Nissan Quest 1996: need help with the cooling system

Palmarito's picture

Hello !
I need some help to fix a problem I have with my quest.
Is an overheating problem that seem to be imposible to me to solve. I have the factory shop manual, there I found that I have to bleed the system, I think I'm doing evething fine; turn on the air conditioner in the heater mode to the extreme heat, both, the front unit and rear unit, unscrew the bolt over the manifold to bleed the air,unscrew the allen tipe cap on the side of the radiator, fill the system with coolant and then put water with a hose to bleed all the air via the bolt hole in the manifold ( over the manifold ), I'm sure I'm taking out all the air in the system. If I start the engine and let it idle for long time the temperature rise to the medium, turnig on the fan, and then the temperature go down, I can leave the motor running for 20 or more minutes and still working in the safe area, but if I run test the van with the air conditioner on the motor go overheating, just above the "n" of the normal word in the gauge, if I turn off the AC then the temperature began to go down slowly. Somebody had the same problem ?, how did you fix it??? I'm making something wrong?, By the way, the fan motor is new. I seriusly need HELP !!!! You can answer me on this forum or write to my email, rarod@prtc.net
Thanks !

Palmarito's picture

follow up on overheating problem

I received some questions to my email from some people having the same problem. I solve the problem in my van, it was a bad water pump. The water pump diaphragm broke and leak water, that was the reazon for water loss from the radiator cooling system. I wasn't able to see the problem because the system was filled with water and can be mistaken with the water that the air conditioning system drop under the van. Once I charge the system with coolant, I was able to see that the water that drop under the van was not from the air conditioning, was from the radiator system because was green in color. I track the path of water to the main pulley, The pulley that drives all the belts, is the lowest pulley. If you have the same problem you may change your water pump, and is not so easy, you have to remove the cam shafts pulley covers, belts, mainshaft pulley and some harnesses to get to the place where the pump is, is the same way you may change your timing belt. Then, you have to follow step by step the air bleeding proccess, that the more tricky part of the repair proccess. Be shure that you have a working thermostat, a fine working electric fan ( is 2 speeds ), check if the 2 speed are working, check the harness plug, I fund mine burned because this is a high current fan. Check for leaks in the heaters lines, can be corrected with a heatproof hose and 2 clamps. Some times a big problem have different combined sources. I had problem with the fan, the heater lines and the pump, all at the same time, that's why I was crazy about the problem, I was looking for one broke part, not for multiple broke parts. In a system like this when a part failure, can make another part to failure. I hope I can help someone with this follow up. And don't be shy, write here what else you found to solve this problem, that way we can help another Nissan Quest Users.
Thanks !

teg741's picture

follow up on overheating problem HELP!

Looking at buying a van with the same problems and the story i am getting from the seller sounds almost exactly like what you are talking about.
He did have the Nissan dealer replace the water pump and the timing belt and still had the leaking problem and the getting hot problem. Could it be a bad water pump?
So do you think he has already taken the ball to the 10 yard line and wants to give up before he scores a touchdown?
I can buy the van for $800 but is it worth the hassle?