SVX overheating?

[mbtoloczko]

The from my view of the temp gauge, the needle perfectly obscures the bulb in the picture of the thermometer. I have yet to see it move above that point, even when I had the 4eat and was driving up a 10 mile long 5% grade at 75 mph in 103F weather with the a/c running. Same story driving around town in 100F weather with/without the a/c running.

[Motorsport-SVX]

Ive owned has run at just about half or a mm less
in town, outta town or whereever.

When I needed a radiator it would get warm and go to
3/4s or more going up a mt road or taking a long
road trip....

Originally posted by dcarrb
Aside from leaking, I don't think there's much that can go wrong with a heater core. Can't imagine it becoming clogged unless some sort of foreign material got into the system.

My (stock) temp gauge doesn't go to halfway, under any conditions. From my line of sight (I'm 6 ft. tall), the needle never obscures the top of the bulb at the base of the therometer graphic. The car actually runs a tad cooler with the A/C operating, even in city traffic, probably because both cooling fans are doing their thing.


dcb

Good deal. That's where mine is sitting right now. Thanks all.

Might sound like a dumb question, but how can you tell if the heater core is leaking?

It seems as though I am slowly losing coolant, as I have had to refill the reservoir twice in the last two weeks. There is never any fluid under the car when it is sitting. So, I am either leaking it and it is getting burned on the engine or radiator, or I have a really bad head gasket leak. Any ideas?

I suppose that the system could have never finished bleeding, and the fluid level just kept going down due to the air loss. Maybe this is just wishful thinking, too. I'll keep a close eye on it.

[Motorsport-SVX]

Originally posted by deruvian


Good deal. That's where mine is sitting right now. Thanks all.

Might sound like a dumb question, but how can you tell if the heater core is leaking?

It seems as though I am slowly losing coolant, as I have had to refill the reservoir twice in the last two weeks. There is never any fluid under the car when it is sitting. So, I am either leaking it and it is getting burned on the engine or radiator, or I have a really bad head gasket leak. Any ideas?

I suppose that the system could have never finished bleeding, and the fluid level just kept going down due to the air loss. Maybe this is just wishful thinking, too. I'll keep a close eye on it.

IF, youll smell anti freeze inside the car or your carpet is
wet on the pass side under the glovebox where the passangers
feet sit, or you get steam on the inside of your windshield thru your defrosters ....those are all signs of a bad heater core.
Still pretty rare to happen on an SVX

[dcarrb]

Originally posted by deruvian
Might sound like a dumb question, but how can you tell if the heater core is leaking?

It seems as though I am slowly losing coolant, as I have had to refill the reservoir twice in the last two weeks.

Coolant from a leaking heater core might also trickle out through the A/C condensation drain.

Something's definitely amiss if you're filling the overflow reservoir each week. If you have a pinhole leak someplace, it could be you're losing coolant only when the system's pressurized. Have you let the car idle in the driveway for awhile? I'd do that (A/C off), get a flashlight, and have a good look underneath.


dcb

Originally posted by dcarrb


Coolant from a leaking heater core might also trickle out through the A/C condensation drain.

Something's definitely amiss if you're filling the overflow reservoir each week. If you have a pinhole leak someplace, it could be you're losing coolant only when the system's pressurized. Have you let the car idle in the driveway for awhile? I'd do that (A/C off), get a flashlight, and have a good look underneath.


dcb

While I haven't yet checked for leaks after allowing it to idle for a while, it is a good idea and I still plan on it.

I stopped by the most recommended local radiator shop to ask a few questions about my problem, but they are closed until "mid-July." I'm going to ask my mechanic for the next-best shop to talk to.

Good news, though: The coolant appears to be keeping now. I haven't had to refill it since the last time it needed more coolant (about 8-ish days ago). Perhaps it was still bleeding out the air. Here's hoping.

Also good news: Today it was right around 100° F while I drove almost constantly for about 1.25 - 1.5 hours. I alternated between using the A/C with a setting of 76° F, and simply opening the windows. I was mostly cruising at about 65 - 70 mph, but also did a little stop-and-go city driving. The temperature gauge stayed fairly constant (it maybe had 1mm of variance at the most). I'm letting the car cool right now so that I can check the coolant reservoir, but when I checked it at a gas station there was plenty in the tank (but not anywhere near overflowing). Again, here's hoping.