Well Im not a car expert, but when I put my hand behind the radiator fan (yes a major NO NO, I know) I cant feel any air coming from the fan.

I had the air bubble problem before and I may do another flush just to see what happens (but now I cant get my radiator cap off! ). Im hoping my radiator isnt corroded inside.

Interesting enough, I took it for a spin yesterday and when I was going at about 60mph the temperature was jumping up and down (between normal operating temp lvl and one bar above). Between 1-55 the temperature stayed down and same with around 100. When I was on my way home, I had to stay under 25 in the complex and the temperature started to raise up slowly and I checked the radiator fan and this is where I could not feel any from behind the radiator fan, but I could feel air coming out of the little space in front of the fan, between the radiator and fan.

 

When my car had the exact symptons it was my water pump going bad... I changed my thermostat, fan fluid checked, changed coolant, radiator cap, etc and it was the pump(and it was not leaking either) going bad!!!

If you have checked all of these it is possibly the water pump.. Just get the timing belt changed at this time for no extra labor cost...

Keep us informed...

 

Im hoping it isnt a waterpump.

Is there a way to check if it is the waterpump without removing it?

 

Check the weep hole for leakig around the water pump.

 

Sometimes when the water pump is going bad it will not leak any fluids.

 

Is there a way to check the impeller to see if it is bad without removing the water pump?

I have no leaking at all so I dont think it would be the water pump seal.

I unscrewed the bleed valve with the car off today and heard some air coming out. To properly bleed the air, you leave the valve open until the car runs at normal operating temp right?

 

Not really, internally the bearings on the water pump start to get corroded, you might get some noise from the pump and sometimes not, it will suddenly give out and start to leak. I would have the WP changed ASAP before it leaves you stranded somewhere.

 

Im not going to be driving it until I get the problem fixed. I smell a weekend project coming up :eek:

Anyone have any diagrams of the engine?

 

goto your local autozone and pick up a nice haynes manual and you should be set.

 

Matt,

Wow, this thread has gone from checking the fan....to a blown headgasket.....to a bad waterpump without ever having any diagnostic. Please follow diagnostic procedures.

 

I agree, the best purchase I made for my coupe was the official service manual. Be glad to review it for you but it is in the cold garage with my baby.

The manual is great since you follow the factory listed trouble shooting steps, simplifying and speeding up your checks.

good luck

 

As Erfan said the WP does not show any symptons at times(as mine did not). It can just go out. Mine never leak or anything...

eah this thread it going in another direction, just use this info as a reference...

I'm not saying it IS the water pump, however, when I had these syptoms it WAS the water pump. By all means get the car diagnosed by a qualified mechanic.

These forums are a good source of info. Whenever you take your car to a shop, the mechanic will go through these exact steps to find the problem... If a car is running hot NO MATTER what brand, will have almost the exact check points to find the cure...

Even with a manual there will be a few things to check if a car is running hot.. Just be knowledgeable of the syptoms when you take your car to the shop. This way you will not be taken for your $$$...

Just keep us informed, because another member can use this info one day...

 

First of all you should check the coolant level !!!

 

He has already checked all of the obvious things

 

That's how I look at it. I read what has happened to other owners first and if I cant find the info I need, you make a new thread; that's what the boards are for.

Im going to be bleeding the air system tonight or tomorrow morning. Going to jack the front of the car up so it is the highest point in the cooling system. According to some online mechanic sites, the car should be cycled about 5 times to get air bubbles fully out since they can get trapped in the heads or block when you are trying to bleed them out. I got my radiator cap off (very tight seal). The coolant lvl is full.

I had the whole cooling system checked when I bought the car (1k miles ago) and they said there were no leaks and everything was working (including wp according to the mechanics who were working on it; talked to them for 30 mins about me car since they were in love with SCs) and I had air bubbles in the system. If this problem is what is going on again, Im going to do a full flush and put some leak ending stuff in to see what happens.

The seal seems fine on the water pump so if it is it, I think it may be the impeller (if it is the wp). On the timing belt cover, it says the timing belt was changed at ~40k (my car has 70k now). Does anyone know if Lexus dealers change waterpumps when they change timing belts, usually?