[Gatozolo]

All, my Altima's temperature has been rising above normal for some time now... Have gone through a few steps already, but still can not fix the problem. Can you help me with potential points to look at? The Altima is an '08 2-door, S version with the 2.5 engine.

Note: (I have never let the temperature reach the 'H'), always shut it off before too close to it.

The problem started several months ago, very mild symptoms... Whenever I drove for a significant time >20 minutes, and stopped for a discrete time - i.e. McDonalds drive-thru, the engine started heating above normal. As soon as I started driving and got to 30mph the temperature went back to normal. I could even place the car in neutral, turned-off the A/C and the temperature would regulate eventually. Since I drive mostly on high-way the problem hardly showed-up. With a just-in-case mentality, got a coolant flush done at the dealer. Also asked them to check the problem, did not find anything wrong, they could not get the temperature to rise above normal.

Months after, the problem start showing up more often and symptoms morphed.

As of now, I can not drive the car even on highway, after 10 minutes of driving the temperature starts rising. The only way I can keep the car in an Ok range is by driving at 50mph and blowing the heater at max.

I have now taken it to a local shop, they still can not figure out the problem, and while they 'dig' for it. I am starting to feel the bill pilling up.

Here are a few things that I have done to eliminates potential causes:

Fans - Both working
Thermostats - Both changed (I did not even know this car had two...)
Flushed twice now
Radiator cap changed
Radiator pressure checked Ok for leaks
Water Pump Ok
Have not noticed coolant lost on the reservoir tank and floor is clear of coolant
Have not noticed any trace of coolant around head
When temperature has risen and A/C was on air starts coming out warm

Any ideas up to this point?

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Today I did and experiment to try to dig even further into the problem. Not sure what the car was telling me though.

Set-Up:
- We removed the radiator cap
- Placed a thermometer on the radiator
- AC was off, coolant level in radiator was at max

The engine was started and let idle for the entire experiment.

Things noticed:
- Coolant temperature (measured at top of the radiator) never went above 200F
- Out of the two fans on the radiator, one expelled hot air, the second one expelled cold air (picture below)
- Saw what seemed to be bubbles, not sure if they came from outside-in when 'raising' (video below)
- Temperature start rising above normal after 30 minutes
- Never saw a 'flow' of coolant through inlet... although the inlet on this radiator is not exactly above the coils (see video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlIjZgo2ySo&feature=youtu.be

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Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Altered]

Bubbles are no good, you need to make sure the system is fully bled of air first.

How did you check the water pump to see that it is OK?

 

[Berg]

Sounds like head gasket .sister in law had same issue in her 2003 civic.she had no leaks but kept loosing coolant.she had sir in her system the coolant tank would full up with coolant and it even exploded once.

from your video it looks like the same thing she had going on.thats why that tank kept filling up because of the air getting into the system.what ever you do do not use any of those fix in a bottle products.she tried and the car was good for a week then the seal came loose and she had the same problem all over again.when she took the car in she was told the water pump was clogged with the fix it in a bottle stuff..she had to end up paying $800 for head gasket job and water pump part and install. that was 5 months ago her car drives like new now and it has 160k on the dash

 

[Berg]

im sorry correction she paid $1800 total parts and labor.

 

[Gatozolo]

Bubbles are no good, you need to make sure the system is fully bled of air first.

How did you check the water pump to see that it is OK?

That is probably the only thing I have not seen or done for myself. Mechanic at the shop said the pump worked fine and that he removed it and looked like new.

 

[Gatozolo]

Sounds like head gasket .sister in law had same issue in her 2003 civic.she had no leaks but kept loosing coolant.she had sir in her system the coolant tank would full up with coolant and it even exploded once.

from your video it looks like the same thing she had going on.thats why that tank kept filling up because of the air getting into the system.what ever you do do not use any of those fix in a bottle products.she tried and the car was good for a week then the seal came loose and she had the same problem all over again.when she took the car in she was told the water pump was clogged with the fix it in a bottle stuff..she had to end up paying $800 for head gasket job and water pump part and install. that was 5 months ago her car drives like new now and it has 160k on the dash

Thanks for the comment.

I haven't notice any loss of coolant at all so far. Is the coolant suppose to overflow the radiator like this one when the car is at operating temperature or is this abnormal?

Also.. is it normal for one side of the radiator to be hot and the other to be cold?

 

[Berg]

She was loosing coolant but strange thing was no drips of leaks.maybe if was mixing with the oil?

She did have to get a new radiator also they said something about it had parts where the coolant wasnt flowing through..just get more then one opinion.the local Handa dealer said they couldnt figure out what the issue was.and couldn't duplicate the problem then on her way home car over heats,lol we think they didnt want to take the job
a dealer a hour away new right away and said the same thing i read off the civic forum.head gasket!!

 

[Beaudeen]

"Out of the two fans on the radiator, one expelled hot air, the second one expelled cold air"

Your radiator is plugged with some debris(piece of gasket/sealant)single row
rads are ----ty at best.

Mine popped a leak yesterday and upon removal, found it to be a used part from a wrecker. Who puts a used rad in a car...geeeeze..changed it out with a new one
and a gallon of Prestone in under an hour. $200 but much cheaper in the US.

 

[Gatozolo]

So... after several experiments and tries.. (checked for combustion gases on the system also.. radiator pressure, among other things, all with good results)

I went ahead and got the radiator out, turns out that there was white 'stuff'... (not liquid, not solid... kind of a powder, it was weird...) inside the radiator that was plugging some - not all of the channels. And it was not coming out with the flushes (x2).

Needless to say, I got the radiator replaced and the problem went away...

Thank you for all the comments and help. Problem fixed.

"Out of the two fans on the radiator, one expelled hot air, the second one expelled cold air"

Your radiator is plugged with some debris(piece of gasket/sealant)single row
rads are ----ty at best.

Mine popped a leak yesterday and upon removal, found it to be a used part from a wrecker. Who puts a used rad in a car...geeeeze..changed it out with a new one
and a gallon of Prestone in under an hour. $200 but much cheaper in the US.

 

[mikejamesbyma]

Nice job. I wonder if someone used some rad stop leak before you got it.


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