# Mysterous overheating problem



## highboosted98 (Jul 7, 2006)

hello all fellow nissan drivers

Over the the past little while i`ve been having an issue with my 2001 gxe 1.8l overheating. The problem occurs randomly after driving a bit, mainly on hot days and in traffic.

When the car starts to overheat the interier heat will sudddenly become cold. The only way to bring the temp. gauge back down to normal operation temp. is to rev the engine high ie o/d off or in first/2nd depending on speed and the cockpit heat will start to come back.

I started by flushing the cooling system, no dice. After that i thought there was a leak somewhere because it would actually lose coolant as it would all boil over so i added a bottle of bars leak no luck there either. Next i replaced the thermalstat, belts, rad cap and waterpump thinking that was the problem since the car had 150k on it already. It turns out that the car was still overheating after all oem parts were replaced.

Now i bought the car into the local nissan dealership where they bleeded the cooling system and checked if my headgasket was blowen, everything was fine except for a bit of air in the system.

a week or two later the problem starts up again, now i return to the dealership after the "master mechanic" diognosed the car for another couple hours he came to the conclusion that rad was clogged (different temps on each side). I proceeded and had a brand new rad. put in.

After the new rad, the car was ok for the last 3 weeks but just today... guess what? its acting up again, same symptons as before, this is unreal i cant even imagine what the problem is. Now that nor me or nissan can figure this problem out i`m hoping somebody here could put in their 2cents.

thanks in advance


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## FiredragonCT (Sep 1, 2004)

I might be wrong here.... My first thought was thermostat - but that has already been replaced...

Have you checked the water pump? Sounds like the pump is slipping or loses its ability to pump water at a certain pump speed... Maybe a worn out impeller?

Keep us updated please

Edit - oops - just re-read - see you already did the waterpump too - sorry man - Is the fan definately kicking in? Try hardwiring the fan to switch on whenever the car is on - might be the temp switch that activates the fan acting up?

If not that then I give up!


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## bpshn (May 12, 2006)

just got done w/ a ga16de doing the same thing. minor external leak on the back of the head gasket. would seep and steam just enough to lower the coolant level to the point it wouldnt circulate right. (air it the system is your worst enemy). new gasket and a head resurface and all has been well for 6 weeks.i still have a timing problem no one can explain , but thats neither here or there


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## hotimports411 (Aug 24, 2006)

TRY ADDING COLOR DYE TO THE SYSTEM THERE IS CERTAIN DYE YOU CAN ADD AND CAN ONLY BE SEEN IN FLOURESENT LIGHTING OR BLACK LIGHT I DONT REMEMBER ONE OF THE TWO? ADD THE DYE THEN DRIVE IT AROUND ABOUT TWO DAYS OR SO THEN CHECK AND SEE WHERE THE DYE IS SEEPING FROM? THEN YOU'LL FIND YOUR LEAK, IF YOU DIDNT FIND ANYTHING THEN MAYBE THE TERMOSTAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN INSTALLED WRONG OR THE WATER PUMP ITSELF IS GIVING OUT? DONT GIVE UP LET US KNOW IF THERES ANY PROGRESS?


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## hotimports411 (Aug 24, 2006)

hotimports411 said:


> TRY ADDING COLOR DYE TO THE SYSTEM THERE IS CERTAIN DYE YOU CAN ADD AND CAN ONLY BE SEEN IN FLOURESENT LIGHTING OR BLACK LIGHT I DONT REMEMBER ONE OF THE TWO? ADD THE DYE THEN DRIVE IT AROUND ABOUT TWO DAYS OR SO THEN CHECK AND SEE WHERE THE DYE IS SEEPING FROM? THEN YOU'LL FIND YOUR LEAK, IF YOU DIDNT FIND ANYTHING THEN MAYBE THE TERMOSTAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN INSTALLED WRONG OR THE WATER PUMP ITSELF IS GIVING OUT? DONT GIVE UP LET US KNOW IF THERES ANY PROGRESS????????????????????????????


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## SHpaintball (Jan 30, 2006)

head gasket issues follow that thought up with this ! .....radiator hoses ...still wont work check and remount thermostat and coolant house hose ....WILL DEFIANITLY FIX YOUR PROBLEM


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## s32bn1bge1 (Oct 15, 2006)

You might want to look at the Pathfinder forum. Several pathfinders from 01 and 02 model years are experiencing the same problem. Clogged radiators. I am on my 4th, in an 02 Pathfinder. When you get the radiator repalced again, about 1 year, get a sample of the the substance clogging it, and get it analaysed. If it turns out to be Aluminum Oxide the block may be deterating from the inside out. Nissan will ignore the problem, but all of us need to get together, and compare notes. We may need to file a class action to get Nissans attention.


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## highboosted98 (Jul 7, 2006)

I replaced the radatior about 2 month ago because thats what the nissan mechanic suggested it was the problem after he checked over everything. The probablem is still happending randomly mostly in traffic, i dont think its a leak because there is still pressure in the system after being turned off for a while.


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## highboosted98 (Jul 7, 2006)

I finally came to the conclusion that it was the headgasket, after nissan assured me otherwise. I guess they just wanted to make extra cash by diagnosing all the small things first. I took it into another local shop where they tested the coolant for hydrocarbons, in about 2 mins for $10. Im now in the process of doing the repair myself. Note to self: dont trust dealers.


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## Chief_Suicide (Nov 27, 2006)

Take some pictures if you can think of it. I know doing head gaskets isn't fun, but I've done two on two different cars in the last couple of months. It seems to get easier everytime, but it is still a pain.


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## nova73guy (Mar 30, 2004)

All dealers aren't bad. Some just have better mechanics than others. But they should have done a better job of diagnosing without throwing parts at the problem.


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## Eamedic903 (Aug 28, 2012)

I would be wondering about the radiator fans. Are they intermittent. At highway speeds you may have enough airflow to cool the radiator. Hard wiring the fans as suggested before would eliminate any of the electrical components from being a possible cause. A paper clip across the fan power terminals of the relay socket would do it. Just don't forget to pull it when you stop. Some fans have constant power with key off.


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## jdg (Aug 27, 2009)

Eamedic903 said:


> I would be wondering about the radiator fans. Are they intermittent. At highway speeds you may have enough airflow to cool the radiator. Hard wiring the fans as suggested before would eliminate any of the electrical components from being a possible cause. A paper clip across the fan power terminals of the relay socket would do it. Just don't forget to pull it when you stop. Some fans have constant power with key off.


I would be wondering if you looked at the date of the post you replied to...


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