Ok, I have been given a 92 Mitsi Galant v6 auto and it has an overheating problem. Its a 6a12 engine, 308 000ks, Cambelt, water pump and all other belts were changed 30 000ks ago. The first time it overheated, the cause was a stuffed radiator cap and so my dad (it was his originally) replaced the cap, the thermostat and the hoses. Ever since it has continued to overheat. When I got it, I found it had the wrong Cap and thermo in it which has since been corrected. Currently I don't have the thermo in, Will put one in when I fix the problem. The problem is; It overheats when driving within 25km, I've noticed the water is going into the resevoir and then overflowing onto the road. At idle, the temp is normal and for the first few ks it stays there. Then it rapidly gets hot. There's no water in the oil or vice versa. The car starts first time every time, No loss of power, drives well. the fans are working as is the heater and the water pump appears to be working fine to. The Radiator has been flushed twice, engine once.Today after a small 10k drive it overheated to the point of steam coming out of the radiator. The other times its just been reading hot (3/4 on the gauge) and using or losing water out the resevoir. I dont quite know what to look at from here. I know your the Mitsi guru (from what I've read), would you have any ideas! Or anybody else please!
mugenb20b,
Dec 17, 7:56am
1. Before you do anything else, take the car to a garage and ask them to carry out a TK head check. 2. The car's 20 years old, done lots of k's, overheated many times, sorry to say, but the car's finished. 3. The problems you are having are not "Mitsubishi" related.
NZTools,
Dec 17, 7:58am
What was the radiator flushed with! A garden hose! If so, it wont have achieved anything. The ONLY way to have a radiator cleaned is to have the tanks removed and the cores rodded out.
Sounds more like, that as a result of your blocked radiator, you now have a blown head gasket.
On a side note, the radiator cap wont cause overheating.
mugenb20b,
Dec 17, 7:59am
And leaving the thermostat out will, if it's a bypass type.
stezza278,
Dec 17, 8:01am
Thanks for that. Yeah I figured it wasn't just limited to Mitsi's. I have thought about a head gasket.A combustion leak specifically but wouldn't it blow continuous white smoke and or have a major loss of power, rough idle etc!
mugenb20b,
Dec 17, 8:02am
Not always.
stezza278,
Dec 17, 8:04am
Surely if the cap was buggered the loss of pressure (and water) in the system would allow the car to overheat!
mugenb20b; Can you explain the process of how a bypass thermostat works please!
NZTools,
Dec 17, 8:05am
The combustion leak is leaking into your cooling system and pressurizing the cooling system (hence your coolant loss)
stezza278,
Dec 17, 8:07am
NZTools; Thats what I was initially looking for but according to what I've researched, One of the symptoms for that is lots of white smoke. And there isn't any.
phillip.weston,
Dec 17, 8:18am
I think these guys have covered it. It sounds like the radiator is blocked up. I would get a TK test done to check if small amounts of combustion gasses are getting into the cooling system. Are the radiator pipes swelling up quite a bit!
stezza278,
Dec 17, 8:23am
The radiator pipes aren't swelling at all, Both are heating up equally (without Thermostat being in).I think it might be a bypass thermostat type so will get one tomorrow and try that. If i have no joy, I'll go get a TK test done to confirm and go from there. Thank you to everybody for your help, Much appreciated.
NZTools,
Dec 17, 8:35am
If coolant is being forced into the overflow bottle, either yuor radiator cap is faulty, or the system is being overpressurized.
White smoke from the exhaust (steam) only occurs if water is getting into the combustion chambers, which is actually reasonably rare unless the head gasket is very badly blown or you have bigger problems.
stezza278,
Dec 17, 8:54am
Radiator cap is brand new (less than a week old) And is the correct type for the engine. So I know its definately not that.I think i will get it TK tested after replacing the thermostat anyway just to be certain of where the problem is and as stated go from there. Cheers:)
jason18,
Dec 17, 9:33am
If it is head gasket. Use some iron tight. With a motor that many kms etc not worth doing head gasket. Just use the iron tight and get 2 weeks to 2 years out of it
the-lada-dude,
Dec 18, 1:51am
what you know about cars nz tools we could write on a postage stamp and still have room for the queens head !ydh.
shaun16,
Dec 18, 2:42am
308000 k's it should be in the recyclers by now
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