Overheat

Just after lunch yesterday, Michelle called that the Sentra’s engine was smoking and it stank. Signs of an overheat. Good thing she had already stopped the car. So I just asked her to let the engine cool, replenish the water in the coolant reservoir, and proceed to the parking.

Some helpful passersby also advised her to pour water over the radiator but I’m not too sure that helped much. Since the engine is off, coolant (if there is any left) is not circulating and that would mainly cool down the radiator and not the engine.

After work, I drove straight to her office. I checked the radiator and it had little water. I refilled it and checked for leaks and found water leaking out the top of the radiator. We drove to a nearby Petron gas station that has a service bay.

At the gas station, the mechanic confirmed that the radiator had a leak and will need to be replaced. As the supply shops were already closed there was no way it can be replaced that day. So we left the car at the gasoline station overnight.

This morning, I dropped off Michelle at her office for another company outing this time to Villa Escudero. I then went back to the gas station and filled in a job order for replacing the radiator and a change oil, requisite in an engine overheat.  Leaving the car in the care of the mechanic, I went off to work.

After work, I returned to the gas station to find the car back in running condition and a hefty repair bill. But I’m just glad I didn’t have to replace a head gasket or even an engine.

What to do in case of overheat:

1. As soon as you notice abnormally high readings on the temperature gauge or, more likely, notice smoke coming out of the hood park and stop the engine.
2. Wait for the engine to cool down. Do NOT pour water on the engine.
3. Once the engine has cooled down sufficiently, i.e. not smoking anymore, replenish the water in the coolant reservoir. The water will drain into the radiator and into the rest of the cooling system.
4. Only when the water is not draining into the radiator should you open the radiator cap.
5. If you do need to open the radiator cap, use a rag to twist it loose. Let any pressure off before completely opening and removing the cap. Replenish the water in the radiator
6. Check for leaks.
7. If you have a leak, especially a big one, best to call a tow truck.
8. If the leak is small or you don’t want to call a tow truck, you can also do cycles of drive a few kilometers, stop, cool, replenish until you reach your destination. This is risky and should be done only when the repair shop is near.
9. Observe the temperature gauge.
10. If the temperature seems normal and stable, you just ran out of coolant and you should be able to proceed.
11. If the temperature goes too high, you have some other problem, possibly a stuck thermostat or broken water pump.