Thread: Sr20det heating issue

Ok, well i've been having weird overheating issues for a while since i put my motor in my nx2000. It first started by boiling into the coolant overflow, then followed by overheating pretty bad before I could pull over and shut the car off.
I tried bleeding it and that seemed to work for a little bit, but I never drove it any long distances so I don't if it would have eventually.
Not too much longer, I put a thicker brass radiator in cause the one in the car had way too much jb weld on it lol.
Long story short, after a longer trip the car overheated and within a minute or two, the top of the radiator where the cap goes on completely blew off.
When I got back I had a shop weld the piece back on and pressure check it, then put in a new thermostat.
I pressure checked the whole system when the old radiator was it and it did drop pressure, but very very slowly. When I turned on the car and revved up a bit, it did fluctuate/oscillate and raised pressure a little that matched the revv's. That radiator may still have had a small hole in it so I don't know if that would have anything to do with it. i haven't had a chance to check it with the new one yet though.
Another random problem is that it has a uneven idle and it doesn't start boosting until 4k in most of my gears, low for a stock t25 right? I also have it set for 12psi and it won't make it quite to 10 at full boost. Also I have the timing set all the way advanced, otherwise it runs like crap.
I'll be replacing the distributor tomorrow and am hoping maybe the weights in it have broken and are throwing off my timing.
The heating and timing problems shouldn't be related in any way right?
And of today it wasn't doing bad until it randomly started boiling and spewing out of the coolant reservoir. Although the temp level stayed about half, it wasnt overheating.

Any idea what could be causing this? Could i have a pin hole in the headgasket or a slightly warped head?
Thanks and sorry if that was too long/confusing lol

Sounds like pressure from the cylinder is getting into the cooling system so as you said, headgasket, cracked bore, warped/cracked head etc.

Would be interesting to run the car so it doesn't blow stuff everywehre, but get it warm, then let it cool down and check each cylinder inside for any signs of water sitting in the cylinder to see if once the system pressurises it will push back through the hole/crack when it cools down.

I figured that, so I pressuzed the system with the pressure tester thing and let it sit for several hours and it dropped maybe 5psi? so i figured that if it was going into the cylinders, it would have pooled up in there. So I rolled up some paper towels and stuck them in each cylinder and turned it over hoping for some green splatter on them. I found nothing, so i'm not sure what to think.

Well you are loosing pressure so you have to have a leak somewhere. Stupid question, but did you replace your radiator car when you switched radiators? Something small and stupid could be a cause of your issues, but with what your symptoms are it sounds more like a head gasket. Have you checked your oil to see if there is any contamination?

I switched to a used aftermarket radiator made for the car that I found on here. It's made of brass and quite a bit thicker than stock. I have checked my oil, there's no coolant what so ever mixing with it.

Heater hoses are good? Sounds like there could be a clog or something in the system

Did you put and stop leak into it before you switched radiators?

what do u mean put and stop leak?