Avoided Spending Big Bucks Today
 

So the wife’s car starts over heating. Seems coolant is just low, makes sense since I just replaced the thermostat. So I add coolant and the next day she says it's still running hot. I remove the thermostat add more coolant again and take a spin. Hmmm... still hot. Now I'm thinking I have air lock. However I keep needing to add more coolant. Now I'm getting nervous. Keep her car, get up and add more coolant again. This time I leave the cap off the reservoir. In about five minutes running air bubbles start coming up out off the res. Then the mix starts to gush out! Shi... the head gasket is blown. I can handle some jobs but this is major crap with $$$ at the end. So I gather my thoughts and start searching for local import mechs. I call and get luckily a good honest guy. Bad news if the head is bad the work is so involved he says it's cheaper to buy a motor from a bone yard. He tells me how he can test the bubbles with a dye which will show if there are exhaust gasses. But says I should not jump to conclusions. It could be a bad water pump. Yeah it had crossed my mind days ago. So I jump in and start the disassembly. I had already replaced the pump and timing belt 55,000 miles ago. Bingo a damn broken impeller, a plastic one at that. Call the local Auto Zone which had what I needed. I got them to check and they had my purchase of the last pump with a lifetime warranty. So they replace it free, with a steel impeller by the way. New belt. new pump $49.00, etc... All looks good. Job done!

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What model car Ralphy?

I hate plastic impellers -- I had one on K's 1995 BMW. -same issue- ugh..

A great break that is all it was but those plastic impellers seem to tend to do that once in a while. Glad that everything worked out for you that easily.

Ron :)

It's a Volvo. The car is at an age that the repair would equal the value of the car.

KUDOs to the wife for realizing that her car had a problem in the first place!

Hey, your the "Lucky Dog"...got your lap back for only $50.00 bucks. The driver also was on the ball to let you know how it was running hot.

Good call on the water pump with plastis parts.
plastic has its place but not in hot coolant.

She may have a hard time explaining the problem. However she notices things many would be oblivious to. She always watches her tires. When this happened, she said the gauge is pointing up (temp) and the light that looks like a flower (fan) is lighting up.

After I made the repair, the flower went on again! Damn I thought, damage was done. Turned out it was a bad wire connection.

LOL at the flower light comment. That is priceless right there.