Hello Murgo,
Diagnosing a car over the Internet is kind of like diagnosing people.
There is a bit of guesswork involved because you cannot see the
patient, in this case, the car. To get the help you needed I went to
my best friend, my husband! His background is in the automotive field
and he has 30 years experience.
The coolant level is low. When on level ground the heater core is
about the highest level of the cooling system and not getting coolant.
The most probable cause is a lack of coolant to the heater core. When
parked on an incline the heater core is at a lower level in the system
and the warm coolant flows into the core, which acts like a small
radiator and allows the air flowing through it to be heated. This
could be caused by several reasons.
There is air in the system either from a leak or the system getting
low on coolant from lack of scheduled maintenance. If an air pocket
forms in the cooling system, it will raise to the highest point in the
system, in this case the heater core. When the engine is revved it
increases the pressure and flow, and moves the air pocket temporarily.
In this case the system needs to be bled and refilled.
If there is a leak externally the same problem results. An external
leak can be easily found by a pressure test and dye. If no external
leak is found but the system continues to lose coolant, then it is an
internal leak. The most common cause of internal leaks is the head
gasket. A cracked head is also a possibility.
Both these repairs are extensive and to be sure, the head needs to be
removed to verify the extent of damage. In the mean time a sealer may
be installed and the system bled and refilled regularly as a temp
repair.
The revving problem may or may not be related but it could be a
coolant sensor picking up erratic signals.
If it were a water pump, being parked on an incline would not affect
the flow.
A sticking thermostat would also cause overheating problems.
I hope this information helps you to solve your car problem. If you
need more help, please post another message for me and I will be happy
to help you.
Ladyd-ga |
Request for Answer Clarification by
murgo-ga
on
06 Apr 2003 14:52 PDT
Here is some more information which may help to zero in on the
problem:
1. Radiator changed April 5, 2001.
2. August 8, 2002 car ent in for break problems. Breaks fixed. Dealer
replaced coolant and preasure tested system. No explanation given for
coolant replacement.
3. December 3, 2002 car taken in for normal service and problem with
erratic idling. Throttle body cleaned, blower motor squeak detected
and system bled to remove air buble.
4. March 14, 2003 car taken in for bubble problem. External visual
inspection done and system was preasure tested. No external leek
detected. Thermostat opened OK. This morning, I checked coolant level.
Down about 1/2 quart. I checked the coolant reserve tank several times
in the past two weeks. This morning,it was up 1/2 quart or so. For
some reason the coolant is not sucked back into the engine when it
cools down.
Thank you for your consideration,
Murgo
|
Clarification of Answer by
ladyd-ga
on
06 Apr 2003 16:07 PDT
First of all did the dealer replace the radiator and if so why?
When the vehicle was in for brake repairs did you mention anything in
regards to a coolant problem? If not, did the dealer call you to
request authorization to perform any cooling system repairs? Also did
the dealer charge you for this repair? If not, my question is why did
they perform additional, totally unrelated repairs free of charge? If
this is the case it leads me to believe something happened during the
course of the brake repairs that caused the cooling system to be
opened and allowed air into it. What brake repairs were performed?
On the next service visit did you complain of a blower motor squeak or
did the dealer add that? The blower motor is not a part of the cooling
system per say. Unless they had to remove the heater core to make this
repair there is no explanation on how a "bubble was in the system".
If you did not ask about the squeak, I again ask did they contact you
prior to doing any repairs?
The coolant is not always drawn back into the radiator. Depending on
how long the vehicle was driven and how hot it was when turned off.
The 1/2 quart in the reservoir accounts for what the radiator was
down. If there is a reliable radiator repair shop in your area, there
are tests they can perform on the coolant to detect exhaust gases in
the coolant. This is an indication of an internal leak. When the
vehicle is first started is there any excessive smoke coming from the
exhaust and if so what color is it? Blue smoke is an indication of
burning oil, while white smoke may be coolant.
Did the heater problem occur after one of these previous repairs? If
not did it start suddenly or did it happen occasionally and then get
worse? Do any warning lights come on? If you have gauges are the
readings any different from where they usually are? If you do not add
coolant does the level continue to drop?
The symptom you describe definitely sounds like a low coolant issue,
however the cause of that needs to be determined.
On the last visit what did the dealer diagnose? I would be questioning
the dealer as to why in less than 7 months they have attempted to
bleed the system 3 times. The first 2 times apparently with out you
having a cooling system concern. Did the problem start after August
8th repair? If so I would contact the service manager at the
dealership or the local Acura Zone Representative.
This is the information for Acura Motors a division of Honda:
Monday through Friday, 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM Pacific Standard time at the
toll-free number (800) 382-2238
BY FAX
(310) 783-3535
BY MAIL
Acura Client Services
1919 Torrance Blvd.
Torrance, CA 90501-2746
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