Dear Sir,
My car has a radiator leak.  It has 63,000 miles on it. My mother was the original owner and now I own it.  The radiator won’t hold water.  My mechanic friend tried to find the leak, but can’t.  His equipment isn’t sophisticated.  My supervisor from work told me about Barrs Stop Leak.  The Chevy House said it will cost $90 for a diagnostic test plus the cost of what ever has to be fixed.  I don’t know what to do.  I am alone, up in age and very low in finances.  Can you help ASAP.  Thanks.
Sylvia

Sylvia,

If the radiator is LEAKING you probably just have to replace the radiator with a new one, preferably an aftermarket radiator from your local auto parts store and not the Chevy dealer.  If you have a radiator repair shop in your area they may be able to repair the leak or maybe they have an inexpensive radiator they can install.  I highly suggest you get a radiator shop or even most oil change shops will be able to perform a cooling system pressure test for you to be sure the radiator is the culprit and not something else.  We charge $20 for a pressure test and do it while you wait, so try another mechanic.  Bars leak additive DOES work, but only on small seeps not leaks….in my experience.

Reader Question

Hello Austin..you have helped me in the past with an automotive problem..hope you can help again. Here is all the info I know it’s hard w/o looking at car, but please respond..thanks:

Air Conditioning problem
1998 Kia Sportage 4 cyl Two Wheel Drive Automatic

lOW SIDE =40 PSI
HIGH SIDE=240 PSI
outside temp (FLORIDA)=92 degrees (F)
topped freon off since it was not blowing cold at all; pressures read as above with blower on HIGH.

THE low side ac pipe coming out of engine firewall(evaporator) is warm, other high side pie (ac line ) is HOT to touch. What could be wrong..BOTH fans come on (ac condenser and radiator fan..car NOt overheating)..
problem seems intermittent. Sometimes car will blow cold air (only when pipe coming out of evaporator(low side is cool to touch and sweating; otherwise, pipe gets hot again and will not cool car.

Both fans(AC CONDENSER and radiator fan turn on). Car not overheating..PLEASE advise,
Thanks
Gail

Hey there Gail

Your numbers are not that far off. First I would hook up your gauges again and rev the engine RPM to 1500, and see if those numbers change. I would expect them to be about 20-30 low side and 250 – 280 or so on high side during the heat of the day on high blower at fast idle. I am thinking you just need to add a little more Freon to the system at fast idle. Sometime you have to use a stick on the accelerator cable under the hood as you add more Freon.

I have also seen similar numbers and complaint when there is a contaminate in the system, like AIR from a recent part replacement or too much compressor oil that was added to the system. if adding more Freon does not help the problem I would suck out the system and evacuate for about an hour then refill the system.

Blessings
Austin Davis

Hi Austin

Thanks for your help…we did put freon in at 1500 rpm..the low side ac pipe coming out of the firewall(evaporator) gets warm to touch intermittently..when it does, no cold air blows..but when it sweats and is cold to touch, it blows cold a/c. The other ac pipe is hot to touch coming out of evaporator.

Someone else told me the pressure numbers were correct but that the BLAND might be stuck near heater core??..it seems to run cold for awhile, then all of a sudden won’t blow cold anymore.

I will have someone evacuate and recharge.
I did not add any sealer or oil..just freon..about a half a can and then we stopped because the HIGH side pressure kept creeping upwards. Low side seemed fine at 40psi
what is a bland door?
thanks

GH

Hello again

They are referring to the BLEND door inside the heater/evaporator case which moves when you select HOT or COLD air, it diverts air from the hot heater core or the cold evaporator core.

You can bypass the blend door as a culprit by crimping off both heater hoses going to and away from the heater core so NO hot coolant gets inside the evaporator case. This will NOT cause the car to overheat etc etc it will just not allow hot coolant inside the dash of the vehicle.

Blessings,
Austin Davis

Reader Question

Hey bro well I have a 1991 Honda Civic DX which was running fine till a few days ago it has been overheating and like the engine is shaking really hard also the is smoke coming from the tail pipe now any idea what it could be. it would be really helpful…….also I replaced the radiator and cap all hoses and thermostat, but not the water pump
Thanks
Jose

Wuz up Jose

This does not sound good. I would have a mechanic perform a “compression test” on the engine to see if there is internal engine damage……like a blown head gasket. I would GUESS that the engine overheated, due to a coolant leak, restriction in the radiator, or a faulty electric cooling fan etc. etc. and the head gasket or other internal engine part failed causing coolant to enter the inside of the combustion area where it is not supposed to be.

