My Neon has overheated several times within the last 2 months for some reason. heres everything that i know of that could be one of the problems with it overheating.

The first time it overheated i was on the highway and i found out that it didn't have any coolant in it at all. so i added some to the res. and just sat there for like 10 min. and then went on my merry way. about 2 hours after i made it to where i was going i lifted the hood to check the coolant and it was all gone again. so i added more but this time it when from the top of the res. straight to the ground. so i know theres a hole either in the res. tank or in i think the heater core(?) so from now on i just add the coolent from the radiator cap.

but now for some reason its still overheating and going through coolant like crazy (have to add it like every 2 weeks). I dont see any spots on the ground, no anti-freeze smell from the engine nor exhaust. and the oil looks normal.

we're gonna drain the system today and then do a complete flush to see if that works but any suggestions?

 

Well seeing how you did a spot check, it could be your water pump going bad, even though you may not have any spots now doesn't mean its leaving when you dont know it, it could escape while your stopped at a light, or just driving, the flush is a great idea it should show exactly where a hole would be if there is one, as well as get rid of debri that could be causing something to clog up, like the radiator hopefully it's something minor and not your water pump hope some of that was helpfull and good luck !!

 

With it leaking from the resevoir when you fill it that means after your fill the system and then heat it up your coolant expands lifts the cap and expands into the leaky expansion tank. Ehn it cools off it shrinks but no coolant to suck back in. Now low. Get you resevoir fixed and maybe your rad cap replaced with new. Spring tension may be getting low allowing too much out. Then see where you are at. It actually may just be resevoir tank being th issue.

Remember low coolant turns to steam to pressurize causing the coolant to slowly lift the cap and blow off which recondenses in your epansion bottle and then exagerated the problem. Just start at your known problem and see what happens.

 

hmmm well bought a new cap (haven't installed it yet) and coolant flush only to find out that i cant drain the radiator. several years ago my parents had a really crappy mechanic that did more damage to our Neon than age did. well anyways he replaced the radiator and i guess he also broke off the drain plug. i jacked the car up and went to find the drain and i found it easily. went to grab it and the end of the plug was just sitting there. so now i cant drain it unless theres another way of draining it? would syphoning work?

 

pull off the lower rad hose.