Overheating
05-28-2010, 02:57 PM
#1
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Overheating This hasn't been a common problem, even when I'm sitting in traffic. I replaced the radiator cap with a new Stant one less than a year ago. But a couple of days ago I was stuck at several stoplights while I was lost and the fans kicked on. No big deal. Hopped on the freeway for a few minutes and then went to a drive through, which is where my car's temperature started to creep and creep until it said "CHECK GAGES"
I shut her off while waiting for the food, then I pulled into the parking lot and checked the coolant level, after eating inside, and it was two inches below the "FULL COLD" line. Drove home and left her there, added 60/40 distilled water/dexcool the next morning, cause I figured the extra water would help.
Drove on the freeway (it was about 55 F outside) for a good 20 minutes and then stopped on the sidewalk for a few minutes while idling cause I had to clean up some stuff. When I got back to pull up my car the temperature spiked up again.
I just checked, the air deflector is still there in one piece, and there aren't any plastic bags stuck to the radiator. The coolant is maybe half an inch below the "FULL COLD" level.
I shut her off while waiting for the food, then I pulled into the parking lot and checked the coolant level, after eating inside, and it was two inches below the "FULL COLD" line. Drove home and left her there, added 60/40 distilled water/dexcool the next morning, cause I figured the extra water would help.
Drove on the freeway (it was about 55 F outside) for a good 20 minutes and then stopped on the sidewalk for a few minutes while idling cause I had to clean up some stuff. When I got back to pull up my car the temperature spiked up again.
I just checked, the air deflector is still there in one piece, and there aren't any plastic bags stuck to the radiator. The coolant is maybe half an inch below the "FULL COLD" level.
05-28-2010, 05:39 PM
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Sounds to me like the thermostat is sticking or could possibly be the water pump is failing. I would take the thermostat out and boil some water to check to see if it opens. Is your upper radiator hose getting pressure?
05-29-2010, 12:55 AM
#5
This hasn't been a common problem, even when I'm sitting in traffic. I replaced the radiator cap with a new Stant one less than a year ago. But a couple of days ago I was stuck at several stoplights while I was lost and the fans kicked on. No big deal. Hopped on the freeway for a few minutes and then went to a drive through, which is where my car's temperature started to creep and creep until it said "CHECK GAGES"
I shut her off while waiting for the food, then I pulled into the parking lot and checked the coolant level, after eating inside, and it was two inches below the "FULL COLD" line. Drove home and left her there, added 60/40 distilled water/dexcool the next morning, cause I figured the extra water would help.
Drove on the freeway (it was about 55 F outside) for a good 20 minutes and then stopped on the sidewalk for a few minutes while idling cause I had to clean up some stuff. When I got back to pull up my car the temperature spiked up again.
I just checked, the air deflector is still there in one piece, and there aren't any plastic bags stuck to the radiator. The coolant is maybe half an inch below the "FULL COLD" level.
I shut her off while waiting for the food, then I pulled into the parking lot and checked the coolant level, after eating inside, and it was two inches below the "FULL COLD" line. Drove home and left her there, added 60/40 distilled water/dexcool the next morning, cause I figured the extra water would help.
Drove on the freeway (it was about 55 F outside) for a good 20 minutes and then stopped on the sidewalk for a few minutes while idling cause I had to clean up some stuff. When I got back to pull up my car the temperature spiked up again.
I just checked, the air deflector is still there in one piece, and there aren't any plastic bags stuck to the radiator. The coolant is maybe half an inch below the "FULL COLD" level.
You need to open your radiator cap when the engine is completely cold and see if the coolant level is dropping. Just because your temp guage is reading HIGH doesn't mean your engine is running hot AT ALL. Its probably the coolant temp sensor.
BUT....you need to make sure. If your coolant level is FULL...in the radiator. Simply go for drive, and if you see the temp guage jack way up high, immediately pull over, pop the hood, and see if its really getting hot. If its like 230-250 on the guage and you can put your hand on the intake and keep it there for 1 minute and not get burned......you are not overheating....its the sensor. If the engine and the engine compartment is actually getting hot as hell.....then you can start to look for the the problem. Which is probably a sticking t-stat, because that will cause spikes, then it will open and be ok for awhile. Fans not operating properly during city driving and stop and go traffic will also cause the temp to get high.....but on the highway you will be just fine with bad or failing fans because the ram air does all the work.
So, check to see if you're actually getting hot before wasting your time chasing things......and for gods sake, don't take it to a rip-off mechanic.
....If your overflow reservoir fluid level is going up and down.....get ANOTHER radiator cap...your's is bad. Top of the radiator and put the new cap on. But let it run first with the radiator cap OFF until you see the coolant level drop, then top it off and put it on, that way you will have all the air out of the cooling system.
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Last edited by LS6427; 05-29-2010 at 06:00 PM.
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