NickStarr

My car isn't throwing any codes relating to my car over heating.
It's chill area it stays at is 200F-210F
But just last night it hit 280F and it was boiling.

The coolant tank doesn't have any crack (I think) but it smokes up. This morning, it was completely empty. I pulled out the tank and put it back in with new coolant. And it's still doing the same thing.

I did put a BOV.
And something sounded like it got sucked up (like a vacuum) and the pestle did feel different. But it didn't throw any codes, and it didn't feel like it lost power, if anything it, it feels stronger. The gas just feels more rough.

Friend said it can be a water pump?
And finally I got a notification just now on "low coolant"

Am I running on low coolant for it to do this?

jdbaugh1

iTrader: (1)

Sounds to me like coolant is entering your combustion chamber and combustion gasses are entering your coolant system. This is most likely from a failed head gasket but could be something more serious. To test if you have combustion chamber leak easily let your car sit overnight and cool down. Remove the overflow reservoir cap to release any pressure that may have held. Reinstall the cap and start your car up but only let it run for like 30 seconds then remove the reservoir cap and see if it has built a lot of pressure in that short time. It has to be short enough so that pressure is definitely from combustion gasses and not hot coolant. If you have one or know somebody with on you can also install a coolant system pressure tester onto the reservoir and start it up. If the needle on the gauge pulses you have a combustion chamber leak. You may also notice a lot of white smoke at startup if you have combustion chamber leak.

If you find this is the case you might be able to tell which cylinder it is by inspecting the plugs. Otherwise do a compression test and/or leakdown test.

Check your oil see if it is milky at all. If you are losing that much coolant and it is getting in the oil while running and churned up your oil should turn frothy milk chocolate colored. If coolant is in your oil you could have porous block issue.

I doubt it is your water pump.

ECaulk

iTrader: (6)

Before we jump to head gasket. What model cobalt do you have?

I'm assuming LNF because of the bov addition comment. If that's the case you likely are suffering from the porous or cracked coolant passages block issue.

Check your oil for coolant.

jdbaugh1

iTrader: (1)

I didn't say it was his head gasket. I told him how to check and see if it is. Also told him to check oil for coolant. Not like I told him to pull the head.

NickStarr

Okay, so I forgot to say that two of my spark plugs bolts are broken. It snapped in the thread so it sometimes gets loose.
I went to check it and it was pretty damn loose. I put it back in place and checked the gas feeling and it's not as rough. As for the coolant level, its low but not completely..gone.. yet.
It's cooled down.
I am getting the notification of "low coolant"
No Codes at all.
The oil looks the same, maybe a little low. Coolant doesn't look dirty.


Car info.
2009 Cobalt coupe
LNF Turbo
119xxx miles

All stock but:
BOV
Air intake.

PAST PROBLEMS
Limp mode, (HPFP, replaced and no longer in limp)


Ima let it sit over night and buy more coolant in the morning, it's like 12:17AM here (Guam)
OR
Maybe I should get coolant now?.

jdbaugh1

iTrader: (1)

Your spark plug "bolts" are broken? Or you mean you stripped the threads in the head? The rough running and smoked up coolant reservoir are what made me think of the HG. Regardless of where your coolant is going I would make fixing the spark plugs proper priority as well.

What color is the oil? Keep a close eye on the level. If you are losing that much coolant into the oil the level should raise some if not change the color to milky.

exninja

iTrader: (1)

if your car is just sitting, you don't have to worry about the coolant. if you drive again, though, you don't want it low. you can put some distilled water in a pinch, but be sure to put the same amount of coolant in to keep the 50/50 mixture when you get it.

when you fill it, and then run it, watch for bubbles in the tank. also see if your exhaust is extra white/steamy and sweet-smelling. my guess is the overheating was a large bubble that formed in the coolant system. when it "burped", your level went down but it started cooling properly. the coolant has to go somewhere. the options are leaked out of a hose, leaked into combustion chamber, or into the oil. My porous block leaked so bad that it pooled at the bottom of my oil pan and I got coolant out of the drain plug. however, i didn't have any overheating issues.

exninja

iTrader: (1)

my guess is the screws holding the coils in, but he can answer...

i forgot to mention, you can get a tester kit to see if you have exhaust gasses in the coolant. that would be the next step.

umrdyldo

iTrader: (1)

You need to completely top off your coolant first and then see if it drops. If the level keeps dropping then you likely have a block issue as stated above. That's assuming you didn't toast a piston by overheating it.

