Coolant Forced into Overflow Bottle - Van Wont Start
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Coolant Forced into Overflow Bottle - Van Wont Start
hey everyone. i have a 96 caravan w/ the 3.0L and 3 spd auto. some quick history here...
less than a week ago, i replaced the water pump, timing belt, and t. belt tensioner. i had a coolant leak from behind the timing cover, but when i tore into it, i found that only the o-ring on the water pipe was bad. the belt and pump looked fine, but i went ahead and replaced it all, since i was in there already. while the pump was off, i flushed out the cooling system. so...
yesterday my g/f was driving down the highway when (according to her) a bunch of steam started coming from out of the hood. when she went to pull off the highway, the van died. she says that it was not reading hot on the gauge until she turned the key off and let the van set for a minute. so she added some water to the radiator, and once it cooled off, tried starting it up. it wouldnt start, so she left it there.
i went to look at it yesterday evening. i topped off the radiator (it has a pin-hole leak, and is on the to-do list). when i cranked the engine over, water shoots about 18" or so out of the radiator (with cap off), and into the overflow bottle. when you put the cap back on, the coolant violently bubbles into the overflow. it also sounds like the engine is not trying to start.
i pulled the plug out of the top/rear timing cover (on the cam), and the belt is still turning. the water pump is apparently fine, since the fluid shoots out of the radiator when the engine is cranked. i pulled one of the plug wires to check for spark, and it was working. after some cranking, i can smell gas, so im pretty sure its getting fuel.
so at this point, the van wont start, or even try. there is spark and (im pretty sure) fuel being delivered. and when you crank it with the key, the coolant shoots out of the radiator, through the bottle if the cap is on. oh yeah, i pulled codes on it too. i got a 37 and 21, but they are nothing new, so i dont think they really matter.
so what do you think? im trying to move, and this is a terrible time for a break-down! i bought a radiator, but havent put it in yet. i was thinking that its a blockage of some type, but i just flushed it out last week. i am going to try pulling the thermostat to see if that helps, but other than that, i dont really know wtf is going on. the hoses dont look great, but arent that bad either.
less than a week ago, i replaced the water pump, timing belt, and t. belt tensioner. i had a coolant leak from behind the timing cover, but when i tore into it, i found that only the o-ring on the water pipe was bad. the belt and pump looked fine, but i went ahead and replaced it all, since i was in there already. while the pump was off, i flushed out the cooling system. so...
yesterday my g/f was driving down the highway when (according to her) a bunch of steam started coming from out of the hood. when she went to pull off the highway, the van died. she says that it was not reading hot on the gauge until she turned the key off and let the van set for a minute. so she added some water to the radiator, and once it cooled off, tried starting it up. it wouldnt start, so she left it there.
i went to look at it yesterday evening. i topped off the radiator (it has a pin-hole leak, and is on the to-do list). when i cranked the engine over, water shoots about 18" or so out of the radiator (with cap off), and into the overflow bottle. when you put the cap back on, the coolant violently bubbles into the overflow. it also sounds like the engine is not trying to start.
i pulled the plug out of the top/rear timing cover (on the cam), and the belt is still turning. the water pump is apparently fine, since the fluid shoots out of the radiator when the engine is cranked. i pulled one of the plug wires to check for spark, and it was working. after some cranking, i can smell gas, so im pretty sure its getting fuel.
so at this point, the van wont start, or even try. there is spark and (im pretty sure) fuel being delivered. and when you crank it with the key, the coolant shoots out of the radiator, through the bottle if the cap is on. oh yeah, i pulled codes on it too. i got a 37 and 21, but they are nothing new, so i dont think they really matter.
so what do you think? im trying to move, and this is a terrible time for a break-down! i bought a radiator, but havent put it in yet. i was thinking that its a blockage of some type, but i just flushed it out last week. i am going to try pulling the thermostat to see if that helps, but other than that, i dont really know wtf is going on. the hoses dont look great, but arent that bad either.
Last edited by double b26; May 25, 2010 at 01:16 PM.
