overheating and coolant loss?

[classicZ]

Hi everyone, was wanting to know if anyone has had similar problem with their 260z. After about 3k's down the road temp gauge is nearly full scale hot. Get it back home wait for it to cool check water and find the level low, takes about 3 litres to refill.

This is after I had the radiator rebuilt (was blocked) and a new thermostat.

Radiator pressure test finds no leaks in the system, holds pressure ok. Engine runs fine, compression test shows cylinders good 150,155 PSI. About the only thing left is water pump?

Any thoughts.

Regards Peter.

 

 

[RB30X]

If your water is getting that hot then it will expell some from the cooling system. Why it gets so hot I don't know. Take your top radiator hose off once it warms up a bit and see if the water pump is working.

[RBZ 260]

had a puzzling situation few weeks ago on relatives nissan patrol.

 

the temp will go off the scale and spit water out. engine didnt blow a gasket as there was no water in oil or through the intake. ran good no problems. but drive it for 2k temp of scale and water spitting out.

 

mind u this happend in the middle of the highway and the car was driving from Melbourne to Adelaide almost 8hrs without a problem.

 

i was puzzled. though could be the pump but no noises..

 

only thing i was thinking is radiator is blocked or something with thermostat. After loss of coolant we will refill it and it will spit out almost cold water. the top radiator hose was highly pressurised.

 

anyway long story  short once the car got home on a tow truck we found that thermostat has cracked and shut itself. removed the thermostat started the car and no issues. after we replaced with new one. car driven back 850km and no issues.

 

even though u changed the thermostat have a look at it and test it on its own. thats if the simptoms are same. if not look at the pump.

 

 

[Cdr Zero]

I had a similar issue in my Z, the cores of the radiator were toast.  Re-cored radiator fixed the issue.  Your issue is probably different though, seeing as you've had yours rebuilt. 

[stevo_gj]

Wouldn't be a Tridon thermostat would it? they are notorious for causing problems

[260Coupe]

Spend the extra $$ and always use a genuine Nissan thermostat........they almost never go faulty and jam open/closed.

 

[sco_aus]

Can you actually see where the water is going? As mentioned above, it can be blown head gasket/cracked head.  If it is vanishing, check your oil for water and exhaust for vapours, you will smell the burnt coolant smell from the exhaust.

[Scoota G]

Sounds like the thermostat is in the wrong way.

 

[Zedman240®]

Easy way to find out if it's the thermostat, next time it gets hot, feel the top and bottom radiator hose; if there is a major difference in temp between the two, you may have a stuffed thermostat. I once fitted a new Tridon brand one in a Bluebird I had... drove a few kays and I could hear the coolant boiling in the radiator. turns out it was jammed shut from new! Took it out and drove and was able to get it back home although alot cooler than it should be.

[pauly_adams]

or the worst case scenario is you have blown a head gasket like i did. my gasket blew between the 5th cylinder and a water jacket. this was causing fumes and all sorts of crap to go into the cooling system it also had these symptoms. just smell your coolant you will know if this has happened as i did cause your coolant will smell like fuel.

 

cheers pauly

[classicZ]

Hi Guys just an update to my overheating and coolant loss on my 260Z.

In the end it turned out to be the new thermostat I installed and yes it was a tridon brand. What a load of crap they are!!!!

Cheers.

[dazzed]

i had a box of 30 tridon thermostats all brand new and all had been fitted to vehicles and were all found to be faulty, and all had 3 year warranty labelled on the packaging, on a call to the distributor in sydney, they refused to commit to the warranty and that i would have to send the thermostats to them for testing in which that they wouldnt find anything wrong them and it would be a problem somewhere else in the cooling system and would be a waste of everyones time, i have fitted some since without problem, but boiled them in water prior to fitting to the vehicle to ensure they open, the wax pallet inside goes very hard during shelving and takes a lot higher tempature to initially melt the pallet and open the valve, so if you dont heat it up firstly you boil the motor , even when this is done i have found these thermostats not operate at the tempature stamped on the bottom of the pallet, either to hot or too cold

[stevo_gj]

Topics merged, please dont create a new topic instead of replying to your old one glad to hear you solved the issue!