Hopefully that is not the case but my Ion stopped running. A few weeks ago my fans stopped working ( at least thats what I was told) and before I could fix it, the other day I noticed it got all the way hot after like 2 blocks of driving. It also was making a loud sceaming noise from the overflow tank. When I tried to start it it wouldnt start. After letting it cool it started but everytime the idle dropped down the car died, well I was able to limp it home. After sitting for about a day and a half I started it up ( which took several tries ) after 2 minutes of running it got to boiling point and started screaming again when I turned it off it was boiling the water and will not turn over now. It will try and it almost does and then it goes back to just trying. I tried until my battery died. I can probably do the diagnostic myself at least to see if it is indeed blown but I refuse to take my car to a mechanic because twice I've taken it in, the first mechanic told me it was my water pump and my cooling fan plug but he couldn't fix the plug without replacing the entire fan. Then the second one told me that it was because somehow the bolt that mounts the pump to the motor had a broken head so he couldn't remove it which caused it to leak out all my coolant. But it's only gotten worse and many new parts later and now I think it never got fixed(obviosly) please help me I just want to diagnose the motor and then go from there.

 

Yah, you probably screwed the pooch by not shutting it down and letting it cool off. And why in the world would you keep starting it and letting it get hot? Your problem was most likely just a thermostat gone bad. $7.00 fix. Now, you've cooked the engine and will likely have to replace it. The "mechanic" you took it too should be liable for the crappy work he did. Bolt heads don't just "somehow get broken off" Over torquing them causes them to break, or they break when you try to back them out. If either was the case, then HE should have fixed it before putting the new pump on. You really need to find someone that knows what the hell they're doing. MAYBE your engine can be salvaged, but you need to check for water in the oil. I'm guessing that if it got that hot, that the head gasket blew on it too.

 

Well, I kinda agree n disagree.

The biggest problem in sorting this one out is hearsay.

1) What's actually wrong NOW? Not before, but NOW?

a) 2 block overheat likely thermostat OR lack of sufficient coolant level in system
b) check continuity of fan motor and check condition of fan connector. I suspect it is burned up from arcing
c) Check for milkshake in expansion tank and on the oil dipstick. If so, blown head gasket
d) How low did you let the coolant level get in between overheats?

e) the engine is not seized if it rotates when you try to start it.
f) STOP TRYING TO START IT until we figure out what's what.

Water pump issue to be investigated shortly

 

Hi thank you so much I appreciate not only your time but your approach. You have my undivided attention. Ok as for the coolant yes it dropped very low at times between overheating due to a leak that I was unaware of until I checked it myself it was bone dry at one point that's when it began to shut down as I limped it home. that was A. ok B I checked the fan has no continuity in fact you are right the connector is burnt. I will get a new one today. C. I did check the dipstick which although the oil was pretty dark no milkshakey stuff or anything like that. D. yes it was trying to turn over which brings us to D. I have not tried anymore to turn it on nor will I until we figure this out That being said I will wait for further instruction or should I say suggestion because I understand that you are not gaurenteeing anything or promising to fix my car but I honestly am comforted by the fact that you are giving me some advice that so far is fifty times easier,nicer, and makes sense to me so if you will bear with me then I will focus on your advice and not try fifty other suggestions from a whole bunch of differant ppl So thank you again.

 

Ok, sounds to me like

1)The initial overheating was due to a coolant leak, which depressurized the cooling system, causing the water-coolant mixture to LITERALLY boil (the water part anyway).

2)Apparently, so was the 2nd 2 block trip leading to the overheat.

A) For the initial trip to overheat in 2 blocks sounds to me like there was a massive cooling system leak already present, a clog in the cooling system, or a failed water pump such that whatever coolant might have been in the system was not being circulated properly or at all if there was not sufficient coolant.

2 blocks in a Saturn is not long enough under normal circumstances to heat up enough to have the thermostat open, so I'd consider it a non issue for now.

The fans ceasing to work would have put stress on the cooling system in a total traffic jam on a hot day OR if you had the AC on. The car's computer commands the fan to spin whenever the AC is on. Failure to have the fan running w AC on in stop n go traffic prob would have showed up as a higher than normal temp reading on the gauge, but as long as you kept moving AND the cooling system did not have a leak, you would likely not overheat.

So let's leave the fan out of this FOR NOW.

B) Definitely sounds like a chicken/egg situation.

It almost sounds as if you parked it hot, after using the AC, and after you went inside, something let loose and the cooling system was no longer able to hold pressure.

You then drove it two blocks, not knowing anything was wrong until you looked at the temp gauge, and then overheated.
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Questions

1) Was there any "smoke" coming out of the tailpipe? If so, what color?

2) Did you say it was bone dry on coolant b c the expansion tank was empty or because you had to add a gallon of 50/50 mix to bring it back to full?

3) I do not yet understand the timing of the mechanics' visits. Was the car running warmer than usual and you took it in? The broken bolt head BS on the water pump and his statement about coolant leaking leads me to believe that

a) you knew there was a coolant leak/pressure leak in the coolant system, took it to the second mechanic, who felt the upper and lower radiator hoses, the upper was not warm, so he assumed water pump failure.

b) you ok'd water pump replacement, the 2nd mechanic went to work, snapped off a bolt head, realized the time he'd waste drilling it out, decided to back out of the job by telling you he found it that way, broken head and already leaking.

Thus already a known leak.

Fast forward......--> --> 2 block overheat. Via known leak? NOT accusing, just asking for the information.


Did someone mess with the water pump previously or was it replaced previously? Perhaps the previous installer is the one who broke the bolt off and didn't tell you, and it developed a growing leak over time as it did not seal properly. Even if it was just a water pump external seal issue, you need to remove the pump to replace the seal and given its assumed age it's conventional wisdom to replace the damn $40 part while you have it out. The 2nd mechanic saw the broken bolt head and wanted nothing to do with it which is his prerogative.
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It may seem like I am asking 43 questions, including what you had for dinner last night.

Since I can't see touch or hear the car, and I was not with you when it overheated or when you went to the mechanics , I need to ask stuff to reconstruct the circumstances as best I can to figure out what the sequence of events was that led to what we have today.

I don't guess blindly and I don't shotgun parts. I THINK a lot, THEN figure out the game plan.

Takes a bit longer but saves money in the end if you are a DIYer that doesn't see this come through his shop once a week.

"I'm not good, but I'm slow"

 

This engine has a bizarre cooling system at best. Almost all the cooling is done by the cylinder head. There is some coolant at the tops of the cylinders but not much. The water pump is driven by the balance shaft timing chain. I suspect the broken bolts mentioned are exhaust manifold to cylinder head bolts. Every one of these engines I have had has at least a couple broken studs. A couple have had poor repairs with miss drilled holes and oversized bolts. The exhaust manifold has to come from as part of the water pump replacement job. I would deal with the leak separately from the running issue.
See if you can make the car run correctly then fix the leak. Overheating this engine often requires replacing the head gasket. Sometimes just a gasket and bolt kit will repair the issue. Usually the cylinder head will need to be shaved flat at a machine shop.
The reason I recommend repairing your car in this order is the water pump is easy with the head off the car. If you can make it run properly without pulling the head it will be much cheaper to repair.

 

Understand your point, Andy, but without he'll only have literally about 2 minutes running time (crappy running time or good running time) if he DOES manage to get it started before it overheats....again. I know it's a catch 22. Like you said, if it can run properly decently for 2 min then there is a chance.

Seems a compression test is in order first thing to see if there is even a chance of getting it to run as is. Don't need any cooling for that. It'll have to be a cold one but we're doing it for yes no confirmation so whatever