20220913 Getting hot

After making sure my kids are delivered safely into the arms of their scholastic tormentors, it was time to go home. On the way back, while climbing the Mid Valley slope (the one where you exit off the Federal Highway right after the Petron gas station), I could hear my pistons pinging.

Usually when I start to approach the slope, I would use the car's momentum to let it go up about halfway before I step on the gas. As there was a car in front of me, I had to cancel the momentum and use the gas instead. And right there and then, I heard the sound. It only comes on if I just tap on the gas though. So I was wondering what is happening, thinking it could be the drive belt of something (OK, so the MyVi uses timing chains) and then I saw it with my own eyes...

 

The Engine is overheating!!!

And what made matters worse was that there is a slow moving lorry in front of us, watering the plants on the sides of the road. Keeping cool was all I could do since I noticed there was smoke coming out from under the hood. Finally, after an eternity, I got my car parked at the side of the road. Remembering that there was a Newsagent booth nearby, I two bottles of drinking water (3.0L in total)

The first thing you need to realise is that you cannot just open the radiator cap and pour in the (not hot) water. You need to wait or else, you will have more serious issue. After about a few minutes, I took the chance...

Slowly pouring in, hot radiator consumed about 1.25L of water while the reservoir took the rest.

There must be a lot of air bubbles as the water keep being burped out.

I know that the radiator was changed years ago after an accident and so, I guess it was time. Luckily, it was not the Radiator Fan nor its relay or even the temperature sensor. I had the water pump changed and also, I changed the thermostat myself last year. After thinking much about it, there was actually a warning sign which I could not recognise.

Days before and on that very morning, the car's air conditioner was blowing warm air. It distracted me as I kept wondering if there is any AC gas leak while not looking at the car's water temperature. And so, until I get this repaired, I had to pour in about 0.75L of water everyday.

 

Update: 20220919
I finally got the Mechanic (Mr. Sam from SK Chang Auto Service) to diagnose the issue which turned out to be the cracked radiator. The final price was  the same a pair of of new tyres (they're so bald, I can practically see the steel threads) which I planned to change. Because I am no longer required to commute 92Km daily, the radiator is now more important.

The Old radiator

I did not stop to check on the cracks but it is definitely near the hose.

This is from Mr. Sam's Phone which showed the damage.
He updates me on every progress. He told me he could not find any replacement sponge though. I might need to find it myself.

Yeah, that's two bottles of red coolant. I wanted to ask him to use the Toyota Long Life but since I did not see it in his shop, I just agreed.

Got a new radiator car thrown in since the old one's rubber has expanded

Maybe I should be looking into upgrading a larger radiator fan...
Not that it is necessary but sometime, the AC is quite warm and the water temperature needle is now halfway (sensor old?) instead of in the first quarter.