Engine turned off after I took of the radiator cap.

[Madarasskishbosh]

Hello,

Need your help asap.

Earlier today I was adding coolant to the radiator since it had been leaking and was hoping to get another today. I might have forgotten that the engine was running, so I took the radiator cap to add more and the engine lost power and turned off. Now the vehicle won’t start. Is there something I should do? Could I have damaged something in this process? I’ve been looking online and haven’t come across anything.

Thanks in advance.

Quick update:
Located the fuel pump under the seat and hit on it with a flashlight. It started!
Looks like it was just clogged.

I’m going to need to replace it soon.

How long do y’all reckon I could drive it around until it fails completely?

 

[brillo_76]

Hello,

Need your help asap.

Earlier today I was adding coolant to the radiator since it had been leaking and was hoping to get another today. I might have forgotten that the engine was running, so I took the radiator cap to add more and the engine lost power and turned off. Now the vehicle won’t start. Is there something I should do? Could I have damaged something in this process? I’ve been looking online and haven’t come across anything.

Thanks in advance.

You dump antifreeze in your oil and seize the engine? Or you seize the engine by running it past H?

As that's the only way I see an engine seizing from what you are explaining .

Sent from my SM-A536V using Tapatalk

 

[Madarasskishbosh]

I was just adding coolant to the radiator. Put the radiator cap on and took it off again hoping to put some more. As soon as I took it off the engine lost power and the vehicle turned off. Honestly, I do not know what I was thinking opening the radiator while it was running.

 

[JohnMc]

I might have forgotten that the engine was running, so I took the radiator cap to add more and the engine lost power and turned off.

I'm a bit curious about this scenario, it's not like the engine isn't inches away, and the fan is spinning, and it's making a lot of noise. How could you forget? Ah well, you did it, either way.

Now the vehicle won’t start. Is there something I should do? Could I have damaged something in this process? I’ve been looking online and haven’t come across anything.

It's very unlikely that the two things are related. The engine will happily run with no pressure in the cooling system, the ECU doesn't even know what the pressure is, only the temp. And it won't shut the engine off if it's too high (or low, or the sensor if shorted or open circuit). It might alter the mixture enrichment some based on what the sensor says the engine is doing.

Did coolant spray out and back onto the running engine in any significant amount? It's faintly possible that could have shorted something out. But generally, the engine can run with water getting doused on it (like when you're driving in the rain).

Was it really low on coolant before this and eventually overheated and was in the process of seizing up when you took the cap off? Did it just happen to run out of gas at the same time?

But no, there's probably no direct connection between you taking the cap off and the engine dying. You'd need to start troubleshooting with the basics. Air, spark, fuel.

 

[19963.4lsr5]

I'm a bit curious about this scenario, it's not like the engine isn't inches away, and the fan is spinning, and it's making a lot of noise. How could you forget? Ah well, you did it, either way.


It's very unlikely that the two things are related. The engine will happily run with no pressure in the cooling system, the ECU doesn't even know what the pressure is, only the temp. And it won't shut the engine off if it's too high (or low, or the sensor if shorted or open circuit). It might alter the mixture enrichment some based on what the sensor says the engine is doing.

Did coolant spray out and back onto the running engine in any significant amount? It's faintly possible that could have shorted something out. But generally, the engine can run with water getting doused on it (like when you're driving in the rain).

Was it really low on coolant before this and eventually overheated and was in the process of seizing up when you took the cap off? Did it just happen to run out of gas at the same time?

But no, there's probably no direct connection between you taking the cap off and the engine dying. You'd need to start troubleshooting with the basics. Air, spark, fuel.

It could have ingested the coolant he just poured in and stalled.

Pull some spark plugs

Check for spark

See if any plugs are wet with coolant or smell of gas.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[JohnMc]

I guess it depends on where they actually poured the coolant. Or a severely blown HG?

 

[brillo_76]

Will the engine spin? Like the starter can spin the engine. Or does it just go thump....will the engine crankshaft turn is basically what I am asking?

Sent from my SM-A536V using Tapatalk

 

[Madarasskishbosh]

It does attempt to start. You could say it starts (faintly) but then immediately shuts off again.

