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mamajumps

mechanic help needed

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Does anyone here have any advice on what else could be causing a 2000 mazda protege to be overheating? The radiator, water pump, & thermostat have all been replaced (in the past two weeks). When it runs hot, the water in the overflow is boiling, but stops when the radiator cap is cracked... Any ideas would be appreciated....

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So many questions, so little time...

Is there any oil in the water? Water in the oil?

Have you ever used any of that flaked aluminum leak stopper in the radiator before?

When it starts to overheat, if you turn on the heater does the temp drop right back down to normal range or continue to overheat?

Did you mix the coolant that was put into the radiator or was it premixed?

When you replaced the thermostat was it the temp as the one that was removed?
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Have you tried the magic paperclip test to see if the fan is working? Find the temperature sensor and bridge across the connection with a paperclip and the fan should come on. Easy way to test if the fan is working.

If not then, as others have said, it sounds like it could be blocked somewhere, although how I don't know.

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So many questions, so little time...

Is there any oil in the water? Water in the oil?

Have you ever used any of that flaked aluminum leak stopper in the radiator before?

When it starts to overheat, if you turn on the heater does the temp drop right back down to normal range or continue to overheat?

Did you mix the coolant that was put into the radiator or was it premixed?

When you replaced the thermostat was it the temp as the one that was removed?



I dont know about the oil/water thing (this is actually my boyfriend's car, he just doesnt post much due to being out of town, so Im asking for him)

The radiator has not had any sealant put into since he has had it, however it is a rebuilt one from a "barely used" type of place.

Another friend (who is a mechanic) is also stumped, they ruled out a cracked head because there is no white smoke from the exhaust.

Can you please elaborate on the thermostat thing more? I will also ask him about the coolant.. I just am trying to help, because he is very aggrevated and just dropped a nice bit of change getting the water pump replaced only for it to over heat again. I do know that before the water pump was replaced, running the heater, would help some but did not totally alleviate the problem. Thanks a million!

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I wonder if someone has put the coolant hoses on in some weird order so its not flowing around the head and block as it should do. I've seen that before, although more with competition engines with all non-genuine Samco type hosing.

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If you have driven your car well it is hot for or running hot you may have a cracked the block. Have someone check that out for you.

I am not a car guru or anything but for a girl know a little bit about them....lol
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Does anyone here have any advice on what else could be causing a 2000 mazda protege to be overheating? The radiator, water pump, & thermostat have all been replaced (in the past two weeks). When it runs hot, the water in the overflow is boiling, but stops when the radiator cap is cracked... Any ideas would be appreciated....



Try seeing if the fan motor is running - I am assuming that it is an electric radiator fan?
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Have a mechanic check the coolant for exhaust gases. There is a chemical they use for this. I wouldn't rule out a head gasket or even a small crack in the block, just because they don't see "white smoke".
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the water in the overflow is boiling, but stops when the radiator cap is cracked


That gas is coming from somewhere, that somewhere is probably your head gasket. Do like diablo said and get the coolant tested, or a leakdown test will also show the problem. When head gaskets fail, they can do so in all manors, they have oil, coolant, and combustion chamber gases in them, and they all can get traded one way or the other. So nothing coming out the exhaust means nothing. (and is usually not what happens)

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You just reminded me of the last head gasket blown on my old Chevy pick-up. I could tell it was running hot...so when I get it home and started to add water...it just kept taking it and taking it....no leaks under the engine....where the hell is all this water going???? The exhaust pipe was the other end of the pump...:D Engine was running no problem...just pumping water all the way through!
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damnit...that motor rebuild cost me my trip to Sturgis that year...>:(

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Also, overheating can ruin a good thermostat. As far as the fan goes, that will usually only cause overheating if the engine is idling for awhile. If driving at cruising speeds and not working the engine too hard, and the engine still overheats then most likely it is not the fan.

Have you changed the radiator cap? When coolant is under pressure the boiling temperature is increased. If the cap is letting pressure out, the boiling temperature will lower. That could potentially cause a boilover.

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if the work was done properly that would leave a clogged radiator or bad head gasket or cooling fan not working. just because there is no smoke doesn't mean the head gasket is ok, white smoke is only one sympton and is the last one to show. the radiator since it was used is probably what i would look at first.

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Does it overheat while sitting & idling, or while it's going down the road?

I had a truck once that would run really hot on the road, but as soon as you'd stop & idle the temp would fall to normal. Turned out the lower radiator hose was being sucked shut by the water pump.

A pressure test of the cooling system & radiator cap would be helpful in determining the cause.
When the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.

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