If your mechanic thinks the head gasket is the problem, you might try this cheap radiator additive

Head Gasket Sealer

Although, you still have to fix the original cause of the overheating problem…..like get a new radiator or correct the coolant leak etc. or what ever caused the engine to over heat in the first place.

Blessings,
Austin Davis

Reader Question

Hi Austin,

I have a 2000 Subaru, in July 2008 I had the head gaskets redone, now less then one year later my car overheated and the mechanic put in a new radiator but it is still over heating, so he now says I need to pay another $2,000 and get the head gaskets done again, Can this be right? he says that because the radiator was 9 yrs old it just went bad and that is why it over heated,
Thanks Marti

Hey there Marti

I would DEFINITELY get a second opinion preferably from the dealership or Subaru specialist on this before you do anything. A simple cooling system pressure test can prove if you have a head gasket or other internal engine damage. If the engine overheated long enough, yes, you could have head gasket issues and a restricted radiator can be the cause of the overheating.

These articles might help you

Head Gasket Symptoms

Head Gasket Sealer Additive

Head gasket repair

Blessings,
Austin Davis

Reader Question

Hi Austin,

I have a 1985 Pontiac Fiero with a 2.5L 4cyl. engine with an auto transmission that is overheating after being driven for a while. The coolant is being blown out of the reservoir tank and is not being pulled back into the radiator.

It does this with or without the thermostat in it. The cooling system has been flushed, new water pump installed and a new radiator cap and thermostat housing cap installed. Also have noticed that after being driven, the pressure in the system does not bleed off and will not pull any coolant back into the system from the overflow tank.

I have “burped” the system several times from both the radiator and the thermostat caps. Any suggestions?

Thank you,

Chuck

Hey there Chuck

I HIGHLY suspect you have a restriction in the bottom of the radiator caused by rust or calcium build up, and you need a new radiator. Install a new thermostat once you replace the radiator.

Blessings,
Austin Davis

Reader Question

Hi there,

I have a 1994 Toyota Camry that started overheating about a week after I bought it. It only does this at idle speeds. I had a pressure system check done, a new thermostat put in, and a new cooling fan installed. It stopped overheating for a couple of weeks, but then started doing it again.

One mechanic I took it to thought it was a blown head gasket, the other said he wasn’t sure if it was the head gasket, but put in the fan and thermostat. I have to add new coolant/water to it about every 3 days, and it takes about half a container each time. If I neglect to fill the radiator up it will overheat.

I never see anywhere that is leaking, and when it says its overheating I always pull over and inspect the engine and it does seem pretty hot. I have new radiator caps on and every time I take it for a pressure test they say there is no leak. Its driving me insane! I cant figure out what to do about this car! Any suggestions??
Thank you so much!
Laura

Howdy Laura,

You HAVE a coolant leak somewhere. I would highly suggest you go to the dealership or another mechanic and have them pressure test the cooling system….if you are adding coolant on a regular basis, there has to be a leak in the cooling system. The pressure test should also determine if you have a head gasket leak….but you did not mention anything about white smoke out the tailpipe, running rough or a check engine light coming on….I would expect to see those symptoms with a head gasket leak.

I would triple check the cooling fan is working correctly as well. Usually overheating at idle or slow speed complaints are related to an electric cooling fan that is not working. Get out of the car with the engine running when the engine is overheating, you should hear the cooling fan running up near the radiator if it is working correctly.

If for some reason a head gasket is indeed suspected, you might want to try this cheap over the counter head gasket sealer you can buy at any local auto parts store. I talk about this in more detail on these pages

Blown Head Gasket Symptoms

Head Gasket Block Sealer

Hopefully it is something relatively simple and easy to repair. Keep me posted please.

–
Blessings,
Austin Davis

Reader Question

About two months ago the check engine light on my 1996 3.8L V6 Chevy Camaro came on. I went to an auto parts store where they read the code and told me I needed a new EGR valve because mine was only function at 10% of what it should be. Well, my mechanic disagreed, saying the EGR valve should not go bad after only 90,000 miles.

So, I continued to drive it until it began misfiring violently at very random times. I took it back to my mechanic. He read the code which said their was a problem with the EGR valve pintel position. He took the valve off-it didn’t change the misfire. He said the valve appeared to be clean and not clogged with carbon.

He still didn’t believe the problem was with the EGR valve. He said the EGR valve should only make it misfire during idle, not at driving speeds. So, I drove it until it began to smoke. My father examined it and said my catalytic converter was clogged. So, $500 later the cat was replaced. The misfire continued until the computer was reset. Then, the car ran beautifully…for about two days.

