HOT! Overheating Problem!! 79' 280zx

Loky · Post by **Loky** » Mon Aug 08, 2011 12:38 pm

Ok so recently my daily was totalled by a drunk 16yrold in a stolen car so I now need to get the 280 back on the road asap! Started it up for the first time in a few months and apart from idol being a bit off, it started and drove fine! Didnt even notice the temp gauge had gone to max until steam started coming from under the hood! Turned the car off immediatly and discovered it was coming from the radiators overflow cannister...

Have replaced coolant as the first simple step and a means of driving it home, whats next?

Thought about thermostat but if its the radiator fluid thats getting to boiling point, surely its getting around the engine?

Please Help!! >.<

us2 · Post by **us2** » Mon Aug 08, 2011 2:03 pm

If you recently had a really low radiator and refilled it, you may have an airlock in the block. I had this on a couple of occasions after draining the rad.
I loosened the engine side hose clips and burped out the air, then retightened the clips obviously. This cured the problem. This was a strange one because the radiator was still cold, and yet the block was hot, so I assumed the water pump was rotating in air.
You could try removing the thermostat and see what happens. The engine will take a while to get hot though.

Loky · Post by **Loky** » Mon Aug 08, 2011 3:25 pm

Relatively easy fix after all

pumped some more water through it and cleaned the waterneck out, which seamed to fix the problem! Phew no more money till I try a warrant haha >.<

ZMAD · Post by **ZMAD** » Tue Aug 09, 2011 7:59 am

Check for leaks. May have had low water when you drove it first, antifreeze required to prevent corrosion and raise boiling point.

Andy · Post by **Andy** » Tue Aug 09, 2011 10:15 am

"Anti freeze" also lubricates water pump

Loky · Post by **Loky** » Tue Aug 09, 2011 1:14 pm

Unfortunatly its still leaking coolant but cannot see from where exactly. My guess is its the radiator itself but I'm really hoping to be wrong! But the coolant is settling on the plate that sits under the radiator and the hose connection feels dry... Can I buy one of those pressure testing pump tools I've seen some people use or are they a home jobby?

And thanks for everyones input thus far

Andy · Post by **Andy** » Tue Aug 09, 2011 1:38 pm

The pressure tester is the way, the engine can be tested cold and taken up to higher pressure than it would normally reach. Buy one if you're feeling wealthy or borrow one if you're not. It does make diagnosis so much easier.

Loky · Post by **Loky** » Tue Aug 09, 2011 5:18 pm

Repco told me $300 for a pressure kit so I asked my around and found a mate who was more than happy to help out

looks like the water pump has popped a gasket or something as thats the general area the water appears to be squirting from.... So tomorrow I guess ill have a look and see whats wrong.

Cheers for the help Andy

BTW got a warrant without any problems after the trusty fairlady sitting un moved for 6 months! VTNZ arnt too thorough even though half the employees were having a peak because I noticed leaking suspension and 2 brake leads were very worn! fortunatly I already have spares to replace those

djz · Post by **djz** » Tue Aug 09, 2011 7:35 pm

Buy a new water pump, there's a 99% chance it'll be coming out of the tell tale hole in the water pump rather than the gasket.

Loky · Post by **Loky** » Tue Aug 09, 2011 7:43 pm

Yeah was thinking taking all that gear off might as well replace it. Cheapest place to get one? Was thinking just go through supercheap...