So basically, I have an 1989 Pontiac Trans Am. Me and a buddy ripped the old TBI 305 out of it, put a small block 400 into it. It was a pain in the butt, but we got it running finally. About a couple weeks in, I finally got my exhaust done. The morning after I got it done, I went out and let the car run for 5 minutes to warm up, came outside to see smoke coming from the hood. I figured it was just the paint coming off my headers..sure enough when I popped my hood I saw steam coming from everywhere..the resevoir tank was spewing/shooting steam, and coolant out, so I immidiately shut the car off. Three seconds later a really loud explosion happened, sending coolant everywhere. I ended up blowing a top radiator hose into three pieces, which was brand new.
I check themostat, was fine, replaced, etc etc..For some reason the coolant is just, acting weird. I got this motor rebuilt off a guy around here, came out of a 72 impala supposedly. It was fresh rebuilt to stock.
its a smallblock 4 bolt main 400. ANyway.
I changed the hose, put coolant in, changed thermostat, but still the car runs just fine, runs perfectly fine. Drives fine. (By the way I dont have gauges in the car quite yet..working on it), but when you let it run, then shut the car off, if you take the radiator cap off, it spews out coolant from the radiator.
A guy that looked at the car told me the water pump was turning backwards, causing pressure buildup, less coolant more air into the motor, because the water pumpw as turning Counter clockwise. Well the belt diagram shows this, and we are almost positive this water pumpwe took off came off of the 305 that came with the car. THe belt diagram shows the pump running in reverse..

Any thoughts that could be wrong with the motor? Blown head gasket..?

Thanks.

TB07

 

the engine should turn the waterpump counterclockwise, unless your engine is turning the wrong way, which is pretty impossible. and you know, when your engine is warm and you try to take off the rad cap, water will spew out of your rad because theres still pressure. when water warms up it expands, which is why you have the overflow tank. when your car warms up now, does it look fine with no leaks? and does it overheat? this time dont remove the rad cap and take a second look at the car.

PS: this time you run it, dont be so scared if you see steam, it could be old coolant that you didnt wipe off that is just burning off from the engine heat.

 

Thats the thing, we leave the cap off when we start the car..you can see the coolant is fluxuating inside, then you shut the car off and it just pukes it right out..

 

put on the cap...the water level is supposed to rise.

 

I understand that, I know it goes to the resevoir but the way it shoots out just isnt normal. Somethings up with it, pressure build up.

Also we ran a "carbon monoxide" tester on it, the fluid chamber that changes the second chamber to blue I believe if theres carbon monoxide in the coolant..well it tested postive.
Head gasket if its getting carbon monxide in it?
Whats funny is this car runs just fine. The motor runs clean..almost too clean..

 

ok...the reason why it blows out of your rad is because of excess pressure, so put the correct amount of fluids in the rad and PUT THE CAP ON. now forget about that because thers no reason to warrant concern if your engine runs fine, doesnt overheat and doesnt blow up hoses anymore. now as far as your co tester is concerned, if you did blow a head gasket then your exhaust would steam up when you start your car...does any steam come out of the exhaust tips? (steam is a clear white, oil burning is a bluish smoke, and it smells really bad)

 

No, dont really smell coolant burning from tail pipes..Ill get a gauge in there, monitor it after we check the W pump.

 

lol your funny

 

?? How so??

 

lol cuz, you say its leakin out of the rad, so i say put the cap back on, you say that you know that but i left the cap off and it leaks everywhere, i again tell u to put the cap on. but then you argue that its not the cap...so your funny.

so did you put the cap back on and see if anything else was wrong? remember...when the engine is at opperating tempurature DO NOT REMOVE THE CAP OR EVEN TRY TO LOOSEN IT BECAUSE IT WILL BLOW UP IN YOUR FACE

 

Ok, I know. I cant check that because the belts off on the car, dont have time to route it.
Ive noticed air bubbles going into the coolant resivoir tank..?
Im not sure what else theres to see. I havent been able to really get down and dirty to check

 

ok well im sure that your pump is turning the correct way, im sure that once you hoom up the belts and hoses to the correct positions, once you fill your engine block and rad with fluids and put the cap on, then youll be just fine. i have a feeling ther was nothing wrong at all except for the fact that you had the cap off. when you drain your fluids, it may take a bit for the fluids level to get back up to normal. fill the rad and and block at the thermostat, let her run and cool down on its own. once cool, check the rad to see if the coolant level is low, if its low then top it up and your good to go again. also fill the coolant resivoir to the correct cold level.