overheating question

[cousindave]

Went out his morning and let the old girl warm up. After about 30 min. I noticed a little bit of antifreeze coming out of the radiator through the rad cap. I shut her down and carefully opened the rad cap and threw a thermometer in the rad to check temp. It read close to 93°C. I let her cool off a bit and then drove around town. I stopped and rechecked the temp and this time it read 87°C. I had recently replaced the thermostat with an 82° unit about two months ago and had checked the temp and thermometer read 82°C. Was wondering if this is normal? Also, what is the temp in which a 2.25 gas engine ioverheats and causes damage? Also any way to field check a head gasket leak?

[Lord Icon]

head gasket check

You could keep the cap off the rad while running the old girl. If after a normal heat up period the outlet shows signs of bubbles coming out , and you know that the system was burped correctly, then the only place for additional gases to enter the cooling system is the engine.
You could also take it to a good mech and ask them to use the gas sniffer that most have now. This analyzer will detect traces of combustion gases in your coolant.
You could look at your plugs. If coolant is getting in the plugs will show it, only works if the leak is in to the combustion chamber...
Are you loosing coolant?
Is the water pump actually working? Do you have good flow to and from your heater matrix?
Is the t-stat installed upside down?
Just a few places to look....
Keep us informed...
Kris

[cousindave]

Tstat definately on correctly. Good mechanics don't t exist where I live! I own a stant coolant pressure tester but left it at parents house about 20 miles away. Need to pick it up but the volvo is stuck on the ice so I have to drive the landy to pick it up. Wondering when temp is too hot to drive.

[Nium]

I believe 180F - 200F (82.2C - 93.3C) is a typical normal operating temp for a petrol engine and 220F (104.4C) and above is to hot if memory serves. Hopefully someone will be along to correct if that's wrong.

If your rad cap has failed then it'd make sense your running hot because cooling system not staying pressurized which could lead to steam pockets forming under the head or if there is an air pocket already there then could lead to steam pocket which could over pressurize cooling system and force coolant out cap.

my 2cents

[cousindave]

Thanks guys for the advice! A bad radiator cap was the culprit. I used the gasket off of a beer growler to get her going. Going to get a new radiator cap on monday, Thanks for the help!!