Old Celica 22RE overheats

[Copespitter]

I am at my witts end with this car and this is the only place I know to turn to.<br />Anyways, the car is a 1984 Toyota Celica with the standard 22re / manual transmission.<br />I commute 45 miles one way to work so this would be a great commuter car if I can figure out why this thing overheats.<br />The car overheats in town or driving 60 down the freeway.<br />I had the radiator rodded out. The guy said it was plugged something awful, so I assumed that was the problem. I drive it to work the next day with the A/C going (outside temp around 100) and the car heats up a little but I assume with the added strain of the a/c and the outside temps that was normal. <br />The next day i'm driving to work the car overheats bad. I could see that the radiator was blowing water all over so I let it cool down and added water to get back home. I took the radiator back to the shop and the problem ended up being the top of the radiator cracked (plastic tanks).<br />So I go to the local wrecking yard and get another tank for it and installed it myself. It doesn't leak after that.<br />I assumed I had the problem fixed but sure enough on the way to work it overheats again.<br />The next day I remove the thermostat, replace the radiator cap, and also the worn out water pump belt. STILL OVERHEATS!!!<br />All the hoses including the heater core hoses are uniformally hot so I assume the heater core is good. The heater also blows hot air.<br />I removed the top radiator hose and revved up the engine to 2 grand and the water flow was good so I assume the water pump is fine.<br /><br />I have drove this car off and on for the last week with the repairs done and everytime the water boils over into the overflow tank, the tank fills up and the excess water boils out.<br /><br />The oil doesn't have any signs of mixing with the coolant and there isn't any water coming out the tail pipe so as far as I know the head gasket is good. <br />It can't be the clutch fan because it overheats on the freeway.<br />There isn't any coolant leaks anywhere.<br />I don't know what else to do.<br />I still think it might be a small leak in the head gasket that doesn't allow fluids to mix but allows exhaust to escape into the cooling system.<br />Maybe that would cause enough extra pressure in the system to crack the old radiator top and heat up the water with the hot exaust fumes.<br />I dunno its just a hunch.<br /><br />Anyone out there have any ideas??

 

[saxis]

Re: Old Celica 22RE overheats

I had a 94 4x4 truck with the 22re. It would overheat all the time. Suspected head gasket also as I couln't keep water in it and radiator didn't leak. Checked exhaust and saw no steam or water. Took it to shop and head gasket was bad, and head was warped a little. Got it machined down and new gasket put in. They said alot of water was running into the transfer case, but wouldn't be the case with your car. Not sure where else the water would go. Oil pump also gave me problems in this engine (as well as alternator/electrical). Never really did figure out why it was overheating, but it still was after head gasket was replaced and pressure tested.

 

[Copespitter]

Re: Old Celica 22RE overheats

I'm not sure if i'm losing any water or not.<br />As far as I can tell the only water loss is when the water over fills the over flow bottle.<br /><br />I already replaced the head gasket in the car when I got it and I really don't feel like doing it again. <br /><br />Does anyone know what a garage charges to check for a blown head gasket?

 

[Nos4r2]

Re: Old Celica 22RE overheats

If the heater blows hot air it's most likely not gases getting into the cooling system- I've had this happen before on other vehicles and the heater goes off when the bubbles reach it.The temp gauge usually goes up and down a lot too.<br /><br />If your rad was blocked up maybe you need to flush the block too?

 

[phatmanmike]

Re: Old Celica 22RE overheats

go to www.automotiveforums.com and head on over to the toyota section. they have greats vats of knowledge there. <br /><br />thats where i go for my 93 camry

 

[Skinnywater]

Re: Old Celica 22RE overheats

Compression can leak into the cooling system and overpressurise it causing blowout of coolant, radiator tanks and overheating.<br />It's common not to have any additional symptoms.

 

[saxis]

Re: Old Celica 22RE overheats

Most of the water in my truck was going into the overflow also, and when it got low, the engine would rev up and down at idle. It would stay cool on the highway at 55+, but as soon as I got into town, it would start overheating. I had my head gasket done at a shop, and it was still overheating after that. They pressure tested it over night for free but came out ok. Got a friend that has built several Toyotas from the ground up, and said water pump is sometimes an issue. He said to grab the fan and try to jiggle it.. If it's loose, water pump is going out. No idea if that's true or not, but he knows pretty much all Toyota engines inside and out...

 

[LubeDude]

Re: Old Celica 22RE overheats

Dont just assume that its not the fan clutch just because it overheats on the freeway, running the air adds quite a bit of heat to the front of the radiator. Also, you may just need a new radiator cap, if its not holding the correct preasure it will overheat. It still could be a head gasket also. Did you think to blow out the bugs and such from the A/C condencer when you had the radiator out? <br /><br />Just my 2 cents.

 

[Baldguy]

Re: Old Celica 22RE overheats

I had a 22R engine in my old truck. You may have blocked water passages in the block and may have to have someone flush the cooling system for you if that will work.<br /><br />I'd check the water pump as suggested in the prior post. You've kind of done that by taking the hose off and running it, but not really. It may have enough life in it to pump water out of the top hose, but not enough life to pump it to pressure.<br /><br />You mentioned the t-stat but didn't say you put a new one in. Check the t-stat in a pot of hot water and a thermometer if you have one. It's possible to get a bad "new" t-stat or the wrong one. I believe it should be opening around 180 degrees.<br /><br />Also, you said something about the rad. cap. Did you get a new one? It's also possible to get a bad "new" cap.<br /><br />You can have a shop do a leak down test on the engine. They basically put a test radiator cap on and pressurize the system to see if it holds pressure. If it doesn't hold pressure for long, then it's the head gasket. I forget how much it was to do that but it wasn't much.<br /><br />On these engines one of the weak points is the head gasket. You basically have an iron block with an aluminum head....electrolysis is the result. I had to replace the head gasket three times on my old truck. The last time I could see the metal being eaten away in one of the water passages. My buddy (mechanic) and I JB welded the water passage and then grinded it down flush to almost the same size as it should have been. Drove it that way for another 100K.<br /><br />Sincerely...best of luck to you.