Car is Overheating
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 364
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From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Car is Overheating Last night I noticed the temp gauge needle jumping around a bit. I was in the drive through lane at a local restaurant when I noticed it jumped all the way to 260*, so I went over and shut the car off to let it cool down. I noticed that after I turned the car off, both fans were still running. So after about 10-15 minutes, I started it back up to get home. At idle, it the needle would jump up to 3/4 mark, and even bounced to the 260* where the check gauges light would come on a couple times. When I would get up to speed, it would cool back down.
I did some searching on here and did a couple things. I checked for debris that could block the radiator and such, and found some old newspaper and other things that could have been preventing flow. It seems to have tamed the needle down, but the car is still slightly overheating. When I took it on the highway, the needle was pretty much stuck at the 210* mark, but as soon as I got off, it would start moving around a bit again. The coolant is topped off, the intake is warm, but not hot. I touched the upper and lower hoses, and both seem pretty warm and not hot.
What do you guys think it is? I hit the 260 mark a couple times before the car settled back down, do you think I hurt anything? The car still pulls pretty strong.
I did some searching on here and did a couple things. I checked for debris that could block the radiator and such, and found some old newspaper and other things that could have been preventing flow. It seems to have tamed the needle down, but the car is still slightly overheating. When I took it on the highway, the needle was pretty much stuck at the 210* mark, but as soon as I got off, it would start moving around a bit again. The coolant is topped off, the intake is warm, but not hot. I touched the upper and lower hoses, and both seem pretty warm and not hot.
What do you guys think it is? I hit the 260 mark a couple times before the car settled back down, do you think I hurt anything? The car still pulls pretty strong.
Last night I noticed the temp gauge needle jumping around a bit. I was in the drive through lane at a local restaurant when I noticed it jumped all the way to 260*, so I went over and shut the car off to let it cool down. I noticed that after I turned the car off, both fans were still running. So after about 10-15 minutes, I started it back up to get home. At idle, it the needle would jump up to 3/4 mark, and even bounced to the 260* where the check gauges light would come on a couple times. When I would get up to speed, it would cool back down.
I did some searching on here and did a couple things. I checked for debris that could block the radiator and such, and found some old newspaper and other things that could have been preventing flow. It seems to have tamed the needle down, but the car is still slightly overheating. When I took it on the highway, the needle was pretty much stuck at the 210* mark, but as soon as I got off, it would start moving around a bit again. The coolant is topped off, the intake is warm, but not hot. I touched the upper and lower hoses, and both seem pretty warm and not hot.
What do you guys think it is? I hit the 260 mark a couple times before the car settled back down, do you think I hurt anything? The car still pulls pretty strong.
I did some searching on here and did a couple things. I checked for debris that could block the radiator and such, and found some old newspaper and other things that could have been preventing flow. It seems to have tamed the needle down, but the car is still slightly overheating. When I took it on the highway, the needle was pretty much stuck at the 210* mark, but as soon as I got off, it would start moving around a bit again. The coolant is topped off, the intake is warm, but not hot. I touched the upper and lower hoses, and both seem pretty warm and not hot.
What do you guys think it is? I hit the 260 mark a couple times before the car settled back down, do you think I hurt anything? The car still pulls pretty strong.
Also, when you go out on the highway and the temps come down that could mean you t-stat is stuck "open". When on the highway the fans do not come on, the front lower air dam does all the cooling work. And even with a stuck "open" t-stat it will be enough air flow to keep it cool. The fans however, will NOT be able to keep you cool with a stuck "open" t-stat. If its stuck "closed" you will overheat rather quickly no matter what you're doing. If its stuck open at idle or during stop and go city driving, you will overheat because the coolant in the radiator never has a chance to cool off before entering back into the engine. Basically its just a heat pump that keeps getting hotter and hotter.
I would take your t-stat housing off and see if the t-stat is stuck open, that'll take 3 minutes to do. An open t-stat means that little dick is all the way extended.
I live near you, if you have a mystery overheating problem, I can come try to find it. I know how it is to be a broke college student
Last edited by LS6427; Feb 22, 2009 at 02:34 PM.
how long does it take your rig to heat up from first start up in the morning? if its stuck open it should take longer to heat up.. how old is the coolant in your car? and was it low when you had the major overheating problem? like did you notice your heater blowing cool even cranked over to the hot position?
