Heating Is Heating Up Really Slow After Using Stop Leak

[shanghai_stin]

Hi,

I have a 2000 IS200, the radiator was leaking, so I sent it to a repairer. They couldn't find the leaking point so they put some stop leak liquid into the radiator. Good news is the radiator now stopped leaking. But I noticed the engine tempreature gauge is bearly rising up. I drove about 30 minutes to work in light traffic, the tempreture gauge is only pointing at the second mark line, and the heating is not blowing air as I set fan on auto.

Checked the radiator circulation last night, seems that the water is running. Maybe it's not circulating fast enough due to the usage of stop leak? Anyone know what can be wrong?

Thanks in advance.

Regards,

DD

Update: Thermostat is replaced with new one, but the same problem as above still remains. gaining tempreture on stationary but will lose the temp during driving.

I noticed there is a tiny whole with a piece metal insert(loose but not removeable, bigger on one side, smaller on the other side. looks like a one ) on the ring of the thermostat. The new thermostat has the bigger end of that little metal insert on the opposite side of the ring than the old one. does that matter?

Anyone has any idea about what else can be wrong?

Thank you.

[Davison]

I think the heating matrix water might be the same water??

When my radiator top up bottle leaked I heard gargling through the heaters when I assume are was sucked through.

So if my above assumptions are correct the radweld or such could be restricting the pipes to the heating.

I'm sure someone with greater knowledge will either affirm this or give a much better reasoning.

Iv been running my heating on manual whilst the engine is warming as the temp warming up in winter is alot longer so I get it blowing warm before the 'auto' believes its warm enough.

[clifton 94]

Hi,

I have a 2000 IS200, the radiator was leaking, so I sent it to a repairer. They couldn't find the leaking point so they put some stop leak liquid into the radiator. Good news is the radiator now stopped leaking. But I noticed the engine tempreature gauge is bearly rising up. I drove about 30 minutes to work in light traffic, the tempreture gauge is only pointing at the second mark line, and the heating is not blowing air as I set fan on auto.

Checked the radiator circulation last night, seems that the water is running. Maybe it's not circulating fast enough due to the usage of stop leak? Anyone know what can be wrong?

Thanks in advance.

Regards,

DD

hi try a new thermostat

[dave1]

I would doubt that your rad was leaking if a proper rad repairer couldn't find a leak. Did they test it in situ? If the water was not circulating fast enough it would have the opposite effect. As clifton says, worth checking thermostat.

[mattc]

As said above how could they not find the leak as they should have pressure tested it to check for leaks.

The stuff they put in could have blocked something but check the stat as above. Also leave the car to stand and see if the temp goes up above the normal level when stationary.

[shanghai_stin]

I would doubt that your rad was leaking if a proper rad repairer couldn't find a leak. Did they test it in situ? If the water was not circulating fast enough it would have the opposite effect. As clifton says, worth checking thermostat.

It was weird, it doesn't leak while it's stationary even I rev the engine up to 4000rpm for as long as a few minutes. But just 5 minutes after I hit the road, there are water all over the bottom protection shield. And the reserved coolant bottle went down very quickly, I was filling about 1 litre water/coolant for every 20 miles I drove. (that's all before getting the radiator filled up with stop leak.)

Then a few days after the stop leak stuff was put into the radiator, the leak stoped. Another 2 days later, the heating stopped working.

As said above how could they not find the leak as they should have pressure tested it to check for leaks.

The stuff they put in could have blocked something but check the stat as above. Also leave the car to stand and see if the temp goes up above the normal level when stationary.

I thought it was the water circulation, actually I cleared the radiator just now, and filled with clean coolant/water mix. It's now heating up at stationary even on idle, but as soon as I'm on road and getting some speed, the temperature gauge actually is dropping down. feel like the circulation is not working at all, but I had coolant cap off and watched it. I can see coolant flow pretty fast.

About the thermostat, I 'm pretty sure that's not the problem, as the radiator is not heating up at all, I can touch it bear hand, it's only a little hotter than warm.

