Questionhey anthony
I bought this car 4 months ago, and it ran perfect. About a month ago, it started overheating, and i saw smoke comming out of the coolant overflow pipe. I took it to a shop and they said that it needed a new head gasket and it costs $800. I took it to another shop and they said that i just need another thermostat and a radiator, because my engine wasn't getting the coolant (even though the collant container was full). i needed the time to think, so the guy tweaked and made a whole in the thermostat so it wont overheat and i could drive it temporarily. i am very confused on what to do, as im a 16 yr old student and i have money problems... The head gasket work is expensive, but i dont want to spend money on radiator and thermostat and still have the problem... so plz advice me what to do.
The temprature stays normal right now due to the thermostat tweak. The mechanic had cleaned my coolant container, because it had dirty coolant and there was a lot of residue at the bottom of the container. and i took a look at it today, and the coolant was dirty again. I opened the raditor cap before driving it in the morning, and there was no coolant i could see. The surface was wet, but not filled. i opened my mom's camry's radiator cap and it was filled with coolant... i dont know what is normal. It is funny, but the coolant level in the container was higher than what he had put in. I looked at the tailpipe, and there was a very little white smoke, and it had kind of a sweet smell. I am very worried.
I appericiate your help.
AnswerFezz,
Basically, the way the coolant system works is that it's under pressure. Normally, the coolant mixture will boil away at normal atmospheric pressure when your engine reaches normal operating temps. But because your coolant system is contained, the pressure prevents it from boiling away. When the pressure does get to be around 9 psi, that pushes the radiator cap valve up and coolant starts to drain off into the overflow tank. Then, once you turn your car off and let it cool, the coolant from the overflow tank will drain back into the system.
But for all this to happen properly, your system must remain properly pressurized, and if you're not seeing coolant near the raditor cap when the engine is cool, that means your coolant is being lost and/or not draining back properly. For your situation, it would seem to me that your head gasket is leaking and most likely needs to be replaced.
You can have your mechanic confirm your head gasket is blown by having him do a compression test and a leak-down test. But if you just cannot spare the money right now, just keep an eye on your coolant level and keep a couple gallons of coolant in your car so you can refill the system as it gets low. Then, save up enough money and get the problem fixed.
Also, I would highly recommend having the dealership perform this job. Along with replacing your head gasket, they will probably also recommend you replace your timing belt, balance belt, auto tensioner, radiator, hoses, thermostat, and radiator cap. They may even suggest replacing your drive belts and water pump if they have not been replaced within the past 45k-60k miles. Since all those items I mentioned are regular maintenance items and must be removed anyway when performing a head gasket change, it will actually save you time and money in the future if you decide to keep this car for a long time. You can call your local Mitsubishi dealership service department and ask for an estimate. You should also ask if they honor DSM Member discounts. All Eclipses made between 1989-1999 were made under the Diamond Star Motors program in the US and all those vehicles rolled off the same assembly line in Normal, IL. Many dealerships will give you a 20%-50% discount on parts if you mention you're a DSM club member.
Good luck!
