Today when i parked my car after driving it the coolant was bubbling and pouring out of my overflow resevoir. Do you think this is caused by air in the system? Any ideas?

 

Have you recently worked on your cooling system.

 

Rent or buy a exhaust gas test set. It tests for exhaust gasses in the coolant and will tell you if you have a blown head gasket.

Massey

 

I just had my trans rebuilt and reinstalled

 

This is the best way to check but the cost can be pretty high.

Fill and blead your system, You can borrow a Coolant pressure tester and many auto parts stores. Check out Youtube for a how too video, search testing coolany system with a coolant pressure tester.

Once your sure you dont have the major issue just let the car idle. Feel the hoses and make sure they get hot. also try to feel the radiator. See if and when the fan kicks on.

 

There is definately air in the system. Also i just remember the car never got hot until i opened a bleeder screw earlier not on its own. I know how to do a pressure test on the system. i also looked at the oil earlier and it is fine. I will probably buy an exhaust gas tester they have simple ones that you mix chemicals in and screw them on the radiator and if it changes color then you know you have a head gasket blown. Im going to try bleeding it tomorrow and see what that does.

 

The Autozone near me rents this tool for $20 and you get $15 back since you do use some of the fluid. The tool itself only costs $30 if you want to buy it for your own collection and new fluid only runs you about $10 for a new bottle. You take off the cap and put fluid in the tube put the tube on where the rad cap goes and run the engine for a bit then depending on the tool you either wait for operating temp or use a bulb (like on a turkey baster) to pull some of the gasses from the cooling system into the test chamber. If the blue liquid turns brown you have a blown head gasket.

Search for Lisle tool 75500

Massey

 

Here's good ol Scotty to show you how:

 

I was already looking at the lisle kit. ill probably add it to my collection. Found it on amazon for 30 bucks, but i might try to get one day shipping.

 

i bled the system out and the car seems to be behaving normally. I may drive it around a little today and see what it does. The car stayed consistently around 180 degrees at idle for at least 20-30 min even when i was opening and closing the bleeder screws. The car also never got hot while driving before the temp only went up when i opened up the bleeder while the coolant was leaking out of the overflow reservoir. And as ive said before there are no signs of coolant in the oil and the coolant that was in there looked like it was right out of the bottle, extremely clean. If I continue to have an issue i will be picking up one of those kits and go from there.