Overheating

ANSWER : Hi there. One of the easiest ways to test a water pump is to carefully place your hand on the lower radiator hose while the motor is running. Two things should happen; first, as you suggested, the hose should feel "hard" and you should always feel motion through the hose. One other thing to check is your heater. If the heater is not working (supplying hot air), then you’ve got an obstruction inside the heater core; which can also create overheating problems. If you can’t resolve your issues soon, feel free to contact one of our professional mobile mechanics and have them complete a car is overheating inspection.

ANSWER : It is likely your engine has a blown head-gasket, worn out water pump or somehow has a huge air bubble inside the engine that needs to be bled. The drop in engine temperature while on the freeway is actually a good sign – it indicates your radiator is getting good coolant flow, and the radiator is doing its job, transferring heat out of the engines cooling system. A YourMechanic certified technician can come to your location to perform a Car is overheating Inspection on your vehicle and help you diagnose and repair this issue.

ANSWER : Check the coolant level to be sure it is adequate. Of course, if the coolant level is low enough to cause overheating, you may have a coolant leak. If the overheating is intermittent that would point to a possibly sticking thermostat, malfunctioning controls for the cooling fans, or the fans themselves, and possibly an engine operating condition such as an excessively lean air fuel ratio. Other common causes of overheating include low coolant level, a plugged radiator, collapsed hoses, and a faulty water pump or drive belt. Certain engine faults, such as a leaking head gasket or poor engine running condition can also cause overheating. If you desire that this problem be diagnosed by a certified Mechanic, dispatched by YourMechanic right to your location, please request an engine overheating diagnostic and the responding certified mechanic will get this resolved for you. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.

ANSWER : Coolant leaks can occur because of cracked hoses, leaking gaskets, faulty water pumps, or damaged radiators. When the coolant level goes low, the engine will start to overheat due to the low coolant level. I would first recommend giving the cooling system a visual look over. If it is not obvious where the coolant leak is coming from, I would recommed having the cooling system pressure tested in order to determine the leak source. If you would like to have your cooling system pressure testedcoolant is leaking inspection, consider YourMechanic, as a certified technician can come to your home or office to inspect your cooling system.

ANSWER : Hey there. The next thing you need to do is confirm the thermostat is opening and test to see if the radiator is clogged or not. Begin by warming your car up. Don’t drive it, just let it idle or hold it on a high idle. Depending on the ambient temperature, this can take a half hour or more for the thermostat to open. You will know the thermostat is open by touching the upper radiator hose. The hose that comes off of the thermostat housing. When it begins to get hot, the thermostat is opening. The stat will cycle open and closed during the warm up process. A motor is not fully warm until the stat reaches a point of equilibrium. Meaning, it stays open at a constant amount. If your car begins to overheat and the upper radiator hose does not get hot, you will need to figure out what is going on with the thermostat. It could be installed wrong or even bad. I have had new stats be bad several times.

If the stat opens correctly and your car is fully warm, take it for a quick spin around the block. Come back to a stop in your driveway or other parking spot, turn the motor off, key off, open the hood and reach in and touch the radiator from top to bottom and side to side. You are feeling for cold spots. They will be obviously cold in comparison to the rest of the radiator. It is normal for the lower part of the radiator to be colder than the top. That only means the radiator is cooling as it should.

If after doing these two things your car still overheats, it is time to consider head gasket problems. You can use a block tester kit from your local auto parts store or you can book and appointment with us. Testing for head gasket problems can be cumbersome and only experience will allow you to make an accurate determination. I recommend a having an overheating inspection to have this accurately diagnosed and corrected.

ANSWER : Hello. The overheating issue your vehicle is having is likely not caused by the water pump once again. Though an inspection of your water pump performance should be checked when trying to diagnose this issue. The temperature gauge not going up to hot when the water is boiling will be a malfunction of the coolant temperature sensor. Overheating is likely caused by a faulty thermostat, a clogged coolant system, coolant system leak, or a bad head gasket. I suggest to have a technician perform an inspection of the possibilities I just mentioned including the coolant temperature sensor and it’s related wiring to help pinpoint exactly why the vehicle is overheating.

You are able to find a technician and schedule an appointment for your vehicle overheating here

https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/car-is-overheating-inspection

ANSWER : Hi there – you may have 2 related events here, a coolant leak, and a problem with the heater system. The current issue may be air inside the cooling system, which can cause overheating, and a lack of heater function. The lack of heater function could have 5 causes: the engine is not getting up to correct temperature (center of the gauge) due to a malfunctioning thermostat, the heater control valve is not letting hot coolant into the heater core, there is a restriction in the heater system that is preventing adequate hot coolant flow through the heater core, the heater fan is not working to transfer heat from the heater core to warm air for the passenger compartment, or the air blend doors inside the heater are not working properly to route warm air to the desired vents. I would recommend a heater system inspection](https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/heater-is-not-working-inspection) by a mobile, professional mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, who will come to your location, diagnose this problem, give you an accurate assessment of damage and cost estimate for repairs.

ANSWER : Thank you for writing in! Typically the thermostat and water pump are the primary sources of overheating on a 1997 Toyota Corolla. However, since the fluid never left the reservoir, it could be caused by a blockage in the coolant tubes; such as an air bubble. A good bet would be to have one of our local mechanics complete an overheating inspection. This would reduce the frustration of guessing and allow them to pinpoint the source of your issues; so that they could be fixed sooner rather than later.

Best of luck!