I have wondered about the fans and coolant temp sensor and the fans-they put in a new radiator so would it not have had a new cap that came with it? You can tell I don’t know much I don’t know about mechanics and that is why I am on here. I may have to take it to someone GOOD if there is such a person in my area! These idiots have had my car for over 5 weeks and I’ve paid them a LOT of money and they still haven’t fixed it! Don’t like the way they are treating me but there’s not that many people in my small town that do cats and if I do indeed have a cracked engine block, they have offered to donate the labor - something I can’t get anywhere else.
Unfortunately, not all new radiators come with a new cap
Thanks for the cap info db4690. I just got a call back from the Meineke headquarters and explained the situation. I told her that I realize my situation is very complex and not the average brake job, but I need responses to phone calls and that I shouldn’t have to constantly be calling and going down to the shop to find out what is going on! She is going to call herself -hopefully this will light a fire under someone’s you-know-what!
Also, with the cap removed check for bubbles in the radiator. This would mean there is a breach in the head gasket or it was not torqued properly.
knefenimore - I believe I remember the mechanic saying there were bubbles! Makes me wonder if he knew what he was doing!
Since the temperature goes higher when the radiator cap is installed it sounds to me also that air pressure is building up in the coolant system due to a gasket leak which not only reduces the efficiency of the radiator, the hot gases also raise the coolant temperature more than it normally should be. The shop should be able to verify a gasket leak or cylinder crack by doing a block check and a compression leak down check.
Just curious, what is the current tab at now?
If the catalytic converter is plugged, the restriction can cause the engine to overheat.
When an engine burns gasoline, 1/3 of the heat energy is used to actually turn the engine, 1/3 of the heat energy is lost to the cooling system, and 1/3 of the heat energy is lost out the exhaust system.
If the exhaust system can’t get rid of that 1/3 of heat energy, it stays in the engine and the engine overheats.
Tester
Thanks for all the ideas - Meineke national customer service called me back. I told them about this whole mess and said that while I realize my situation is very complex and I didn’t go in for the average brake job, but it’s unacceptable that my phone calls asking for parts prices don’t get returned and that I always have to go down there to see what is going on. She called the owner and got back with me in a few minutes - he said we were supposed to have an “appointment” today to go over catalytic convertor prices and to talk about options to solve the continued overheating. Bull! There was no appointment. I called him and got the answering machine and indicated such! Still waiting to hear! I’ve been in a real bind with this situation and had few options at the time, but I can’t afford to keep going from person to person either!
Have you mentioned the possibility of Meineke buying your car to make you “whole” . . . ?
This is getting to be outrageous for you, I imagine
It is time to cut the cord and go elsewhere to resolve your issues. They have not been too bad, but have not been too good.
You have spent a TON of money, and Meineke STILL hasn’t resolved your problem
You should not have to spend one more red cent
Realistically, you’ve already spent too much
IMO . . . you need to have a polite, but EXTREMELY firm discussion with Meineke
I haven’t yet mentioned their buying my car - I have a small loan on it and what they would give me probably wouldn’t cover nearly all of it and cover what I’ve already put into it. I wish I had gone somewhere else now but if you read in the early part of this thread, it is complicated as to why I didn’t. I may be forced to but hate to start at this point - I have spent a little over $1,200 and from talking with them and looking at my receipt, they have “donated” labor hours to me - still not getting the job done though. Very, very tough situation - I desperately need a second car but feel as though I’ve got too much into this one to turn back now.
Hi all, I know I haven’t posted in awhile and those of you who say I should fire Meineke are right! I did just that this morning but not without another 2 or 3 weeks of them just letting the car sit on some days. I finally prodded them into checking the coolant temp sensor and some other things that could be causing continued overheating - I had to go back, as usual a few days later, and hassle them about things - I insisted that a catalytic convertor be ordered and put on to see if this would stop the overheating - they FINALLY ordered it and put it on yesterday - now the car hardly runs at all! Enough! More than enough! I had AAA tow it to an independent, ASE certified mechanic that I have heard very good things about. He said it will be Monday before he can look at it but I’m really hoping he can straighten it out. I’ve heard others in my town complaining about this particular Meineke. 7 weeks and the car is in worse shape! What could they do in installing a cat that would make it run even worse?
Good luck with the new shop
I suppose they could have caused some blockage to the exhaust system to occur in another area of the exhaust while they were working on it. Make sure the connections to the O2 sensors didn’t get damaged. That’s the biggest things I can think of off hand. The ECU error codes need to be rechecked. I think the new shop will be able to give you some good answers for the problems. Keep us posted on the progress and hope you get it back soon.
You might keep us informed as to how this all gets sorted out. Hopefully it will turn out to be something comparatively minor. Sometimes in the auto world it can become a case of not seeing the forest for the trees…
Update everyone - on a positive note, the mechanic got on to the diagnosis today and called me this afternoon like he said he would. This is a much better situation than I had with the Meineke folks. I wish, however, that I could say the problem is simple and inexpensive. He said I have another code for an oxygen sensor! Sorry - I know I should have gotten which one. I have had both of the sensors replaced by Meineke so I don’t know why it would be bad again. And also, based on the diagnostics he did today, he thinks that combustion gases are getting into the radiator! Not a good situation. He said he will have to tear down the engine to see whether it’s coming from the head gasket or some other place. He is supposed to be getting back to me with an estimate but it’s hard to totally say if he doesnt know exactly what he’ll have to fix. If I didn’t owe money on this car, I would just trash it but I don’t feel as though I can do that. I am truly between a rock and a hard place and have never been through anything so awful in my life, at least with a car. If it ends up being that Meineke screwed up, they WILL pay me back! But is it possible this could be from something else and this car is just going to be one thing after another? I don’t know what to do.
I think this is heading off in a bad direction again. A mechanic should not have to tear an engine apart to determine if a head gasket is faulty. There are a number of tests that can be done.
Lord, what a mess. 
@wncgirl … is this inde mechanic coming w/a good recommendations from someone you personally know?
He has been recommended by several people. I talked to my brother who lives in another part of the state - he isn’t a mechanic but is more mechanically inclined than I am and he is going to give the guy a call tomorrow and talk about things. I have been through more than enough already!