larryl Posted September 12, 2019 Report Share Posted September 12, 2019 Every vehicle has a vent for the radiator or overflow tank it has to go somewhere if there is an issue like you are experiencing. Before overflow tanks there was only a hose off the rad expansion tank and coolant went all over the place if something let go and overheated jkeaton and OhareFred 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
707dumb Posted September 12, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2019 Thanks guys, it's in the shop already. Just love the input from people that know way more than me lol. I wish I could do the job myself, but I would mess something up, not torque the bolts correctly or something. I really appreciate your input! 2late4u and jkeaton 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
707dumb Posted September 12, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2019 (edited) Ok got the journey back from the shop. Had a thermostat replaced and it's ok at idle, but when I'm driving 45-50 mph after about 15 minutes the temp will go up from 225 up to 260! That's the boiling point of antifreeze. And more liquid gets pushed out of the vent at the resrevoir. Just like before. The gauge to 3/4. Its only when I'm on the throttle too, if I'm slowing down, the temp goes down. Maybe radiator is just bad? Maybe it's a cracked head. Hmmmmmm any ideas even though we pretty much summed it all up: take to a mechanic! Edited September 12, 2019 by 707dumb spell check Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhareFred Posted September 13, 2019 Report Share Posted September 13, 2019 Radiator, water pump, blockage/air bubble, blown head gasket. I’m betting on the head gasket. 707dumb 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2late4u Posted September 13, 2019 Report Share Posted September 13, 2019 (edited) well you never said how long you have had the journey or if you just bought it, and if you added radiator sealant to it? if that stuff has been added to fix a problem ,that can be a cause to plug up your radiator as well, are the fans kicking on as required?did the shop do a pressure check on the system? what did the shop recommend for you to have done? also did you have them replace the coolant with new coolant sound like you have a incompetent shop working on your journey as they should have found your problem weather its a plugged radiator,fans in-op, bad head gasket, water pump,or what ever FIND a good garage that specialize on the coolant system Edited September 13, 2019 by 2late4u OhareFred and jkeaton 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkeaton Posted September 14, 2019 Report Share Posted September 14, 2019 On 9/12/2019 at 9:51 PM, 2late4u said: well you never said how long you have had the journey or if you just bought it, and if you added radiator sealant to it? if that stuff has been added to fix a problem ,that can be a cause to plug up your radiator as well, are the fans kicking on as required?did the shop do a pressure check on the system? what did the shop recommend for you to have done? also did you have them replace the coolant with new coolant sound like you have a incompetent shop working on your journey as they should have found your problem weather its a plugged radiator,fans in-op, bad head gasket, water pump,or what ever FIND a good garage that specialize on the coolant system This. Exactly. 2late4u 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
707dumb Posted September 14, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 14, 2019 I just picked it up. $5000. 200,000 miles on it. Pressure check on cooling system ok. No emissions in cooling sysyem. OEM themostat installed, air bled, still overheats. Fans are good, both speeds. The shop is trying to figure it out as I type this. Haven't heard from them yet. I don't think they replaced all the coolant. I was charged for 2 gallons of chrysler antifreeze at $23.95 each(!) when they did the thermostat. My theory now is as states; if it's not a head gasket then maybe head gasket sealer was put in before I got it and it plugged up a port in the head or block somewhere. Idk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armando G Posted September 14, 2019 Report Share Posted September 14, 2019 Head gasket problems in the past and some additive added to try to fix. Now a bigger issue at a higher expense... if it's even worth it. Good luck and let us know the findings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Summer Solstice Posted September 15, 2019 Report Share Posted September 15, 2019 The problem that the OP, and all of the symptoms, sounds exactly like a situation that I had with a Grand Marquis. The car blew the temp sensor out of the plastic manifold while on the freeway. I was within a mile of the Ford dealer and coasted in. Plastic intake replaced but misfire and overheating continued. Another shop changed coils. Overheating and pressure continued, along with a misfire. Before I was done, both shops had diagnosed the problem again. The dealer pressure tested the coolant system and determined that the radiator had a pin hole leak. This did not explain the excess pressure to me, nor the lack of a real leak so I declined replacement. The other shop did a leak down and compression check and ruled out the head and gasket. No exhaust gases either. The car continued to overhead and misfire after it warmed up but not before. I never found the problem and replaced the vehicle with the Journey. My suspicion was that a cracked or warped head, or a bad gasket, was allowing a pin sized leak only after the engine was warm. Once the vehicle warmed up, it would overhead and the pressure in the coolant system would build until the coolant was expelled from the radiator cap. Sorry I don't have a solution but only a guess. In my case, it made more sense to cut my losses, which were considerable at this point. Good luck. jkeaton 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
707dumb Posted September 24, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2019 I keep thinking a cylinder or two have blown the head gasket. On a cold start up, air is being pushed into the resrevoir. I can see it. I was told it's a closed system, the water pump pushes the fluid. So if the engine is cold, shouldn't the thermostat be closed? Meaning no antifreeze is getting pushed through the block? So If the thermostat is closed then no bubbles should be in the resrevoir? I included a still(pic) from a 77MB video I have of what looks like air being pumped into the coolant resrevoir. I was allowed only 10 MB and didn't cut to the vid; I took a few stills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkeaton Posted September 24, 2019 Report Share Posted September 24, 2019 You can buy a combustion gas leak test kit. That will tell you if you have a blown head gasket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
707dumb Posted September 24, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2019 4 minutes ago, jkeaton said: You can buy a combustion gas leak test kit. That will tell you if you have a blown head gasket. I have one, I got in the mail after the van was in the shop. And the shop told me there is no combustion gases in the antifreeze. So if I check it myself I should get the same results...... jkeaton 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkeaton Posted September 24, 2019 Report Share Posted September 24, 2019 27 minutes ago, 707dumb said: I have one, I got in the mail after the van was in the shop. And the shop told me there is no combustion gases in the antifreeze. So if I check it myself I should get the same results...... Or you find out the shop was wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
707dumb Posted September 24, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2019 I should have waited to take it in. I could have used that kit and had evidence that it's the gasket between the block and head Auto shops should figure this out. And I did mention head gasket when I brought it in. They thought I was going to get lucky and just did the thermostat and bled the air. Unfortunately that did not do it. So it's back in the shop. Just waiting...... jkeaton 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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