My truck started after work today with a higher than normal idle (around 2200 rpm) and stayed there till I started moving. Battery light stays on along with brake warning light. I drive a friend home and let the truck run while we talked and smoked a cigarette so maybe 5-10 minutes. I then start to smell a burning smell inside the cab. Get out and pop the hood check and see coolant coming out of the overflow reservoir. Go to shut off the motor and the cab is filled with nasty smoke. Temp guage was reading a little higher than normal but not in the red. I remove the radiator cap and leave the hood open while I go inside to let it cool off. Come back out and get a ride to the gas station. Put more coolant in (almost a full jug) and start driving home. Temp guage starts creeping until i get on the freeway then cools off. Next the radio cuts out and my guages dim. The volt guage reads a little lower than half way. Make it home and now i'm driving my roomates saturn.

Whats going on here? Any help would be very appreciated.

 

If I'm not mistaken, the batt and brake light both on are an indication of no alt output, which is why your radio and gauges were acting screwy. The overheating may be coincidence, unless you have an electric fan setup instead of the stock fan clutch, in which case the dieing alt would not be able to run it. Need more info on the truck; year, motor, etc.

 

Batt and brake light mean alt is bad, but the smoke dunno wtf that is.

 

Maybe a fan/alternator belt broke?

 

if your getting the brake and batt light that would most deff mean your alternator is going bad
search around on here for the alternator brushes and rebuild it yourself
alot cheaper then a crappy reman one
as for the white smoke
and overheating
i would chekc for radiator leaks and change your thermostat

 

Thanks for the replys.

I havent had time to look under the hood during daylight yet, I get done with work early tomorrow so I'll check then. I'm just stumped at how both things would happen at once. It would make sense if the radiator fan ran on the same belt as the alternator but I'm pretty sure thats not the case. I'm not even sure where the alternator is located on these motors since I've had zero problems with the truck so far.

I'm probably gonna have to take it to a shop because at the moment I have limited access to tools. Lame.

:EDIT: I found THIS thread and it says that the alternator and fan are on the same belt. I'm guessing thats my problem. I really hope it is because it looks like an inexpensive fix if I were to have to take it in.

PS: my trucks specs are in my signature.

 

Your alternator and water pump belt is likely gone and it sounds like you t-stat is also stuck shut. I had a similar thing happen on my 95. I was driving to work and my belt snapped (brake and charging lights came on). Drove it back home watching the temperature the whole way, it never got to the warning level.

I fixed the belt and thought that was the end of it, it wasn't. I found that my thermostat had stuck shut, my guess is from the excessive heat from driving it home without a water pump. And, unfortunately, the temp sensor for the gauge is apparently on the radiator side of the t-stat so unless the t-stat opens the gauge is worthless. Mine was reading off scale cold after 10 minutes of idling and my heater was blowing cold air.

Gabe

 

hope ya didnt cook the head.............

 

Me too!

Hopefully its just the belt but I'll check the t-stat too. Is the t-stat a bitch to get to?

 

t stat is pretty easy to get to. regardless of it was working fine or stuck shut, coolant aint gonna flow without the pump. I'm willing to bet the head is cracked, I hope for your sake it isnt.

 

I'm really hoping it isnt also.
Well, I havent started it since the night i drove it home as mentioned in the first post. And the temp guage didnt read much past half way. What would be some visual cues that the head is indeed cracked. I want to take it to the shop up the street, its literally like a minute away but now I'm scared I'll screw it up even more.

 

Just to update: I got lucky and it was just the belt. I decided to just go ahead and replace all the belts when I was at it. Ironically, the Saturn I was driving around died in the driveway last night. I'm guessing its the fuel pump.