When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
On vacation now. Traveling from Norcal to to the Eastern Sierra via highway 395. Going to Bishop, CA to see the ancient Bristlecone Pine Tree Forest. These trees are the oldest living things on earth. The oldest tree there is estimated at 4,700 years old. Been wanting to do this road trip for a many of years.
First stop was Lake Tahoe for a late lunch. Smelled a little whiff of sweet coolant. Looked for a leak... nothing.
Now driving on 395 heading South. Notice car is running a little above half on the temp gauge. Which is odd because it normally is a little below half. The ambient temperature is 95 degrees F.
A quick stop at Momo Lake to check out the Tufas. A kind of salt column formation.
At around 9:30pm we are at the Best Western Inn, Bishop, CA.
Aug 14, 2015
From Bishop, CA heading South to see the Japanese Manzanar Concentration Camp. Along the way the car is now running warm. The temp gauge is 3/4 way up on the hot side. "Danger danger Will Rodger!" The weird thing is the temp gauge is fluctuating between a little under half and 3/4. Made it to Manzanar. Ambient temperature is around 100 degrees F.
Manzanar Compound
Still in denial that something is wrong LOL. Thinking it is the hot temperatures causing the car to run warm.
After touring the Mazanar Visitor Center we decided to take the Auto Tour around the compound... a 3 mile drive on a gravel/sandy road. During the drive the car is running warm to hot. Once it passes 3/4 way up on the temperature gauge... I'm thinking this is not good maybe we are driving too slow... rpms to low? So down shift to 2nd gear to raise the rpm. The needle drops to 3/4 from 1/2. Still about100 degress outside. The engine is to hot to do anything about it now, can't even check the coolant level.
On the way to MT Whitney Portal. About 13 miles West of Lone Pine, CA. A supposedly scenic area. We had a few hours to kill before heading to the ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest.
On the way to MT Whitney Portal the car is now running very warm3/4 and raising. About 3/4 way there the temperature gauge is now at 7/8 from the red zone, not good. I know now that something is definitely wrong. Now we are just starting to climb up the mountainess road. I know now we are not going to make it up the mountain so I turn the car around and head back to the nearest town... Lone Pine, CA., about 5 miles back.
On the way back the needle is holding at 7/8 but im mostly coasting down hill so engine mostly idling with no load. Once I hit the flat the needle is now pegged above the red!
Finally I reach the small town of Lone Pine. Since the needle is pegged above the red on the temperature gauge I pull over at the first safe spot available. Which was a parking lot at a park I think. Opening the hood to see if there's a coolant leak? Nope, no leak, over flow tank is empty... hmm? WTF?... LOL.
In the parking lot there are two law enforcement vehicles so I ask one of them where is the closest auto repair shop? The guy tells me Millers Auto Repair about 1/4 mile up the road. The car is still hot maybe 3/4 way up on the hot side. So I go for it, during the short drive the needle again is above the red and pegged. Well, by now I'm shitting bricks. I know what it means to drive on an over heating engine... a blown head gasket is a real possibility. I'm seeing $$$. LOL.
On the way to the auto shop I shut off the engine a couple of times and coast part of the way, trying to preserve the motor best I can. I coast into Millers Auto Repair/Tow Co's parking lot. I walk in and ask if they can take a look at my car? The guy tells me "Can't now won't be able to get to your car till tomorrow". I tell him I think it's just a thermostat cause my car over heated and there's no leak. I might be able to fix it myself. Do you have a thermostat for a 01 Acura CL? He saids "Nope, but there's a Napa Store about a mile away on the other side of town". I can call and check for you. So he calls and by chance they have one in stock!
Now I'm on vacation so no tools with me but there's a Napa Auto Parts store... hmm... tools for sale... now is a matter of getting there and how much $$$ for tools right? And is it a thermostat problem? So my choices are... wait a day and spend the night, I'm seeing major $$$$ and my vacation cut short or DIY?
While waiting I here a mechanic tell the owner he's going to Napa Auto Parts... so I bum a ride.
At Napa I spend $102.20 for a tool set, wrench set, 2 premix coolant, and a thermostat (includeds gasket).
Back at the car... it was a little tough but I was able to install the thermostat. Tough because I forgot to buy a pair of pliers to remove all the little hoses that surrounds the thermostat housing. Oh, when I removed the radiator cap, I noticed that the clip that holds the cap gasket on is loose. Apparently the cap is defective too. So I had the shop owner order me one from the Napa Auto Parts store (in stock again). BTW... he jacks me for 60% ($6) for the part. Jack because parts store Napadelivered the rad cap. LOL
Thermostat is in and everything back in place... reconnected one vacuum hose and coolant sensor plug . Car is ready for coolant. The radiator took a little over one gallon of coolant.
Here's where it gets dicey besides over heating twice above the red zone with the temperature needle pegged. Where most people make the big mistake is putting in cold coolant or water and running the engine while the engine is still hot or at operating temperature. That is when you can blow the head gasket or crack the block or the head. Knowing a little about this I waited almost two hours for the engine to cool, plus the ambient temperature being at 100 degrees did not hurt. Still feeling uneasy when starting the car.
Here goes nothing... the 01cls starts right up on the first time and purrs like a kitten. That is a very good sign and sounded so sweet indeed! I go ahead and do the burping proceedure by letting it warm up and wait for the fans to come on twice with the rad cap half way on (first click).
Success! The temperature needle hovering at the norm spot (little below half) and holding pressure. Bristlecone Pine Tree Forest here we come! Vacation still on and disaster averted! WOOHOO!
These trees are in the neighborhood of 4,700 years old. The one on the right is still alive for sure.
The moral of the story is , bring your tools with you on any road trip! With a lot of luck and a little bit of skill you'll be surprised what you can do!
When the temperature needle fluctuates between warm and hot that means the thermostat is getting stuck. And check the radiator cap for damage due to the high temperatures or old age..
In theory the overheating could of caused the damage to the radiator cap. Although, looking back now, the cap may of fail first causing the low coolant and then the overheating.
I guess we'll never know. Just glad I was able to get it back on the road with out doing any real damage.
Cool pics and nice to see you fixed it for really, very little money. I think a new radiator cap its something people tend to overlook and as you said, that could have been your problem.
I probably wouldn't bring my tools with me but buy them as necessary on a road trip. If my car starts hitting 3/4, I would have stopped right there cause I know something was wrong.
Did you drive around with the heater on to help cool the engine as much as you can?
Not sure if it actually works, but it's something I heard about
It does work but not enough to cool the car down and only if you have enough coolant in the heater core. It will definitely help dissipate heat.
Basically a last ditch effort to get to a safe place nearby or if you're close to home but nothing more.
A few years back a friend called me asking for advice on what to do since her car was heating up, needle close to red. I told her to turn on the car heater to full blast and she made it home with no damage to the engine. She was a good half hour from home. She was driving a 300E Mercedes. So it does work.
08-16-2015, 08:56 AM
