Services · Cooling System

Overheating is the one that turns into a big bill. Catch it early.

A cooling system fault is cheap right up until it isn't. A thermostat or a split hose ignored for a week becomes a warped head or a blown head gasket, and that's the kind of job I'd have to send to a shop. If the gauge is climbing, the reservoir keeps dropping, or there's a sweet smell after a drive, stop driving it and call.

Everything in the cooling system is on the outside of the engine, which makes it a good driveway job. I'd much rather change your water pump than diagnose your head gasket.

Text (512) 980-4368 Call for emergencies

Texting is best — I'm usually mid-job and can't pick up. Stranded or an emergency? Call.

No fix, no fee diagnostics
Quoted price is the final price
12 mo / 12,000 mi parts & labor
I come to you

What it's doing, and what it usually is

The most common cause first. It's a guide, not a diagnosis. That's what the visit is for.

Temperature gauge climbing, or a warning light: Low coolant, a stuck thermostat, a fan that isn't running, or a water pump that's stopped pumping. Pull over before it gets to the red.
Sweet smell after driving: Coolant leaking onto something hot. Often a hose, sometimes the heater core, which you'll smell inside the cab.
A green, orange, or pink puddle: A hose, the radiator, or the water pump's weep hole. Where it lands tells me where to look.
Reservoir keeps dropping, no puddle: It's going somewhere. Evaporating off a hot part, or, worse, into the engine. This one needs a pressure test.
Heater blows cold: Low coolant, a stuck-open thermostat, an air pocket, or a clogged heater core. It's the same system as your engine cooling.
Overheats in traffic but fine on the highway: The fan. On the highway the airflow does the fan's job for it.
Whine or grinding from the front of the engine: A water pump bearing on its way out. Change it before it seizes and takes the belt with it.

What I do in your driveway

Pressure test the system to find a leak that isn't showing itself.
Thermostats, hoses, clamps, and the radiator.
Water pumps, including the belt and tensioner that come off to get at them.
Cooling fans, fan clutches, and fan motors and relays.
Temperature sensors and senders, so the gauge is telling the truth.
Drain and refill with the correct coolant for your engine, not whatever's on the shelf. Combine it with a heater hose or water pump job and it's done anyway.

How the money works

$150: Flat, to diagnose it. It's separate from the repair. If I can't find what's wrong, you don't pay it.
Quote: Before anything comes apart. The price I give you is the price you pay. If I find something else, I stop and ask you first.
12 / 12k: Months and miles, parts and labor. If the repair doesn't hold, I come back and fix it free.

Travel is free within 30 miles of Bastrop. Further out, there's a flat travel fee. The full warranty terms spell out what's covered.

Questions I get asked

It's overheating. Can I drive it to you?

No. I come to you, and that's the point. An engine driven hot for even a few miles can warp the head, and then a cheap repair isn't cheap any more. Let it cool, and call.

Can I top it up with water to get home?

In an emergency, once, when it's cool, yes. Then get it fixed and get the right coolant back in it. Water alone doesn't protect against corrosion or boil-over, and mixing the wrong coolant types can gel up the system.

How often should coolant be changed?

Depends on the vehicle and the coolant type. Some are five years, some are ten. If you don't know when it was last done, or it looks rusty or muddy, it's overdue. I'll do it while I'm in there for another job.

Why does the A/C make it run hotter?

The A/C condenser sits in front of the radiator and adds heat to the air going through it, and the compressor loads the engine. A cooling system that's marginal shows up first with the A/C on in July. That's your warning.

Is the heater core part of the cooling system?

Yes. It's a small radiator behind the dash that heats the cab with engine coolant. A sweet smell inside, a fogged windshield, or a damp passenger footwell usually means it's leaking.

Often goes with this

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Let's look at the cooling system

Flat $150 to diagnose it, and you get a price before anything gets taken apart. Mon–Fri 9am – 6pm.

Text (512) 980-4368 Book a diagnostic

Stranded or an emergency? Call (512) 980-4368 — for anything else, a text gets to me faster.