Then, the check engine light came on with the same EGR pintel position code. My mechanic checked my coolant on a hunch and said he believe their was oil in the radiator because the fluid looked foamy. He said it could be caused by a blown head gasket. However, my radiator fluid (the orange gunk that only GM uses) has ALWAYS looked foamy and separated, and I’ve never had this problem or a loss of oil.

So, my question is do you think the code is still stuck in the computer? Or do you think the EGR valve is bad? Or perhaps a blown head gasket? Again, my mechanic said a head gasket would only cause a misfire while the car was warming up. And at this point, most of the misfiring comes after the car has warmed up.
Thanks!
Amy

Hello there Amy

You need to find a REAL mechanic, I don’t think this current one is capable of diagnosing a computer related problem like this….and he will probably spend 5 X’s more money guessing at parts rather than spending $85 for a proper diagnosis at the dealership.

You can always get this mechanic to do the repairs once you are sure what the problem is. Sounds like a problem with the EGR valve or a sensor connected with the EGR system…..but it could be something as simple as a bad spark plug wire causing the missfire and check engine light BUT an EGR code is stored in your memory.

If you just want to guess……then replace the EGR valve and cross your fingers.

Blessings,
Austin Davis

Reader Question
I have a 2000 Dodge Dakota Sport and she is driving my insane. She was running hot, coolant pouring out. I took her in. Water pump replaced, radiator cap replaced.

She was doing fine and then out of the blue today she overheated while I was driving to work for the second time today. I was going about 70 and the temp maxed out. The gate guard said it smelled like the thermostat was stuck. I am going bald from the frustration. Please help me!!!

Laura

Hi there Laura,

Keep your hair intact, this is probably not as bad as you think. Since this last overheating issue happened at freeway speeds I would be highly suspect of a radiator that is clogged up with rust and junk at the bottom.

When radiators get stopped up, you can NOT “flush” the problem out. A new radiator is the only way to correct the issue….and a new after market radiator from your local auto parts place is half the price of a new radiator from Dodge.

A good mechanic should ALWAYS first pressure test the cooling system for leaks, if no leaks they can feel the radiator (when the engine is hot) and see if the top of the radiator is hotter than the bottom of the radiator…which would indicate a restriction. Most repair shops use these new infrared laser thermometers, which can really help pinpoint overheating restrictions.

Thermostats do fail, although it is not very common these days, but they are cheap and easy to replace if you want to just try a new one and see what happens.

BTW you should ALWAYS replace the thermostat when installing a new radiator. Make sure you keep an eye on the temperature gauge, you do not want this engine to overheat again or serious and costly engine damage can occur.

Blessings,
Austin Davis

Reader Follow Up Would the radiator have anything to do with my heater not blowing hot air also?
Laura

Hello Again Laura

Now we are getting somewhere. The heater core (the part that makes the heat inside your car) is basically a small radiator located inside your dashboard. The heater core needs the hot coolant from the engine to operate.

So if there is NO hot coolant inside the engine or the hot coolant flow is restricted somewhere and not flowing freely through the engine and heater core…..you will not get heat from the heater!

First things first, with the engine COLD, remove the radiator cap and look inside…top off with water if low or empty.

If you have to add more than a cup of water to the inside of the radiator then you have a coolant leak in the system somewhere and that is why I said every GOOD mechanic will first pressure test the cooling system for leaks before doing any repairs like a water pump.

It still sounds like you either have:

A. Don’t have enough coolant inside the radiator to keep the cool…thus you have a leak somewhere

or

B. You have a restriction somewhere…probably in the radiator which is not allowing coolant to flow throughout the engine and heater core.

Keep me posted will ya?
Blessings,
Austin Davis

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Reader Question Hi Austin,

I’m from Perth, Western Australia, but i think our cars work the same way over here.

Recently I had the a/c motor replaced in my car. but over the last week quite a lot of water has been leaking into the front passenger side of the car.

I understand that a leaking heater coil is probably responsible for this. What i didn’t know was that it would short out the a/c. Which is did this morning. What i want to know is, do you think the mechanic has any responsibility to re-repair the air conditioning?
Thanks!

Leanne

Hey there Leanne

I would have your mechanic check to see if your A/C drain is stopped up with leaves and debris. This will cause cold clear A/C water to drain inside the vehicle on the passenger side.

If the water on the floor is green and oily feeling….it could be due to a leaking heater core, and you will be low on antifreeze inside the radiator, but I bet you have a restriction in the A/C drain…which can be easily cleaned with a shot of compressed air.