 

[Madarasskishbosh]

I'm a bit curious about this scenario, it's not like the engine isn't inches away, and the fan is spinning, and it's making a lot of noise. How could you forget? Ah well, you did it, either way.


It's very unlikely that the two things are related. The engine will happily run with no pressure in the cooling system, the ECU doesn't even know what the pressure is, only the temp. And it won't shut the engine off if it's too high (or low, or the sensor if shorted or open circuit). It might alter the mixture enrichment some based on what the sensor says the engine is doing.

Did coolant spray out and back onto the running engine in any significant amount? It's faintly possible that could have shorted something out. But generally, the engine can run with water getting doused on it (like when you're driving in the rain).

Was it really low on coolant before this and eventually overheated and was in the process of seizing up when you took the cap off? Did it just happen to run out of gas at the same time?

But no, there's probably no direct connection between you taking the cap off and the engine dying. You'd need to start troubleshooting with the basics. Air, spark, fuel.

Thank you. Will have it looked at by a mechanic.

 

[Madarasskishbosh]

I'm a bit curious about this scenario, it's not like the engine isn't inches away, and the fan is spinning, and it's making a lot of noise. How could you forget? Ah well, you did it, either way.


It's very unlikely that the two things are related. The engine will happily run with no pressure in the cooling system, the ECU doesn't even know what the pressure is, only the temp. And it won't shut the engine off if it's too high (or low, or the sensor if shorted or open circuit). It might alter the mixture enrichment some based on what the sensor says the engine is doing.

Did coolant spray out and back onto the running engine in any significant amount? It's faintly possible that could have shorted something out. But generally, the engine can run with water getting doused on it (like when you're driving in the rain).

Was it really low on coolant before this and eventually overheated and was in the process of seizing up when you took the cap off? Did it just happen to run out of gas at the same time?

But no, there's probably no direct connection between you taking the cap off and the engine dying. You'd need to start troubleshooting with the basics. Air, spark, fuel.

No, coolant did not spray on the engine.

It was a cold start, had been running for a few minutes only and still had coolant in the system (not significantly low). Gas is at half tank.

 

[nissanh]

Do you have fuel in the tank? Clogged fuel filter?

 

[brillo_76]

Oh good. Then it's something minor. It's not seized or anything. Just not firing. Very possible the radiator cap had nothing to do with it and you just have something minor wrong.

Sent from my SM-A536V using Tapatalk

 

[Madarasskishbosh]

Do you have fuel in the tank? Clogged fuel filter?

Turns out this was it. Hit on the pump and it started right up.

 

[brillo_76]

Your vehicle had no gas in it and that's why it wouldn't run. Gee that's a simple fix not related to the coolant issue at all. Does your gas gauge not work?

Sent from my SM-A536V using Tapatalk

 

[JohnMc]

The pump is inside the tank, what did you hit?

 

[Madarasskishbosh]

Your vehicle had no gas in it and that's why it wouldn't run. Gee that's a simple fix not related to the coolant issue at all. Does your gas gauge not work?

Sent from my SM-A536V using Tapatalk

Sorry you didn’t get me. My tank is half full. I wad talking about the pump. I hit on the sending assembly and it started the vehicle.

 

[Madarasskishbosh]

The pump is inside the tank, what did you hit?

Basically the sending assembly.

 

[brillo_76]

Is it possible, that you don't have bad connection there? Like the connection is not making good contact. Perhaps a body lift stressing the wires.

Makes sense why I didn't want to start if the fuel pump wasn't kicking on.

If that is all good, it maybe your pump. Tapping the sending unit or tank might have moved the armature in the fuel pump just enough to get past the bad spot.

 

[octanejunkie]

Add coolant to the overflow tank, not the radiator, that way the radiator will take what it needs and burp out what it doesn't, it will also show you whether the cap is good or not

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

 

[brillo_76]

A while back i was trying to figure out why my radiator would not pull in coolant out of the overflow bottle..

Here this will only work if your coolant system is completely sealed. Low in behold, i had a microscopic seep at my water pump gasket. I couldn't see it. So when i put new timing belt, and radiator hoses the radiator will now pull coolant in from the overflow.

So if that isn't working properly, you either have a bad radiator cap or a pressure leak in your coolant system.