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2000 Hyundai Accent High Temperature...
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Coda
New User
Apr 13, 2015, 9:40 AM
Post #1 of 8
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2000 Hyundai Accent High Temperature...
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I have a 2000 Hyundai Accent with 127,000 miles on it. Today, while driving on the highway (in traffic), I noticed that the temperature gauge started climbing. I pulled off to the side of the road, and let it cool down. Once I got going again, the gauge started climbing again. I then turned the heater on full blast, and the temperature stayed in the mid-rage area. I'm not sure what the problem is.
I attempted to test the thermostat my squeezing the upper hose at temperature. Once the fans kicked on, I gave it a squeeze, and was able to squeeze it all the way down. However, I then felt the lower hose, and it felt cool.
The oil looks normal (no milky shade), and it has plenty of coolant. What would cause the engine to heat up that high, and then regulate it by keeping the heater on full?
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 13, 2015, 11:17 AM
Post #2 of 8
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Re: 2000 Hyundai Accent High Temperature...
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OK - do use all care touching a hose especially for a hot engine. It's not really informative by pressure which will change with fans that come on and off.
It may just be low on coolant and then the question is why. You said it was full but bet that's just a recovery tank not really telling of how much is in the engine which should always be totally full and free of vapor or air. Many vehicles don't give you direct access to check radiator's themselves so must still know. If your coolant recovery bottle has the pressure cap it might not be allowing coolant back to radiator and staying the same level hot or cold a sign it has a problem.
Running heater should take away some heat. Know that if you request full heat and get plain air not heated does suggest you are either low on coolant in engine or overheating and boiling which oddly doesn't transfer heat to interior despite showing a hot engine.
1st step is know for sure it's truly full and then if not why. If full and running warmer than usual then at the age wonder if radiator is still capable and other things to check. You did say fan(s) come on so I'll rule that out for now,
T
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Coda
New User
Apr 13, 2015, 11:19 AM
Post #3 of 8
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Re: 2000 Hyundai Accent High Temperature...
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The coolant level is actually well above the high mark of the reservoir tank. Perhaps it is the radiator cap?
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 13, 2015, 12:17 PM
Post #4 of 8
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Re: 2000 Hyundai Accent High Temperature...
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If the only cap is on that recovery tank the cap is the pressure cap so YES it can let coolant out just normally from expansion and NOT let it back in when it cools so if cap or hose to it can allow air back when system is cooling down (shrinking volume) that would make it low.
Test if that exact set up when totally cold squeeze that upper hose and look for turbulence in the recovery tank - back and forth no bubbles should show in tank,
T
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Coda
New User
Apr 13, 2015, 12:53 PM
Post #5 of 8
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Re: 2000 Hyundai Accent High Temperature...
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Which hose am I squeezing to test it? The upper radiator hose? or the hose from the cap to the reservoir?
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 13, 2015, 2:17 PM
Post #6 of 8
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Re: 2000 Hyundai Accent High Temperature...
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Upper hose is good. Both hands if needed. Idea is you are making pressure without the heat just seeing it move to the tank and when you let go hose should draw back liquid after blowing out some liquid -- that's when you can see the turbulence in reservoir.
If it doesn't work or prove anything we move on to another way. Anything to do with overheating is VERY important to know why fast for an easy fix or prevent a bad something from being worse, that's all for the first step here,
T
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Coda
New User
Apr 13, 2015, 4:45 PM
Post #7 of 8
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Re: 2000 Hyundai Accent High Temperature...
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Ok. I did the squeeze test, but really didn't see much change. I noticed that there were some cracks on the upper gasket on the radiator cap, and thought that may be it. However, the cracks were very small, and did not even extend to the outside of the seal. This should be replaced, and will...after the next payday.
I then figured it had to be the thermostat. I went a picked one up, and put it in. After 30 mins of driving, the temperature stayed level...right where it should be. I didn't do any highway driving, but I pushed it up to about 65 a few times, and nothing seemed to changed. I also noticed that, after checking when I got back, the lower radiator hose was warm to the touch, where as earlier, it was cold. I am hoping I got it figured out...
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
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Apr 14, 2015, 1:24 AM
Post #8 of 8
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Re: 2000 Hyundai Accent High Temperature...
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New cap is called for as it's important. Seems the thermostat has done the trick if I read this properly? Actually for eons do not find many thermostats the cause except for some that will stick OPEN and run cold more than the other way.
Hoses and temps: Upper (most anything made) comes out top of engine from thermostats. Easy - heat rises anyway so that where you would want it. It's supposed to stay shut and allow water pump to mix coolant inside engine to be all the same temp as it runs and warms up and during demands while running. It opens a little when close to it's rated temp and really not earlier so upper hose should stay pretty cold to the touch away from the engine towards radiator you can hold there when starting cold and allow it to warm up and feel the heat come to the top of radiator. Same deal, heat rises, cool falls so it passes the coolant along thru and it's supposed to cool for return from lower hose to engine again and again as needed.
If lower hose was returning coolant too hot (need real temp readings for each situation when troubles are at hand) it wouldn't cool engine and show higher temps up to overheating. Either radiator is not capable (clogged) coolant itself wrong - too strong can be a problem - fans didn't come on in time and assorted whacked reasons like an obstruction blocking air flow.
What you want to avoid is not knowing if air is confusing the show. Vapor is a better word because it can easily be combustion gasses from the engine usually from head gasket failures. With those, pressure felt in upper hose would be fast from a cold start and even show bubbles in recovery tanks. That's something you don't want but do need to know if happening as the fix would be easier if not allowed to wildly overheat.
Air and vapor (either) don't cool well yet hoses can be hot.
Don't do this but it gives you the idea as an example: Plain hot water out of an average home sink will be too hot to touch at about 115 to 120F or so. Say what you might think? But you can put your hands in an oven for a second cooking something at over 300F of air and not get burnt. Point is air has little ability to transfer heat vs a liquid.
Cars have to make the most out of limited space so radiators are usually flowing side to side and down not just top to bottom or some will vary the path of flow, use lighter metals and smaller passages so if clogging quickly don't transfer heat enough and the usual fix is a new one, flush out systems.
The game of not putting the pressure cap on a radiator is both it saves a buck per car and no room sometimes but makes filling and checking a real pest to a real problem. I beat on it all the time that folks MUST know systems are full and rely on just the recovery tanks and it's not reliable for all but systems that don't have any problems you can glance and know it's ok but with a problem it doesn't mean much right away.
With that comes the use of a low coolant warning sensor for some vehicles and with age I personally don't want to only rely on a sensor for engine fluid levels only but know for real but we are stuck with it on some. Trouble is it's so costly to overheat and warnings on dash from sensors for all this junk is too late IMO for most.
So do get the new cap and do check like a hawk gauges and clues that it's really solved for some time on this to really know it's fixed. Dang air in cooling systems is still possible and should slowly cycle/purge out last little amounts by itself,
T
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