# 2000 Nissan Altima Over Heating



## Guap0_ (Dec 2, 2017)

In the morning, open the cap & start the car. Fill the radiator. Let it run for 15 minutes. By that time, the thermostat should open & the electric fans should start. Put the cap back on the radiator. If both fans aren't running & the temperature gauge is starting to get hot, the fans are the problem. Generally, I jump the relay to let the fans run all the time. That's my solution.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

Guap0_ said:


> In the morning, open the cap & start the car. Fill the radiator. Let it run for 15 minutes. By that time, the thermostat should open & the electric fans should start. Put the cap back on the radiator. If both fans aren't running & the temperature gauge is starting to get hot, the fans are the problem. Generally, I jump the relay to let the fans run all the time. That's my solution.


I wouldn't have thought to jump the relay, that is a good idea, thanks, I appreciate it. 

I let the car completely cool down this evening, I took the cap off and the radiator was filled to the brim, I let it run until it got as warm as it was going to. The fan on the drivers side never came on, the car never got hot just idling. The water just wasn't circulating like I think it should, it was just barely moving and I had to look close to even see that. The water never got below the top rim where the cap goes.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

Back in the -_ good ole days - , _to check thermostat function and water flow, it was common to hold the radiator hose in hand from a cold start to determine if/when the stat opened.


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

Hot after long idle makes me think the fans aren't running. Super quick test, start car turn on AC. Fans should come on. A longer test, open hood, let car idle until hot, watch temp guage, watch fans. If they don't come on, well, there you are. 

Might put a scanner on it; some codes don't trip a MIL. You need a scanner that can read Nissan specific codes, though.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

May not be the fan at all, but the temp sensor unit, or any relay that activates the fan.

Or an electronic " brain". 

A manufacturer specific code scanner, would help pinpoint where to look.


ED


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

de-nagorg said:


> May not be the fan at all, but the temp sensor unit, or any relay that activates the fan.
> 
> Or an electronic " brain".
> 
> ...


If the fan doesn't come on, give it 12V straight from the battery. If it commes on, work your way back. Check the fuse, swap a relay, etc.


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## Brainbucket (Mar 30, 2015)

Is this the car you put a 2.0 in place of the 2.5?


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

Brainbucket said:


> Is this the car you put a 2.0 in place of the 2.5?


That was our grandson's car, it is still running great. This is our car. 

I will try to jump the relay and go that route for right now, I have a medical procedure tomorrow and I don't want Judy to have to deal with any problems driving me home. :smile:

I really do appreciate all of your help.


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

You made no mention of bleeding air out of the system after refilling it.

A lot of cars these days are sensitive to air being trapped in the block. They have an air bleeder screw or bolt on many nissans to facilitate getting the air bubbles out.

I’d check the owners manual to see if yours is one of them.


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## Guap0_ (Dec 2, 2017)

Shouldn't the cap bleed the air into the overflow tank?


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

It’s not going to bleed air that is trapped in the block. There are a lot of nooks and crannies in there.

That’s why many mfg’s have gone to bleed screws. 

Here’s a generic article on burping, purging, and bleeding air from radiators/cooling systems.
http://www.radiatorrepair.com/bleed-cooling-system/


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## Guap0_ (Dec 2, 2017)

I generally leave the cap off until the water if flowing freely.


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

Some cars, that will work others it won’t.

It’s also important to turn the heater on and get flow thru the heater system. I’ve seen a couple of Japanese cars where the heater has “vapor locked” due to trapped air.


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## Guap0_ (Dec 2, 2017)

Yes, it's good to let the water flow into the heater core when filling the radiator. The fan doesn't have to be running.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

BigJim said:


> That was our grandson's car, it is still running great. This is our car.
> 
> I will try to jump the relay and go that route for right now, I have a medical procedure tomorrow and I don't want Judy to have to deal with any problems driving me home. :smile:
> 
> I really do appreciate all of your help.


Good luck with that, We want to see you back for a long time to come. 

Be well.


ED


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

Oso954 said:


> You made no mention of bleeding air out of the system after refilling it.
> 
> A lot of cars these days are sensitive to air being trapped in the block. They have an air bleeder screw or bolt on many nissans to facilitate getting the air bubbles out.
> 
> I’d check the owners manual to see if yours is one of them.


Wow, I have never heard of this, I will for sure check the manual to see. Thanks for the heads up.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

de-nagorg said:


> Good luck with that, We want to see you back for a long time to come.
> 
> Be well.
> 
> ...


Thanks Ed, I appreciate it.


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

Oso954 said:


> You made no mention of bleeding air out of the system after refilling it.
> 
> A lot of cars these days are sensitive to air being trapped in the block. They have an air bleeder screw or bolt on many nissans to facilitate getting the air bubbles out.
> 
> I’d check the owners manual to see if yours is one of them.


