S80 Overheating Mystery

supershadys80 · Post by **supershadys80** » 27 Nov 2011, 20:36

Hello All,
I'm feeling quite desperate. We have a 2001 S80 2.9 with 140,000 miles. Timing belt, water pump and pulleys were replaced at 119,000. We were driving the vehicle on the highway on wed. and I noticed the temp. gauge was completely off. We stopped the car and shut it off then restarted it. The gauge shot up to the red and all warnings came on for overheating. Checked the coolant level and it was a little low. After letting it cool off, I added coolant and test drove it. Sure enough, the car over heated immediately after I started driving it. I assumed it was probably a bad thermostat. I do most things to this car but due to work I didn't have time to mess with it. I sent the car to the same shop that did the timing belt and water pump. They assumed the thermostat also after a pressure test, quoted me $400.00 for a new thermostat ( ridiculous for a thermostat) and as broke as I am, decided to do it myself.

I replaced the thermostat and sure enough same overheating problem. I called around for some tips and I was warned that these cars have bad air bubble issues with the coolant. I let it run bubbling out the expansion bottle. I tried working air out of this for two days. After letting the car cool over night, I flushed the entire system with a hose and filtered all the water leaving the system. Took off lines to heater core and flushed it, same with the upper radiator hose . In my catch can I spread cheese cloth to catch the debris and I found a small pieces of plastic or rubber. I refilled the cooling system after the flush and had the same results. I am very stumped, my next move is to remove timing belt and water pump to inspect the impeller. I did let the car run at idle with the upper hose off at the engine side and nothing came out the hose or engine until about 1 min after running it slowly started pushing coolant out of the engine. I believe this was due to expansion and not the water pump working.

The fans are working by the way and the temp will stay at just a bit above normal unless the engine is worked harder or driven. I do not believe there could be anything else other than the new water pump failing after 20,000 miles. I have everything ready for the timing belt and water pump to come out for inspection but thought I would try MV first. Looking forward to some advise ! Thanks for taking the time to read this story.

supershadys80 · Post by **supershadys80** » 27 Nov 2011, 21:07

Also the heat is not working which also leads me to believe there is a circulation issue.

Post by **boosted5cyl** » 29 Nov 2011, 14:16

I cant think of it being anything other than a circulation issue. Time to pull the water pump off and inspect it.

retcoastie · Post by **retcoastie** » 29 Nov 2011, 15:50

To check the water pump easily, remove one of the heater hoses at the firewall. Then start the car for a few seconds. You will see a fire hose if the water pump is working properly.

Good luck and remember to tell us what you find.

Ken

supershadys80 · Post by **supershadys80** » 29 Nov 2011, 19:26

retcoastie wrote:To check the water pump easily, remove one of the heater hoses at the firewall. Then start the car for a few seconds. You will see a fire hose if the water pump is working properly.

Good luck and remember to tell us what you find.

Ken

Thanks for the responses. I did remove the upper radiator hose and after a while a small flow started but could this be due to the thermostat being closed? Ive already prepped the car for the timing belt and water pump to come off or I would have tried the heater hose suggestion.

supershadys80 · Post by **supershadys80** » 29 Nov 2011, 20:01

Is there a cooling diagram available for this car?

supershadys80 · Post by **supershadys80** » 30 Nov 2011, 17:14

I'm So PISSED! But not nearly as pissed as I would have been if the water pump was fine. Now any ideas on how to get out all of the pieces? The second pic shows the one and only piece of impeller I have! So what now? Really dont want to do this again. Never ever allow someone to put a water pump in your car with a plastic impeller!

retcoastie · Post by **retcoastie** » 30 Nov 2011, 18:52

Well, that is a first for me too. I have never, ever seen a plastic impeller on a water pump. Thanks for the photos.

lotus4s · Post by **lotus4s** » 01 Dec 2011, 20:24

Good catch on the pump before it caused more damage.

I just went through a similar situation with my wife's car. The timing belt and water pump were replaced about 20K miles ago shortly before we purchased the car. A few weeks ago the car started pissing coolant so I had it towed to my shop. This is what I found.

Mine did not overheat but the bearing failed and the timing belt was halfway off the pulley when I pulled the cover.

Dodged a big bullet on that one. Never use an aftermarket water pump IMHO...

Beachbum · Post by **Beachbum** » 01 Dec 2011, 21:44

Wow!!! Great post and pics. Thanks for the warning...if my water pump ever goes I will know not to put one in with a plastic impeller. Wonder how many shops do this to make a few more bucks profit???!!!

As for removing the plastic bits still inside your engine, only thing I can think of is to hook up a garden hose to flush it out the opening where the (removed) water pump goes. Try getting one of those T-fittings that you splice into your heater hose to back flush the cooling system, the kind you can connect to a garden hose. They are available at any auto parts store and probably Walmart, etc. Or maybe just stick the garden hose into the top radiator hose (but you might have to remove the thermostat first).

Good luck, and again, thanks all for the great post and pics.

Beachbum