Help! Coolant Temp Guage Skyrockets!!!

[idrift4wd]

ok yea so i was driving normally and i start noticing my ttemp guage is raising.

this is so rare to me, im freaking out, so i stop pull over check my coolant, which was full. and i didnt know what was wrong. so i thought my radiator wasnt getting my coolant. i turned the heat up all the way*fan* and my temp guage went down. this caused the engine or radiator to suck up a full tank of coolant. did some road tests and notice the temp guage will go up even at idle, but will go down to normal temps with heat on full blast.

im confused right now. i forgot to mention there is coolant all over the coolant bottle area. i was thinking because when i first checked it i might not have put the cap back on properly, but i checked the second time and ti was still full but collant was everywhere. then i turned on the head*making the engine suck up the coolant*

im sry if this is confusing but i am also confused and looking for answers.

cliffnotes- temp gauges skyrockets,turning on heat will make temp gauge go down and also suck up my whole tank of coolant, test run prove taht with out full blast of heat temp guage will raise.

HELP!

 

[speed1016]

thermostat? maybe the heater core? Thats all I can think of

 

[MazdaSpeeder]

Sounds like a thermostat issue...I would do that first and see if it solves the problem.

 

[idrift4wd]

sry can you explain? thanks!

 

[Clarkbug]

If your thermostat is stuck, the temp gage will spike like you describe. You blast the heat, and that acts like a mini-radiator inside your car, and that drops the temp back down.

When you say it "sucks up" the coolant, do you start with a full bottle? What is the level in that tank when the car is cold?

If there is spilled coolant all over near the bottle, it means that it vented the bottle, and you may have overfilled it.

Check the level of the bottle when your car is cold, and see where it is.

 

[idrift4wd]

If your thermostat is stuck, the temp gage will spike like you describe. You blast the heat, and that acts like a mini-radiator inside your car, and that drops the temp back down.

When you say it "sucks up" the coolant, do you start with a full bottle? What is the level in that tank when the car is cold?

If there is spilled coolant all over near the bottle, it means that it vented the bottle, and you may have overfilled it.

Check the level of the bottle when your car is cold, and see where it is.

there is spilled coolant! the coolant was over the line when i checked it. i started witha full bottle.

so how do i fix the thermostat. how do i get it "unstuck" lol sry if im a noob

 

[speed1016]

follow your lower radiator hose to the block. There will be two bolts holding the housing on. Behind that housing is your thermostat. Its really easy and cost about 30 bucks including new fluid.

 

[idrift4wd]

THANKS! will check it out tomorrow. sounds like its that.

 

[speed1016]

mine was doing the exact thing. If I were you I would go ahead and replace the lower hose since you have to take it off anyway. Unless its been replaced lately. Its around 8 bucks I think

 

[speed1016]

And keep us posted

 

[idrift4wd]

so i let my car sit overnight

still no coolant in the tank. im going to just refill my tank with coolant(1/2 water)and see where that gets me. i'll run some tests and see if i do need a new thermostat

i'll keep this updated

 

[idrift4wd]

ok i added the coolant.

dont know how this started, i had enough coolant before. but seems ok for now.

i'll update if it doesnt work. but look stable.

 

[idrift4wd]

ok same problem!

extra coolant did not work

uploading pics soon.

HELP!

 

[speed1016]

did you change the thermostat?

 

[idrift4wd]

nope, i think thats the problem. i wanted to see if adding more coolant would do it.

here some pics im not sure if this would help. but ther was a small leak but it stopped. im not sure how it started or even stopped but here

leak

has coolant

had less coolant when started but rose to that

fan is chiney because of coolant

so is it the thermostat? if so im gunna buy one asap

 

[idrift4wd]

after some review it is the thermostat

thanks speed, you were right!

 

[speed1016]

glad we could help! See easy fix. Did you go ahead and change the lower hose?

 

[idrift4wd]

no im actually screwed until tomorrow its sunday and most stores close early so i will tomorrow

j/w why would i need to change the hose? its bad?

 

[speed1016]

No, it may not be bad. but its only a 8 dollar hose and it has to come off anyway. Why change it when it goes bad, when you can do it now?

 

[idrift4wd]

i will have to buy a new hose then which i will tomorrow along with a new thermostat. im gunna have to use the forester tomorrow : 0