Totally no idea what can be wrong now. I might just bring it back the repairer tomorrow.

Thank you guys for the help.

Regards,

DD

[shanghai_stin]

I think the heating matrix water might be the same water??

When my radiator top up bottle leaked I heard gargling through the heaters when I assume are was sucked through.

So if my above assumptions are correct the radweld or such could be restricting the pipes to the heating.

I'm sure someone with greater knowledge will either affirm this or give a much better reasoning.

Iv been running my heating on manual whilst the engine is warming as the temp warming up in winter is alot longer so I get it blowing warm before the 'auto' believes its warm enough.

Thank you Davison

I have actually never noticed it's slower to warm up during winter. wonder if there was any problem before for the quick heat up (usually it takes just a couple of minutes, then I get about 3 -4 marks on the temp gauge, which means hot air coming through already)

[Kiefels]

I think the heating matrix water might be the same water??

When my radiator top up bottle leaked I heard gargling through the heaters when I assume are was sucked through.

So if my above assumptions are correct the radweld or such could be restricting the pipes to the heating.

I'm sure someone with greater knowledge will either affirm this or give a much better reasoning.

Iv been running my heating on manual whilst the engine is warming as the temp warming up in winter is alot longer so I get it blowing warm before the 'auto' believes its warm enough.

Thank you Davison

I have actually never noticed it's slower to warm up during winter. wonder if there was any problem before for the quick heat up (usually it takes just a couple of minutes, then I get about 3 -4 marks on the temp gauge, which means hot air coming through already)

HI...

Having had heating/cooling probs in the past I have to tell you this...

If your radiator was slowing the flow of water down significantly you would find your vehicle overheating.

The radiator is to cool the hot water coming from around the engine. So if the radiator is blocked/semi blocked the water would sit around the engine longer and would get hotter and hotter.

As your car is running cool/cold I would look straight to the themo-stat.

The thermo-stat is a metallic valve that operates purely on heat.

The thermo-stat should be in the closed position whilst the engine warms up then when the thermo-stat reaches a preset temperature (hot water from engine) it opens and allows water to circulate through the radiator where it is cooled before entering the engine cooling again.

Thermo stats have no electronic components they are operated by the natural action on metal expanding and contracting with heat and cold.

Sounds to me like your thermo-stat is stuck open thus allowing water to pass through to radiator before it has been warmed via the engine.

Because of the cold weather the temperature will stay lower than usual.

Had the thermo-stat stuck closed you would find your vehicle over-heating because the water cannot pass the thermo-stat into the radiator to cool down.

I hope this helps.

I am leak hunting on my IS myself. Losing coolant but can't find out where.

[TigerFish]

I would agree that your thermostat appears to be stuck open.

As far as your water leak is concerned, I would check your rad cap, maybe the seal is/has gone and the stop leak has just helped clog that seal up.

[shanghai_stin]

I would agree that your thermostat appears to be stuck open.

As far as your water leak is concerned, I would check your rad cap, maybe the seal is/has gone and the stop leak has just helped clog that seal up.

HI...

Having had heating/cooling probs in the past I have to tell you this...

If your radiator was slowing the flow of water down significantly you would find your vehicle overheating.

The radiator is to cool the hot water coming from around the engine. So if the radiator is blocked/semi blocked the water would sit around the engine longer and would get hotter and hotter.

As your car is running cool/cold I would look straight to the themo-stat.

The thermo-stat is a metallic valve that operates purely on heat.

The thermo-stat should be in the closed position whilst the engine warms up then when the thermo-stat reaches a preset temperature (hot water from engine) it opens and allows water to circulate through the radiator where it is cooled before entering the engine cooling again.

Thermo stats have no electronic components they are operated by the natural action on metal expanding and contracting with heat and cold.

Sounds to me like your thermo-stat is stuck open thus allowing water to pass through to radiator before it has been warmed via the engine.

