So after fixing my starter and replacing my O2 Sensor, it was time I finally started the 'ol gal up. It's been up on jackstands for a month, but I didnt think there would be any problems with just starting it up. I let it warm up for about 5 minutes, seemed to run ok. It needed some oil but no big deal. So I take it out for a spin and go about a mile up the road. By the time I get to the top of this hill, I can hear the valves rattling and knew this wasnt normal. I turn the car around and there I see all the way down the road a wet line, wasnt sure if it was oil or what cause it was dark at the time. Stupidly, I failed to check the temp gauge, which I found to be pegged on hot when I got home. I coasted it home since I was on a hill and find out the liquid was coolant. Open the hatch to find coolant sprayed all over and the overfill tank was filled to the cap. The next day I came out and found the tank empty. So my question....what could it be?? The waterpump spins and there doesnt seem to be any lines leaking or broken. I filled it with coolant yesterday and started her up just to check it again. Good news is that is still runs without any pinging or chattering, but the temp started going up quickly again so I shut it off. I'm thinking either the thermostat is stuck closed or the blades went in the water pump?? Anyone has a similar problem??

Thanks all

Did you check to see if your rad fan is kicking on ?

When the temperature gauge starts to climb, do the radiator hoses and/or underbody coolant tubes feel warm to the touch?

take out your t-stat and leave the back cap off and fire it up...you should be able to see coolant circulating right away...if not..its either a bad pump...a blocked line or a blocked rad. you said you had it on jackstands...did you pinch a coolant line anywhere???

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Keith
Topsail Beach,NC
86&87 Fiero GT
86&96 Corvette
04 Harley Davidson Softail
73 Lotus Europa Twin Cam
86 Lotus Turbo Esprit

"He who dies with the most toys wins!!!"

Thanks everyone, I'll have to check those things out. I'm pretty sure the fan is kicking on, I remember hearing it shutting off when I turned the car off the first time this happened. I'm going to check the tube temps and if I possibly crimped anything. What would warm tubes mean?

quote Originally posted by ConvictedRedneck: What would warm tubes mean?

That coolant is circulating. It's a simple way to check whether or not you're getting any coolant flow.

quote Originally posted by dguy: That coolant is circulating. It's a simple way to check whether or not you're getting any coolant flow.

With the therostat out, and both caps installed, have someone give it a quick push of throttle while you watch and hold the inlet hose on the radiator. If the hose gets noticably stiffer or bulges out a bit, the pump is working and the radiator is clogged. Or, the return coolant tube is restricted.

BTW, if you start it with the cap already off the thermostat housing, be prepared for a big gush of coolant going everywhere-especially if you suspect a restriction downstream such as the tubes or radiator. . You're better off removing the Tstat, replacing the cap, starting it cold, then slowly removing the cap. This allows the initial surge of coolant to settle down and flow begin--assuming the pump is working at all.

Thanks again everyone! I think I've solved the problem. I pulled the thermostat and drove it for a while. It ran smooth, no valves knocking, no power loss, and the temp gauge stayed low. Am I correct in assuming then that it was the thermostat that was stuck or just bad? I sure hope so, it ran great!

Probably. You still have to make sure you have burped the air out of it tho.
I thought it was this thread, but guess not--where The Ogre posted that:
(paraphrased) "just about anytime a coolant overheats extremely high, it junks the thermostat, by bursting the pill, which is the part that actually reacts to temperature changes."
Sounds like yours went bad when it overheated the 1st time, and the later overheating was a result of that inoperative and stuck tstat.

Plastic water pump impeller. It will run cool until it heats up in traffic or stop and go or... As long as it stays relatively cool its fine but... You'll notice it because once it warms up to 160 or so on the gauge it overheats very rapidly at the gauge sensor in the back of the head but the radiator is cold. Because the system integrity is OK it boils the water in the engine and pushes cold water out the overflow.