I got the new water pump yesterday already, and although I am still waiting for the other half of the shipment (hoses and belt), I decided to connect everything temporary, flush the system and check for leaks, so that I can finish it up next week with new coolant.

Well, the good news is that everything is tight (at least so far), the interior heating is working (which it never did since I bought the car), and most important, there are no nasty ticks or other noises, so no dropped valves ... pffff....

However, while running on water and Prestone 10 min Flush, it runs on Restricted Performance, and the code is P0117 - Engine Coolant Temperature Circuit Low Input.
I get a reading of 40C degrees on Torque, while the hose to the radiator started to get hot (that's about 85C right?).
I shut off the engine to prevent problems.

Although I tried to burp all hoses, and filled through the thermostat and tank, I was wondering if there still can be air in the upper connection pipe where the sensor is located?

Or, can the sensor have died during the previous overheating?
But should it not be completely dead then?

EDIT: I was reading more, and it seems Restr. Perf. can occur if the car does not heat up in time.
Now, the Coolant temperature Sensor was the only thing butchered on this car when I bought it.
I think they broke the clip of the connector, and put it fixed with a layer of black sealer, which I had to cut open when I disassembled everything last week.
I am not sure if the sensor was fully connected when I warmed the car this afternoon (now it is), can it be that the Restr. Perf. remains till the car cools down again?

 

Your new crossover pipe should come with a new coolant sensor. Check it after it is installed. Also, make sure the MAF sensor connector has all of its connectors straight. Might bet is your coolant sensor is bad.

 

You were close, very close .

A good night sleep on my side, some fresh batteries in the flash light (I am struggling in a hot and dark underground parking garage), and an other check this morning solved the problem.

The butchered connector had a small piece of plastic stuck inside, preventing the connector sliding far enough, something I did not notice yesterday.
Removed it, deleted the codes, and she runs perfect.
Although it is 35C here (that some 95F), I love the heater finally working ...

I can feel the hose getting hot with the thermostat opening, but even a raised idle does not let the temp getting higher.
I guess a test-run will prove that later on.

So, back on track for the next week, removing the final flush, clean up that connector and some of the engine bay, waiting for the final parts and new coolant, and then just enjoying again, or so I hope.

Thanks for the assistance!

E.

 

Outstanding

 

Came back from some travelling this early morning, and spent some hours getting the last parts replaced with new ones.
All OK, car temperature behaves beautifully, whatever load I throw at her.

What however shocked me was the amount of particles I washed out of the system.
This car was very well maintained by the previous owner, and the coolant regularly replaced.

I did a Prestone radiator system flush, and washed the system afterwards 5 times with fresh water before changing to coolant.
I think in total I collected about 1/2 a teacup full of "sand", which I guess are the mineral deposits.
Only the last flush came out more or less clean.

That's all the stuff obstructing the heater core and radiator, glad it is out.
Will surely keep the coolant on the yearly refreshment list.

 

Have done some 300 miles in the last weeks, and almost all is fine.
Although it is still tropical hot here, the engine temps are within the range, and no leaking at the new thermostat, waterpump, hoses and cross over pipe.

However, I did notice that an other hose / pipe is very slightly leaking (more sweating - a drop per trip) where the hose is crimped (see picture - thanks to Blackonyx).
I actually think this was already happening before the overheating, perhaps a tiny bit worse by now.

I cleaned everything before a trip yesterday, and I am sure it is no left-over coolant, just the very exact location of the leak (pipe, fitting or hose) is hard to determine.

I tried to investigate if I can just buy a new pipe / hose assembly, but got stuck as I can't find the item, no name, no part number.
I am probably missing the correct English name, or correct technical name.
Anyone?

 

Looks like a/c condensation -- should be normal on this line.

 

Thanks for the quick reply, Jim.

However, I don't think it is the A/C, the hose is getting hot as the other coolant hoses, and if I wipe off the residue with a white paper, it surely got the same color as the coolant.

So the question remains, unfortunately ....
Can it be a transmission cooling line?

 

What you have circled is a high pressure A/C hose that's going into the condenser. It gets hot because the high pressure freon exits the compressor and into the condenser that's in front of the radiator via thru that hose. Making a heavy assumption that your engine coolant is green and you're saying that there's engine coolant from that hose makes more sense. Why? Because the likely hood that you have leak dye in that system (which is green) is a high probability.

 

Thanks very much for the explanation, after Jim's suggestion, this explains a lot.
And yes, I run green coolant .

I wrapped some kitchen paper around it and will see if it is just a drop, or if the paper get soaked.
As mentioned, I think the problem is there for several years already, as the frame underneath gets a bit greasy from time to time.

No A/C problems over 3 summers so far. so my assumption is that is is limited to a bit of sweating.
I read those crimp hoses leak sometimes, I suspect I got one of those .

 

It is clearly the A/C high pressure line: the green dye is in the freon. You have probably blown the pressure control switch, which is now leaking the dye. Is the A/C still cooling?

Pull the electrics to the switch: if there is green dye, you need to either get a new switch or reduce some of the freon in the system (illegal to do in the US, but who will tell?), maybe both.

There is a Youtube running around that shows some 18 year old kid who over achieved in filling his A/C and had to reduce the freon: a good video. I overfilled mine and blew up the switch and a replacement. Blew off some . . . . . . and the system worked fine with my third switch.

 

As mentioned, A/C is working fine for the last 3 years.
I checked the whole line (as far as reachable), incl. the switch, but it is all clean, and I am sure it is around the crimp fitting shown in the picture.

With the advice given above, I found more specific info, and I will try to have an other look while the engine is hot and the A/C running.
I have read about a micro hole in the crimp fitting, in the hose, about actually seeing the bubbling, etc.
I think, or hope at least, it is just a bit sweating between the fitting and the hose though.

Finally, the most comforting right now is the knowledge it is not directly related to the engine cooling, that system seems to be clean and tight.