Engine overeating

CLARO_OGIRI

MEMBER
1996 TOYOTA CAMRY
2.2L
4 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
250,000 MILES

I recently noticed that my car engine was overheating. The temperature gauge is at the maximum level. I contacted my local car repairman who suggested that the head gasket must have been blown out, and subsequently recommended that it be changed. We did that as recommended, but the temperature keeps rising. Further, we changed the radiator completely thinking that will solve the problem, but all to no avail.
Presently, the car starts just once on ignition, runs smoothly, but the engine overheats rapidly between two to three minutes after the engine ignites.
Please help. What can I do?

6 Replies

KHLOW2008

MECHANIC
41,814 POSTS

Engine do not heats up that fast, you need at least twenty minutes of running to get the temperature up.
Even if the coolant is not flowing, it would take longer than that to read high.
Symptom seems like a bad temperature gauge or parts related to the temperature reading.
Was the temperature ever tested to confirm the actual reading? A thermal reader would do the job.

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Monday, October 30th, 2017 AT 8:50 PM

CLARO_OGIRI

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Yes, it heats up very very fast. I drive the car and this is what am observing. I also did a physical observation by opening the engine compartment of the car, you can virtually hear the water boiling sound from the radiator. In addition, the heat wave emanating from the car engine is enormous. We have tested the temperature switch and found out to be working well. I cannot run that engine for twenty minutes, that is the fact Sir.

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Tuesday, October 31st, 2017 AT 3:08 AM

CLARO_OGIRI

MEMBER
4 POSTS

May be this will help. Just to add that I live in Nigeria where the temperature is always high, so it is very likely it will take less than twenty minutes to get an engines temperature up.

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Tuesday, October 31st, 2017 AT 3:20 AM

KHLOW2008

MECHANIC
41,814 POSTS

Check for a stuck thermostat. If temperature goes up fast, it means the coolant is not moving in engine for it to be cooled by the radiator. A bad water pump is the other possible cause.

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Wednesday, November 1st, 2017 AT 7:17 AM

CLARO_OGIRI

MEMBER
4 POSTS

This was it, a bad water pump was the culprit here. I guess as much, and replaced the water pump and my car engine is cooling like never before. Thanks a lot for your help, even though I have already figured that out before your expert opinion on this, I still very much much appreciate.