This randomly happened yesterday after a 10 minute trip. I could hear the coolant boiling in the radiator and a slight hissing sound. Should I check the thermostat first or bleed it first? I did bleed it once a few years back because I had installed a plenum spacer and lost my heat, but I forget how it was done. What is the procedure? Theres no smoking yet and I won't be driving it at all.

 

When you look inside the rad, can you see coolant? Make sure it's topped up first.

 

Change thermostat and then bleed.

 

Make sure its full. Run it and see what happens. When it gets hot see if u have heat and cheat and see if both rad hoses are hot.

 

Will do when I get home. Thanks guys. What would suddenly cause it to need bleeding? I did redline it in first, which I almost never do...

 

I had an air pocket that didn't surface for 2 years after my turbo install. It happens.

 

also wouldn't hurt to get the radiator cap pressure tested

 

Yeah random, that's what was strange about te last time I had this issue. The plenum ha been in for over a year. Hugo, do they do that at Auto Zone and places like that?

 

Oh and could the hard pull I did have caused the pocket of air to belch into the system?

 

Did your coolant tempt actually rise or are you assuming it overheated from the sound?

If it actually overheated it could be the thermostat, radiator fans, and water pump off the top of my head.

 

Yes it definitely overheated and the gauge went up. I could hear boiling in the radiator, which lokely means it never made it out right? Meaning the TS never opened? Didn't get a chance to look yet.

 

Everything is speculation till you do the first very easy steps i gave you.

 

The Bottom hose is not getting hot, ran the car for about 15 min with the heat set to high and the air stayed pretty cool. Then the coolant began to boil out of the fill neck and bleeder valve (I had it open). Shut it down at that point.

So I know the TS is not opening, which could be because of air (that hard run I did burped it up) or a bad TS (less likely), right? Next step would be to bleed it right? WHere the heck is the TS on this car anyway? Should be somewhere at the end of the top hose right?

 

Phreak did you buy a new oem ts? I bought a aftermarket ts from O'reilly and it gave up on me a week later. Also are you sure there is nothing wrong with the radiator? My friend had a hairline crack on hers and it screwed up the whole car even though it didn't shoot out coolant.

 

No clue about the radiator. I followed the Instructions at the bottom of this page for bleeding the system:

http://crackaddict.com/%7Eflynn/howt...amco.howto.htm

Thee heat is now working, but the bottom hose doesn't feel anywhere near as hot as the upper. I thought you ha to remove the bleeder screw and rev it to 3K? The instructions say to leave it in? The only time they say to take it out is when you are topping off the system. I'm still over heating... Where is the thermostat located?

 

If you wanna make your life easier, hit up Napa or another place that carries the Lisle Funnel.



If you don't.

Before I had the funnel, I would jack up the front of the car.
Open that bleeder screw.
Fill coolant until it comes out of bleeder.
Close it all up, run the car for 10 mins, 3K RPM revs, whatever...get it to normal operating temp with heat on.
While running, Id crack that bleeder letting out any air until it puked coolant. Close it up.
Let it cool, repeat process until air was gone.

What a pain in the ***.

 

Also heres the info on the TS and how to test it.

 

Near the bottom right.


Front view


Part 21200

I highly recommend you buy the OEM Nissan part. It's 34.95 from the dealer. Remember to buy the gasket with it (part 13050p). You should remove your air filter box so you have more room. Also remove the top plastic cover so you have room for your hands.

If you haven't removed your hoses ever, it's going to be tough to take them off. I recommend that you jack up the car and put a pan below the thermostat and take it off with the hoses attached. I didn't drain my coolant and not much spilled out. The pan was sufficient. The hardest part of the whole deal, lining up the gasket when you put in the new thermostat. The stock gasket doesn't come with any adhesive side, therefore you have to make sure it lines up. I used a small phillips to hold it and line the gasket up.

Let us know what happens.

 

Well I found the thermostat and pulled it. It's boiling right now. I didn't drain anything and barely any coolant dripped out of the block. The bottom hose is bone dry? Ten again I didn't let it tilt downward so that may be why. Waiting to see if it opens. I'm hoping it doesn't.

 

I just had my thermostat replaced today as well. Car's working fine now