (May 18, 2007)

bump


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## onewiper (Aug 29, 2002)

Just because the head gasket seems fine does not mean that it is fine, generally when you over heat these cars the head gasket fails and you will get leakage of compression gasses into your cooling system, not coolant into your cylinders so you will not smell coolant out of your exhaust. Look for excessive bubbling in your overflow and you will over heat as well.


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## Glegor (Mar 31, 2008)

would be willing to bet that it has a blown head gasket.. take a compression reading..

that would explain it being low on power also..

how bad did you over heat it? did you get the temp gauge to the red section? for how long?

the hotter it got, and longer it stayed hot, the better chance for a blown head gasket, or cracked head..


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## echokid98 (May 18, 2007)

Glegor said:


> would be willing to bet that it has a blown head gasket.. take a compression reading..
> 
> that would explain it being low on power also..
> 
> ...


i mean, it was pretty nasty out that day and i got it almost to the red a few times. but if i could ide pull over and shut it off for a while and let the fans cool the motor. And when this did happen it was in the over heating zone for a min or 2 at the most.

*update* its kinda wierd. although the car doesnt feel exactly like it used to, since this happened and ive been driving it i feel like the power is kinda comeing back..


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## Glegor (Mar 31, 2008)

if the power is coming back, then you got it stupid hot..

thats how my rabbit was after i heat seized it.. had absolutely no power or torque right afterwards..

i kept driving it tho, and most, if not all, of the power came back.. 

is it going thru coolant at all?


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## echokid98 (May 18, 2007)

Glegor said:


> if the power is coming back, then you got it stupid hot..
> 
> thats how my rabbit was after i heat seized it.. had absolutely no power or torque right afterwards..
> 
> ...


nope...everything seems fine. ordering water pump and doing asap just because thats the last piece to the puzzle.


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## Glegor (Mar 31, 2008)

echokid98 said:


> nope...everything seems fine. ordering water pump and doing asap just because thats the last piece to the puzzle.


they are stupidly easy to check, and stupidly hard to replace.. i would start by checking it.. 

the failure rate of brand new pumps is a bit high if you ask me.. and if your current one has nothing wrong with it, then just run with it..

you can pull the thermostat housing off, and right behind the thermostat, you can see the water pump impeller. stick your finger up in the water pump and dry to wiggle and turn the impeller.. and inspect the blades for damage..

if you replace your water pump, you might as well replace the timing belt and tensioner while you are in that deep..


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## echokid98 (May 18, 2007)

Glegor said:


> they are stupidly easy to check, and stupidly hard to replace.. i would start by checking it..
> 
> the failure rate of brand new pumps is a bit high if you ask me.. and if your current one has nothing wrong with it, then just run with it..
> 
> ...


I feel ya man didnt think the pump's impellars sat that close to the thermostat opening in the block, really good to know... gunna tackle this over the weekend.:thumbup::beer:


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