I was driving home yesterday, I heard a pop and then the light above my amp meter came on. A short time later my check engine light came on and the temp gauge was showing hot. I pulled over and popped the hood. My fan belt had broken. The plastic cap on my radiator was also slightly bulged out. Now completely broken, but enough that water leaks from the seam now. Hopefully I haven't blown a headgasket. I will have to at least replace the radiator and belts. Has anyone else had this happen? Anything else likely wrong with it?
Radiator blew up
- Thread starter Shootist
- Start date
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Give us more information. Miles, model, year...
- Thread starter
- #3
1995 with 92,800 miles
Someone posted in the last few months about their radiator exploding. They had some pictures, all the plastic on the top of the rad was all gone.
The light above the amp meter is to warn you that you aren't charging the system sufficiently which is what happens when the belt to the alternator goes. If I had to guess about the radiator it could have something to do with the water pump stopping since that also happens when you lose that belt.
Did you only have one belt left for the alternator and water pump? From my experience it's hard to lose both at the same time.
Did you only have one belt left for the alternator and water pump? From my experience it's hard to lose both at the same time.
- Thread starter
- #6
Correct. The rear one broke. The belt in front is still intact.
Well that's strange. Everything should have been turning fine if you only had one belt left. Perhaps the second belt didn't have enough tension and as a result couldn't turn the accessories?
Grench
SILVER Star
Best guess...
Something that should be turning isn't. It ate the belts. One broke, the other wore/seized to the stuck component.
The belts breaking/stopping may be a symptom and not the actual issue.
Something that should be turning isn't. It ate the belts. One broke, the other wore/seized to the stuck component.
The belts breaking/stopping may be a symptom and not the actual issue.
Or, the one belt broke and the shrapnel took out the radiator, soaking everything and causing weird stuff to happen. Replace the radiator and belts, and while the belts are off make sure the pulleys spin freely. Your situation is easy to diagnose once you start wrenching.
-Spike
-Spike
- Thread starter
- #10
I took the belts off. The pulleys do spin freely. Thats good news. I'll go pick up my new radiator and belts this afternoon.
Still a pita though.
NorCalDoug
problems solved daily...
might be a good time to replace those hoses too...since you're in there and have everthing apart...
did you have an (over)heating problems before this happened?
thermostat? could be a good time for that too...how about that fan clutch?
did you have an (over)heating problems before this happened?
thermostat? could be a good time for that too...how about that fan clutch?
Oh heck yeah- thermo, hoses including PHH, anything requiring draining the coolant. Give it a good flushing too. I usually take the opportunity to go for wires, plugs, and anything else that needs doing while the hood's up. It's nice to know you won't have to open it again for a while.
-Spike
-Spike
That's three of us recently. hehehe