NickStarr

It's the bolts that hold the plugs in place.
It happened at night so I couldn't see the smoke color. And the exhaust didn't smell off.
But I'll triple check tomorrow morning.
The oil level seems a bit low. Not a different color. Again I'll check tomorrow. Thanks so much guys, I really appreciate it.

NickStarr

UPDATE

I started my car for 30 seconds and the exhaust smoke is clear, and there was barely to none pressure on the coolant reservoir.

It's still over heating..
There's smoke coming from the reservoir. And somewhat a leak. There is no hole/crack though, maybe its building so much pressure that its coming from the hose?

You sure its not the water pump?

exninja

iTrader: (1)

I'd get a tester kit if there's really smoke in the coolant reservoir. Are you sure it's not steam?

NickStarr

Its pretty thick.
But steam could make amounts of liquid

jdbaugh1

iTrader: (1)

Next time it is cool try my simple test I laid out above to see if combustion gasses are pressurizing your coolant system instantly on startup. Or you can also get a combustion gas test kit for your coolant if that free test is inconclusive.

NickStarr

I just did that test now.

Released pressure in the reservoir.
Turned car on for 30 seconds
Turn the car off
Check pressure.

Unless i keep the car on to check pressure.

There was no pressure at all when i checked after the car was shut off.

jdbaugh1

iTrader: (1)

It didn't hiss at all when you released the cap? Yes I would try to release the cap with the car still running, just be certain the fluid isn't hot. if there is you may be able to feel pulses my just putting your hand over the opening on the reservoir. Again this would be very dangerous if the fluid is hot.

NickStarr

Okay. Thanks for the warning.
So, when i try the test out. What am i looking for?
Whats a good sign and whats the bad signs

NickStarr

UPDATE.
Did the test with the car on this time.
No pressure.

jdbaugh1

iTrader: (1)

Did you check really good for leaks? That coolant is going somewhere. Either externally or internally. Only way to verify no external leaks is to inspect everything very closely. If you have an internal leak it is either going into your combustion chamber, oil, or both. The pressure build test may not necissarily tell you if you have a combustion chamber leak. You could try coolant combustion gas detector kit.

Ultimately you have to be missing something. Either you have missed an external leak, you have coolant in your oil and have not detected it, or you have a combustion chamber leak. Only way to find out is process of elimination.

NickStarr

I did say there is the one at the reservoir. I think it's that. Cause it smoke up there.
The first night the whole thing went dry. The next time, it was at a certain amount. Filled it up, tested it. And it was at the same amount just today.

I have a video of it smoking up.
When I hold RPMs or when I turn of the car.

Can a damaged reservoir cause the over heating?

My GFs Ford Focus has a crack in her reservoir but it runs fine.

Is it cause I have a turbo?

cluelessk

If you're relying on the car as a daily driver just get a mechanic to look at it. No responsible person relies on a car on the verge of blowing up. If you hit 280 coolant temp you probably did some damage that can't be fixed for a reasonable price.

Have you checked your oil?

NickStarr

My oil is not low.
No milky texture

I'm told it can be my thermostat?
I tried to turn on my heater and it's not even baking. It's like a cool Aircon

jdbaugh1

iTrader: (1)

Your thermostat can cause you to overheat though not likely as they usually fail the other way and either leak or are open all of the time. However they cannot cause you to burn coolant. Your heater not working would only be because of tge thermostat if it was stuck open and your coolant wasnt heating up, which is opposite of your problem here. Your heater core could be plugged and need flushed but that is not tge reason your car is overheating or losing coolant.

NickStarr

How can I fix this?

NickStarr

So: this is how my thermostat looks like. The o ring was damaged.
I drove without it just for a test run with an attempt to burp the system.
It doesn't bake as bad but it's till there hitting 250 highest and idle at 240 with a quick run.
It still hitting above the limit I'm looking for. (210 at most)
Have I not burped the system of air correctly?