Broken bleeder valve?

Tiny
RACHELLE JENKS
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  • 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA
  • 3.4L
  • V6
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 250,000 MILES
Could a partially screwed in and broken bleeder valve be causing it to overheat and no heat inside the car?
Wednesday, November 30th, 2022 AT 1:56 PM

14 Replies

Tiny
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Hi,

That would only happen if it was leaking, and the coolant level got too low.

The first thing to do is confirm the engine coolant isn't low. With the engine cold, remove the radiator cap and make sure it is full. The reservoir can have coolant in it and the radiator still is low.

If that isn't the issue, I have some questions. First, does the vehicle overheat at highway speeds or only when driving in town, stop and go? Also, do you hear the cooling fans turn on when the engine begins to overheat?

Let me know as much as you can.

Take care,

Joe
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Wednesday, November 30th, 2022 AT 9:18 PM
Tiny
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It overheated everywhere but the strange thing is that it doesn't do it all the time. My dad was going to see what he could figure out for me, but he couldn't get it to overheat at all. The fans do kick in and there are no visible leaks. Nothing comes out of anywhere when it gets up to temp until the overheating happens then it sprays (I'm guessing it sprays) out from somewhere under the hood but it's not spraying when I stop and turn the car off and lift the hood. The antifreeze spray when that happens seems to only be located in the front passenger side where the battery is and doesn't go further than the front of the reservoir or towards the driver's side past the belts. (I hope my description is good enough for you to see what I'm talking about in your head because usually I would take a picture. But my car is about 15 miles away from me) one of the times that I had to pull over on my car's last journey I left it idling and the temperature would start to go down after I heard this funny whir sound and then it would stop going down and do it again only cooled it enough to take it out of the red though. Over the last 5 years this has happened a couple other times, but it just miraculously stopped one day both times and we have just this summer change the thermostat and flush the radiator and recharge the air conditioning because that also stopped working for some reason it keeps blowing one of the AC motor fuses. I don't know if any of that has anything to do with this situation because when it was overheating before when the air conditioner still worked.
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Thursday, December 1st, 2022 AT 8:44 AM
Tiny
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Hi,

If you have already replaced the thermostat, flushed the system, and the fans are working, my next concern is related to a faulty head gasket,

Do me a favor. Take a look through this link and let me know if anything mirrors what you have experienced:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/head-gasket-blown-test

I'm questioning if compressed air from a failing head gasket is getting into the cooling system and creating an air block.

What is going to make this difficult is if it doesn't happen all the time.

Let me know.

Joe

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Thursday, December 1st, 2022 AT 2:06 PM
Tiny
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Could you explain test 6 of that video? Like what visible signs and I looking for? As for the other tests, no coolant in the oil, no bubbles in the radiator, and I haven't done the spark plug, pressure or chemical tests. I can probably get out to my car tomorrow (Friday) and get some pictures for you. Thank you so much for your help.
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Thursday, December 1st, 2022 AT 7:00 PM
Tiny
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Hi,

No problem. Step 6 indicates to check for visual evidence of a leak. Check along the engine block, where the cylinder head and engine block connect for evidence of coolant or dried coolant.

If you take a look through this link, you will see different examples of leaks in different locations.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-is-leaking-coolant

Let me know if you find anything.

Take care,

Joe
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Thursday, December 1st, 2022 AT 9:22 PM
Tiny
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I'm not sure if any of these pictures will help but at least you're not relying on just my description of what I'm seeing under my hood because I know hardly anything when it comes to it.
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Saturday, December 3rd, 2022 AT 9:21 PM
Tiny
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Oops, didn't get them attached to the last one here the pictures.
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Saturday, December 3rd, 2022 AT 9:24 PM
Tiny
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Hi,

Great pics. I don't see any evidence of a coolant leak. The bleeder shows dry coolant right where coolant would come out when bleeding. Have you ever noticed a leak at that point when the engine is warm?

Here is what I'm going to suggest. First, if the coolant level is going down, there has to be a leak. Keep in mind, when it is overheating, there is a lot of pressure on the system. However, it shouldn't go beyond the rating on the radiator cap. In this case, 15 psi. See pic 1 below. I copied your pic.

Here is what I want you to do. When the engine is cold, remove the radiator cap in pic 1 below and confirm the radiator is full of coolant. If it is low, fill it with the correct type of coolant. These came with DexCool from the factory. If that has never been changed, do not add anything except DexCool or a universal type that indicates it is usable with DexCool. Reinstall the cap.

Next, turn the heater on high and start the engine and allow it to reach operating temperature. Check to see if you have heat. If you don't, turn the engine off. Feel both heater core hoses under the hood mounted at the firewall. Both should be hot. See pics 2 and 3 for the heater hose location. Note: It will be on the driver's side next to the brake master cylinder/vacuum booster.

Let me know the results. Also, remember to not open the radiator cap unless the engine is cold. Make sure it is full. There are conditions that will allow the overflow reservoir to show full but the radiator to be low.

Take care,

Joe
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Saturday, December 3rd, 2022 AT 9:43 PM
Tiny
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No, those hoses weren't hot and when I was checking to see if I had the right ones, I found this. It looks like a rubber thing between two parts of the engine. I circled the area I was looking at. I don't think I can get a better picture you can't see it from the top you have to actually kind of look down in.
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Monday, December 5th, 2022 AT 5:25 PM
Tiny
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Hi,

I'm not sure what you are referring to in the first three pics. Could you circle it in one of those pics?

Also, is that the area that you feel the leak was coming from?

Let me know.

Joe
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Tuesday, December 6th, 2022 AT 1:59 PM
Tiny
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So, I showed the pictures and explained it to a couple other people, and they are guessing that what we're looking at is the valve cover gasket and I don't think that leaks antifreeze right? But the antifreeze is running down that and so there's got to be something leaking in that area, I think.
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Tuesday, December 6th, 2022 AT 10:32 PM
Tiny
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Hi,

You are correct. There shouldn't be coolant coming from the valve cover. However, I do see a hose above it. Check that hose for the leak.

See your pic below.

Joe
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Wednesday, December 7th, 2022 AT 3:27 PM
Tiny
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So didn't look like the hose had any problems. I think I'm just going to have it towed to a mechanic. I don't have a garage to put it in myself and trying to figure this out in the snow stinks. Thank you for all your help. I will let you know what the problem ended up being as soon as I can.
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Monday, December 12th, 2022 AT 7:32 AM
Tiny
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Hi,

Wow, I didn't know you were working in the snow. I give you a lot of credit for your effort, but I also understand your decision.

Let me know what you find.

Take care,

Joe
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Monday, December 12th, 2022 AT 7:25 PM

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