My old Villager had a bleed screw on top of the engine AND a vent hose you had to crack open that bled air out of the heater core. I bought a lisle coolant funnel kit that works well to bleed air. Got my wife's Windstars heat back to life one December when I replaced the blend door actuator. Actuator swap worked, still little to no heat. Used the funnel, the right cap adapter and filled the system up into the funnel. When the level went down keep the funnel full, rev the engine with the heater on full blast. Lot of bubbles and gurgling then TORRID heat! Thing has been super toasty in the winter ever since.

Note: Villager was a rebadged Nissan Quest.

https://www.amazon.com/EPAuto-Radia...spons&keywords=lisle+coolant+funnel+kit&psc=1


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## Brainbucket (Mar 30, 2015)

Altima's don't need to be 'bled' but it is good to turn on heater. You have 3 relays that turn on fans.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

Just got back from having the medical procedure and also it is still raining. As rough as I feel, the car is going to have to wait until maybe tomorrow, if the rain will stop. It didn't get out of the normal range today, real happy about that.

Thanks BB, that is good to know, thanks for the diagram also, that will come in handy.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

I finally got back out on the car, I checked all the relays and they are all good. I tried to jump straight from the battery to the fan, no good, fan won't budge. Looks like Bigplanz was right, I need another fan.


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## ukrkoz (Dec 31, 2010)

Well, you have two fans. Passenger side is radiator cooling fan. Driver side is AC fan. It also sides as auxiliary cooling fan when ambient temp is very high or car has not air flow and there is demand for extra cooling.
AC fan normally comes on when AC turns on. 

Why do you keep using word "water" not coolant?
Bleeder screws are on many cars. They are always installed at the HIGHEST coolant system point. Sometimes in thermostat housing, sometimes in engine block. Varies. Sometimes it's dedicated part. Some vehicles are rather tricky to bleed air out.
I am suspicious of two things: basically, dirty radiator fins or clogged radiator. Say, bunch of bugs may clog fins, resulting in reduced air flow through and radiator function. Or, dust.
That you were running low on COOLANT points towards leak somewhere. Either at hoses or at water pump or places else or internal leak.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

ukrkoz said:


> Well, you have two fans. Passenger side is radiator cooling fan. Driver side is AC fan. It also sides as auxiliary cooling fan when ambient temp is very high or car has not air flow and there is demand for extra cooling.
> AC fan normally comes on when AC turns on.
> 
> Why do you keep using word "water" not coolant?
> ...


When I turn the AC on, the fan on the passenger side comes on, it is the one on the drivers side that don't work.

I guess the reason I keep saying water is because back in the 60s all we used was water until winter. 

The cooling fins shouldn't be stopped up, the radiator isn't but about 6 months old, still looks new. No rust or anything in the coolant.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Good point.

I have found leaks in the radiator cap seal has deteriorated, and letting the coolant out into the overflow tank, but the tank has an unknown hole in the bottom, and the coolant falls away to be seen never again. 

Even found coolant dripping out the tail pipe, one head gasket was bad and letting coolant out into the exhaust, and dripping at the tailpipe. 

With enough searching your problem can be found, after you heal enough to be up and functioning.


ED


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

de-nagorg said:


> Good point.
> 
> I have found leaks in the radiator cap seal has deteriorated, and letting the coolant out into the overflow tank, but the tank has an unknown hole in the bottom, and the coolant falls away to be seen never again.
> 
> ...


I think the cap is going bad if it hasn't already, that may be one of the problems. 

When I was filling the radiator back up and letting it run until the thermostat opened up, there was bubbles, that did make me think the head gasket could be blown. I have checked a couple times now and no more bubbles, so that is a good thing.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

ukrkoz said:


> Why do you keep using word "water" not coolant?


I assume we should never use the word oil again but always say lubricant. And those goofy people that keep writing motor oil on those bottles should be ashamed when it's put in the engine.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

SeniorSitizen said:


> I assume we should never use the word oil again but always say lubricant. And those goofy people that keep writing motor oil on those bottles should be ashamed when it's put in the engine.


Speaking of peeves, It irritates the crap out of me :vs_mad: to hear an otherwise intelligent person call the engine of anything a " MOTOR" 

They are not. :vs_smirk::vs_smirk::vs_smirk:

ED


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

I put water in the radiator to keep my motor cool.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Bigplanz said:


> I put water in the radiator to keep my motor cool.


:vs_mad::vs_mad::vs_mad: Smartalec! :vs_mad::vs_mad::vs_mad:


:biggrin2:


ED


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