Car overheating. Coolant leaking Options

[maddskkilz]

Hey guys

Car was overheating. Pulled over twice and let it cool. Still didn't work. Let it sit in driveway for a couple days and filled up coolant. Drove it to mechanic an coolant was leaking out the top of radiator cap.
Didn't overheat on drive to mechanic but it was only 5 minutes away.

Is this a common problem? Will I need to replace the radiator?

Let me know
Thx
Z

[Galcobar]

The cooling system is designed to operate under pressure. If the cap is weak, worn-out or incorrect, its pressure valve will not work. A leaking system isn't properly pressurized, so as said above, start by replacing the radiator cap. It would also be advisable to look for cracks in the upper tank near the cap in case those are the source of the leak.

Basic checks: do the fans kick on when the temperature goes up? If not, there's your problem -- they're supposed to kick on at about 93C. Unplug the temperature fan switch. If the fans immediately start running, then you know the fans are good and you should test the resistance (temperature sensing ability) of the fan switch. Are the upper and lower hoses different temperatures? That usually indicates the thermostat isn't opening correctly to allow coolant to circulate. When you filled the coolant did you properly bleed the air out of the system? Check the coolant and the oil for any cross-contamination (this would indicate a leak in the head gasket).