Because of the cold weather the temperature will stay lower than usual.

Had the thermo-stat stuck closed you would find your vehicle over-heating because the water cannot pass the thermo-stat into the radiator to cool down.

I hope this helps.

I am leak hunting on my IS myself. Losing coolant but can't find out where.

Ahh~ Stuck open, never thought about that.

Thank you for the explaination which is very educational!

I'll try clean it up and see if I can find a replacement.

Good luck on your own radiator.

just to mention that there is a white plastic tap on the bottom of the radiator, which is pointing at a whole through the protection shield. if water is coming out there, you might not see the leak. hope it helps a little bit.

Thank you very much!

Regards,

DD

[mattc]

There you go

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LEXUS-IS200-2-0-24V-1GFE-99-05-THERMOSTAT-COOLING-/390193249418?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item5ad9547c8a

[dj0nes]

Did you give the garage permission to put that crap through your system mate? If that was me I'd be pretty angry to be honest, it might be okay as a temp fix but that stuff does more harm and good, it's main job is to stop leaks ie. block holes the last thing you want is your water pump or pipe being blocked completely. I'd make them do a full system flush.

Hi,

I have a 2000 IS200, the radiator was leaking, so I sent it to a repairer. They couldn't find the leaking point so they put some stop leak liquid into the radiator. Good news is the radiator now stopped leaking. But I noticed the engine tempreature gauge is bearly rising up. I drove about 30 minutes to work in light traffic, the tempreture gauge is only pointing at the second mark line, and the heating is not blowing air as I set fan on auto.

Checked the radiator circulation last night, seems that the water is running. Maybe it's not circulating fast enough due to the usage of stop leak? Anyone know what can be wrong?

Thanks in advance.

Regards,

DD

[shanghai_stin]

Hi,

I have a 2000 IS200, the radiator was leaking, so I sent it to a repairer. They couldn't find the leaking point so they put some stop leak liquid into the radiator. Good news is the radiator now stopped leaking. But I noticed the engine tempreature gauge is bearly rising up. I drove about 30 minutes to work in light traffic, the tempreture gauge is only pointing at the second mark line, and the heating is not blowing air as I set fan on auto.

Checked the radiator circulation last night, seems that the water is running. Maybe it's not circulating fast enough due to the usage of stop leak? Anyone know what can be wrong?

Thanks in advance.

Regards,

DD

Update: Thermostat is replaced with new one, but the same problem as above still remains. gaining tempreture on stationary but will lose the temp during driving.

I noticed there is a tiny whole with a piece metal insert(loose but not removeable, bigger on one side, smaller on the other side. looks like a one ) on the ring of the thermostat. The new thermostat has the bigger end of that little metal insert on the opposite side of the ring than the old one. does that matter?

Anyone has any idea about what else can be wrong?

Thank you.

[ormi]

were are you checking the level of the coolant??theirs two places....the rad and the bottle thats attached to the fan housing...it sounds like you could have an air lock..and yes your thermostat is ok mate

[TigerFish]

The little metal insert you are talking about is to help remove airlocks. As long as the thermostat is the right way round, it doesn't matter which way the insert is (as long as it is at the top)

[shanghai_stin]

were are you checking the level of the coolant??theirs two places....the rad and the bottle thats attached to the fan housing...it sounds like you could have an air lock..and yes your thermostat is ok mate

Yes, I checked both places for coolant level.

The little metal insert you are talking about is to help remove airlocks. As long as the thermostat is the right way round, it doesn't matter which way the insert is (as long as it is at the top)

Hmm..., didn't pay attention to the position of the "jiggle value" (found the name of the little metal insert), I'll try rotate it up tomorrow.

Thanks TigerFish.

[Swindon Andy]

At risk of repeating some earlier advice. - The symptoms still point to the thermostat. When you start up frm cold, the radiator and top hose should stay stone cold while the engine and heater warm up. As the engine comes up to temperature, you should feel a sudden heat in the top hose when the thermostat opens.