Poorly Maintained 2001 Galant V6

[parimento1]

My friends recently started overheating sometimes on the highway. I opened the hood and checked under the cap and saw crud caked up on the cap and brown coolant. The coolant pipes, where the hoses attach to the metal pipes that go into the block, look like they had been eaten by battery acid, they had those white crusty deposits. The coolant reservoir was full, but all that dirty coolant has never been changed in 150k miles. Car only overheats on the highway. I didnt see any leaks, and both fans go on. The upper-rad hose also gets soft and hard in response to changes in temp, so I dont thik the thermostat is stuck. What do you guys think, is it the waterpump, or clogged radiator or something else? On another note, I happened to check the tranny fluid and it was black. I asked if it had ever been changed, he said no. 150k miles on factory fluid and no tranny problems...lucky guy.

 

[simple_gifts]

Close the hood, slowly back away from the car....

I can't see the radiator not being clogged; no coolant changes and the cooling system becomes one big battery

 

[mrsilv04]

Well, he got his 150k. Problem is, he's likely not going to get much more than that, without some repair bills.

 

[Donald]

Start by flushing out the old fluid and adding plain water and a flush chemical. Follow the directions. After the flush run fill and flush it twice with distilled water. Then drain and fill with AF. If any of the metal parts you mention are damaged from corrsoion they will need to be replaced.

The ATF needs to be changed. At least a pan drop and filter replacement.

One cannot just run a vehicle and only change the oil.

Maybe he should just trade it in to a dealer and get something new.

 

[Johnny]

No only is the radiator probably plugged, the cooling passages in the engine are probably plugged. Not a good situation. I certainly hope he has changed the oil.

I also agree with what simple_gifts said. Back away and tell him to take it to the mechanic of his choice.

 

[parimento1]

Yes, I will recommend he take it to the mechanic of his choice to get it chemically flushed as I don't want to be blamed if something goes wrong (like a head gasket, etc.) if I flush it for him. He has been extremely lucky with this car so far, as he has had very minimal problems. The only thing he has had to replace on the car is the horn, twice.

 

[Cutehumor]

coolant flush first. try the cheapest/easiest option first. then go from there. does mitsubishi use long life coolant?

 

[parimento1]

I have no idea if it uses long life coolant, but the coolant was well past its service life.

 

[Cutehumor]

doesn't this vehicle have a timing belt too? any info on TB changes?

 

[parimento1]

I doubt it has had it done, my friend knows nothing about cars except how to drive them. The serpentine belt squeals sometimes as well and looks to be original.

 

[MrCritical]

Interference engine.

SHE'S GONNA BLOW!!!!

 

[Tosh]

He's wasting money starting to fix things at this stage. Time for a new car.

 

[parimento1]

probably at a minumum he will have to replace the radiator b/c if the cap was so gunked with brown crud, the internals must be horrible. However, it does go to show you how even a poorly maintained car will make it to 150k miles and beyond with no maintenance. All he did was change the oil, put new brakes and tires on the car for 150k miles. Also, since when did mitsubishi start making such good cars haha. I am also sure that he wont sell the car unless it really grenades itself. The last car he had was a 1991 Ford Taurus with 250k miles on it and the original transmission (go figure).

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: parimento1
I doubt it has had it done, my friend knows nothing about cars except how to drive them. The serpentine belt squeals sometimes as well and looks to be original.


That could be the belt or an idler. Replace the belt and see what happens.

 

[Donald]

The car needs maybe $1K in maint. Timing belt, tranny service and cooling system service. If he keeps running it without the cooling system being serviced, it will continue to get worse and eventually will really overheat and warp the heads. Engine then needs mucho work, maybe toast, maybe car.

If he is super cheap, suggest a Prestone flush tee, flush till clean (no chemical), then throw in some univeral AF. At least it will not get any worse and will cost under $25.

Ya gotta get the old crud AF out immediately.

 

[sciphi]

Let him do the work while you sip a cold drink and supervise. Then he has only himself to blame when something goes wrong.

better yet have him take it to a mechanic (not one you regularly go to) and have a camera ready when he gets the estimate.

 

[parimento1]

The T-flush is actually a good idea, I'll ask him, but I doubt he'll actually do it soon. I know im not gonna touch it since it involves cutting the heater hose, but if he wants to he can do it. I think it really may need a chemical flush though it looked really dirty in there. I'm not sure if the engine is all aluminum or not but that water looked very very rusty.

 

[Silk]

Originally Posted By: parimento1
Yes, I will recommend he take it to the mechanic of his choice to get it chemically flushed as I don't want to be blamed if something goes wrong (like a head gasket, etc.) if I flush it for him.


So it's ok for the mechanic to take the rap for this? I hope your friend doesn't take him to the cleaners.

Doing anything to the cooling system will open a Pandora's Box of problems - one after another components will fail....and ultimately as you suspect a headgasket too.But,it has to be done - go easy on that mechanic eh? I've been in that situation too many times myself.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: parimento1
The T-flush is actually a good idea, I'll ask him, but I doubt he'll actually do it soon. I know im not gonna touch it since it involves cutting the heater hose, but if he wants to he can do it. I think it really may need a chemical flush though it looked really dirty in there. I'm not sure if the engine is all aluminum or not but that water looked very very rusty.


You don't actually need to cut the heater hose. Buy 1 or 2 feet of heater hose, and pull the current heater hose off its connector, and use the new heater hose to temporarly splice in the tee.

 

[parimento1]

ah good idea!