Blessings,
Austin Davis

Reader Question: I just had my disc brakes replaced and they are now squealing. My mechanic says this is normal, why did I have to pay for normal squealing disc brakes? Is he just blowing me off?
Thank You,
Arnold Wrightson

Dear Arnold,

This unfortunately can happen more than you or I want it to. A certain amount of high-pitched brake noise is considered “normal” these days because of the harder semi-metallic disc brake pads that are used on cars now. In my experience, the smaller cars like Honda and Toyota seem to have the most trouble with this. Squeals heard the first few stops in the morning when the brakes are cold and somewhat damp from dew, and squeals that are heard the last few feet while coming to a stop are usually nothing to worry about.

Semi-metallic brakes are made of bits of metal shavings in place of the asbestos material that has been banned by the U.S. government. These semi-metallic brakes have great stopping power and have a long wear life, but can cause a high-pitched squeal that drives car owners crazy and frustrates mechanics who can’t get it to go away to please their customers.

When are squeals not a problem?
Some brands of semi-metallic pads are inherently noisier than others because of the ingredients used in the manufacture of the friction material. Think of it this way, the longer life pads or pads that claim to have more stopping power usually contain more metallic material. Yes, they will last longer and could enhance braking but the chance of causing a squeal noise is very high. The squealing noise that might be caused from use of these pads does not affect braking performance and does not indicate a brake problem.

Brake squeal is caused by vibration between the brake pads, rotors, and brake calipers. Having the brake rotors refinished or trued (machining a small layer of the metal away from the disc brake rotor to make it smooth and “true” again) and a thin layer of a silicone compound placed on the back of the brake pads are a great way to reduce the squeal if the semi-metalic pads are the culprit of the noise and not due to a worn out disc brake pad.

Why does this squeal happen anyway?

The brake rotor is the round metal object that the brake pads squeeze together like the white part of an Oreo cookie. The rotor is metal and has a smooth slick finish, and the brake pads are made of metal shavings and also have a smooth somewhat slick finish. The more metallic material found in the pad the greater the chance for noise, and vise-versa.

The other type of brake pad is called organic. There is no metallic material used in this kind of brake pad. Organic style brake pads can only be used on vehicles that are specifically designed to use them. Improper use of organic pads on a vehicle designed to use semi-metallic can severely reduce stopping ability. Organic pads are softer than semi metallic and usually do not have a squeal problem. Unfortunately due to shorter life expectancy, inability to stop larger vehicles, and the addition of substances like asbestos in their construction, they are not very widely used.

When are squeals signaling a problem?
Sometimes brake squeals are an indication that maintenance is required. Some common conditions that cause brake noise are:

1. Heat cracked or worn “un-true” rotors

2. Rough finish on resurfaced rotors

3. Loose fitting brake pads in the brake calipers

4. Lack of silicone compound on back of brake pad

5. Missing springs or anti-rattle clips that should be on the caliper or pad

6. Improper tightening sequence of lug nuts or caliper hardware

7. Contamination on the brake pad i.e. brake fluid or grease

Most GM cars are equipped with a small thin piece of metal attached to the brake pad to act as a warning indicator when the pad material is getting low and the brake pads should be replaced. This inexpensive warning device can be deceiving though, because this warning noise is present when the brakes are not depressed. When the brakes are applied, the warning noise goes away because the indicator has now been forced against the brake rotor and is not able to vibrate which causes this whistling noise.

If you hear brake noises other than a squeal, it could mean your brake pads are worn out and need to be replaced. If your brake pedal feels different than normal or if you’ve noticed any change in the way your vehicle brakes (pulls to one side when braking or requires more pressure on the brake pedal), or loss of brake fluid have the brake system inspected at once.

What should I do?
What can you do as a customer to reduce the chance of squealing brakes? First of all, noisy brakes should always be inspected to make sure there isn’t a problem with the braking system. If the pads have worn down to the point where metal-to-metal contact is occurring, your vehicle may not be able to stop safely, and you may damage the brake rotors or drums to the point where they have to be replaced. Sometimes a few harder-than-normal stops can “de-glaze” the brake pads and help reduce the squealing noise for a while.

There are many aftermarket brake pads that claim to be “quiet” or have been “designed” for import and front wheel drive vehicles that you can choose from. Personally, I have had the best luck replacing the disc brakes on small vehicles like Honda and Toyota with original equipment pads from the dealership rather than using aftermarket brands. It is usually more expensive to purchase these pads from the dealership, but the quality is much better. I am an independent shop owner and my whole business philosophy is to buy as little as possible from dealerships, but after trying many squealing aftermarket brake pads, I have learned my lesson and pay the extra money.