I have a 95 Toyota Camry (4 cycl. auto transmission). The temperature
gauge went up to the red zone a month ago. So, the radiator was
replaced with a new one. Three weeks later, the temperature gauge
went into the red zone again, and the radiator was found leaking
coolant. It was replaced again.
Now, the radiator is not leaking and the temperature gauge is normal
during short drives (15 minutes drives). But, when I stop the car, I
can hear and see bubbling in the radiator reservoir. The engine is
definite hot, and collant is boiling. The temperature gauge shows
normal and is a little below the middle point during the drives.
When I turn on AC, and the cooling fans will come up running. So, the
cooling fans are working. The coolant is hot, so water pump should be
working. What could be the problem?
Thanks
Hsing
Brent P - 24 Apr 2007 21:37 GMT
> Now, the radiator is not leaking and the temperature gauge is normal
> during short drives (15 minutes drives). But, when I stop the car, I
> can hear and see bubbling in the radiator reservoir. The engine is
> definite hot, and collant is boiling. The temperature gauge shows
> normal and is a little below the middle point during the drives.
> When I turn on AC, and the cooling fans will come up running. So, the
> cooling fans are working. The coolant is hot, so water pump should be
> working. What could be the problem?
How long has it been since the last time the cooling system was opened
up? It could still be bleeding off air. Another issue could be an air
leak into the system that prevents it from reaching the proper pressure
and thusly has a lower boiling point. Another possibility is head gasket
problems, but there should be other symptoms (white smoke, oil in the
coolant, coolant in the oil, etc to go along with exhaust gas getting
making bubbles) to go along with it.
KG - 25 Apr 2007 14:45 GMT
>I have a 95 Toyota Camry (4 cycl. auto transmission). The temperature
>gauge went up to the red zone a month ago. So, the radiator was
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>
>Thanks
Is the radiator is full up after complete cooling, check at the radiator itself, after a 20+ min
drive and allowing the auto to cool for a few hours. If it is full up to the bottom of the
radiator cap and the expansion tank is above the minimum lever it is operation correctly. I would
suggest you keep an eye on both for a few days, if no change in levels then everything is good.
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Scott Dorsey - 25 Apr 2007 15:53 GMT
>I have a 95 Toyota Camry (4 cycl. auto transmission). The temperature
>gauge went up to the red zone a month ago. So, the radiator was
>replaced with a new one. Three weeks later, the temperature gauge
>went into the red zone again, and the radiator was found leaking
>coolant. It was replaced again.
Leaking coolant out the side, or just leaking somewhere unknown.
>Now, the radiator is not leaking and the temperature gauge is normal
>during short drives (15 minutes drives). But, when I stop the car, I
>can hear and see bubbling in the radiator reservoir. The engine is
>definite hot, and collant is boiling. The temperature gauge shows
>normal and is a little below the middle point during the drives.
THIS is a sign that the radiator isn't getting up to pressure. Something
somewhere is leaking. Check the cap.
>When I turn on AC, and the cooling fans will come up running. So, the
>cooling fans are working. The coolant is hot, so water pump should be
>working. What could be the problem?
If you hear it bubbling inside, that's a sign that either the temperature
is too high, or the pressure is too low. You know the temperature is okay,
from the gauge. So it has to be the internal pressure.
--scott

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hsing - 26 Apr 2007 20:46 GMT
Thanks for all the replies. After searching in this group, I found it
is not an uncommon problem. A lot of people had the same problem
before.
After driving for few days, the air in the cooling system should have
been bleeding out already. But, the bubbling still happens.
I have replaced the radiator cap, but the condition did not change. I
also found that the bubbles come out around 1 to 2 minutes after a
cold start. The temperature gauge has not moved up, so I think the
coolant should not be hot enough to generate bubbles so soon. The
bubbles comes out slowly like 2 to 3 seconds per bubble.
So, I am leaning toward the head gasket problem. But, I do not see
white smoke when starting the car. The coolant has no mix of oil, and
the oil seems OK. For the head gasket problem, can it be possible that
only air from engine can go into the cooling system but coolant cannot
go into the engine?
Thanks
Hsing
> >I have a 95 Toyota Camry (4 cycl. auto transmission). The temperature
> >gauge went up to the red zone a month ago. So, the radiator was
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
> --
> "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."
Brent P - 26 Apr 2007 21:24 GMT
> I have replaced the radiator cap, but the condition did not change. I
> also found that the bubbles come out around 1 to 2 minutes after a
> cold start. The temperature gauge has not moved up, so I think the
> coolant should not be hot enough to generate bubbles so soon. The
> bubbles comes out slowly like 2 to 3 seconds per bubble.
The bubbles on start up may be normal depending on how the system is
designed. Also some trapped air can be rather stubborn to get out.
> So, I am leaning toward the head gasket problem. But, I do not see
> white smoke when starting the car. The coolant has no mix of oil, and
> the oil seems OK. For the head gasket problem, can it be possible that
> only air from engine can go into the cooling system but coolant cannot
> go into the engine?
If there are no other classic head gasket symptoms then probably not. The
coolant is pressurized by the water pump, if the gasket for a passage is
breached it will push coolant through that breach. You would be loosing
coolant and it would have to go into the oil or out the exhaust.
Nate Nagel - 26 Apr 2007 23:16 GMT
>>I have replaced the radiator cap, but the condition did not change. I
>>also found that the bubbles come out around 1 to 2 minutes after a
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
> breached it will push coolant through that breach. You would be loosing
> coolant and it would have to go into the oil or out the exhaust.
Bubbles can also be a sign of a failing water pump shaft seal.
nate

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Mike - 26 Apr 2007 23:29 GMT
> Thanks for all the replies. After searching in this group, I found it
> is not an uncommon problem. A lot of people had the same problem
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> white smoke when starting the car. The coolant has no mix of oil, and
> the oil seems OK.
For the head gasket problem, can it be possible that
> only air from engine can go into the cooling system but coolant cannot
> go into the engine?
Absolutely ! The pressure in the cylinders is in the hundreds of pounds,
the pressure in the cooling system is less than twenty. It's possible to
have a head gasket leak under the pressure of combustion but not let coolant
into the cylinders because of the low cooloing system pressure.
> Thanks