Help! Overheating Problem on Daughters V6 Camaro
Help! Overheating Problem on Daughters V6 Camaro Please help this is pissing me off! 
Car
1996 V6 3800 auto Camaro with 148K on it. Car runs fine except for Temp
Replaced Thermostat already.
Symptoms
Car overheats (temp gage climbs) to almost max temp (260) and then at times drops to about 160 and then climbs again randomly. Fans work fine.
In my driveway I let it run and it kept climbing to max, on its way up you could hear the radiator fan (second one I think) turn on and stay on but the temp kept climbing. This resulted in reservoir overflowing and boiling beginning in radiator.
Opened hood and felt hose coming off the Thermostat Housing, it had pressure and was very hot. When I loosened “bleed” screw on Thermostat Housing just steam (air) came out. WTF!
The other day I opened the Radiator Cap, started the car and after a bit fluid came out of the cap. I thought this was good as I read somewhere that is how you check to make sure there is enough fluid.
Question: On a F-Body, when cold, if you remove the Radiator cap should the radiator be full to the top, or not? Fluid level is fine in the reservoir when cold.
Question: Why do I have no fluid in my Thermostat housing? I replaced the Thermostat.
My thoughts
I somehow need to “bleed” the system.
Can a Water Pump work intermittently?
Car
1996 V6 3800 auto Camaro with 148K on it. Car runs fine except for Temp
Replaced Thermostat already.
Symptoms
Car overheats (temp gage climbs) to almost max temp (260) and then at times drops to about 160 and then climbs again randomly. Fans work fine.
In my driveway I let it run and it kept climbing to max, on its way up you could hear the radiator fan (second one I think) turn on and stay on but the temp kept climbing. This resulted in reservoir overflowing and boiling beginning in radiator.
Opened hood and felt hose coming off the Thermostat Housing, it had pressure and was very hot. When I loosened “bleed” screw on Thermostat Housing just steam (air) came out. WTF!
The other day I opened the Radiator Cap, started the car and after a bit fluid came out of the cap. I thought this was good as I read somewhere that is how you check to make sure there is enough fluid.
Question: On a F-Body, when cold, if you remove the Radiator cap should the radiator be full to the top, or not? Fluid level is fine in the reservoir when cold.
Question: Why do I have no fluid in my Thermostat housing? I replaced the Thermostat.
My thoughts
I somehow need to “bleed” the system.
Can a Water Pump work intermittently?
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
fluid should be full to the top and make sure that you have the plastic part on the bottom of the car! if thats there and the car is still over heating after the coolent is full check your oil for a head gasket leak!!!!
best of luck!!!!
Z-383
best of luck!!!!
Z-383
Any other suggestions. How important is the bleeding process. Based on all the steam that was comming out of the Thermostat bleed screw It looks like I have some serious bleeding ahaead of me. Oh, Air Dam is good, fans blow correct direction and turn on as temp rises. I'm not sure about the cap I will replace since its cheap anyway. I guess from what i read the best way to bleed is through the Radiator cap at first then drive a few cycles and bleed through Thermostat bleed screw and top off as needed.
TECH Veteran
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 4,117
Likes: 0
From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA
Originally Posted by solocus
Please help this is pissing me off!
Car
1996 V6 3800 auto Camaro with 148K on it. Car runs fine except for Temp
Replaced Thermostat already.
Symptoms
Car overheats (temp gage climbs) to almost max temp (260) and then at times drops to about 160 and then climbs again randomly. Fans work fine.
In my driveway I let it run and it kept climbing to max, on its way up you could hear the radiator fan (second one I think) turn on and stay on but the temp kept climbing. This resulted in reservoir overflowing and boiling beginning in radiator.
Opened hood and felt hose coming off the Thermostat Housing, it had pressure and was very hot. When I loosened “bleed” screw on Thermostat Housing just steam (air) came out. WTF!
The other day I opened the Radiator Cap, started the car and after a bit fluid came out of the cap. I thought this was good as I read somewhere that is how you check to make sure there is enough fluid.
Question: On a F-Body, when cold, if you remove the Radiator cap should the radiator be full to the top, or not? Fluid level is fine in the reservoir when cold.
Question: Why do I have no fluid in my Thermostat housing? I replaced the Thermostat.
My thoughts
I somehow need to “bleed” the system.
Can a Water Pump work intermittently?
Car
1996 V6 3800 auto Camaro with 148K on it. Car runs fine except for Temp
Replaced Thermostat already.
Symptoms
Car overheats (temp gage climbs) to almost max temp (260) and then at times drops to about 160 and then climbs again randomly. Fans work fine.
In my driveway I let it run and it kept climbing to max, on its way up you could hear the radiator fan (second one I think) turn on and stay on but the temp kept climbing. This resulted in reservoir overflowing and boiling beginning in radiator.
Opened hood and felt hose coming off the Thermostat Housing, it had pressure and was very hot. When I loosened “bleed” screw on Thermostat Housing just steam (air) came out. WTF!
The other day I opened the Radiator Cap, started the car and after a bit fluid came out of the cap. I thought this was good as I read somewhere that is how you check to make sure there is enough fluid.
Question: On a F-Body, when cold, if you remove the Radiator cap should the radiator be full to the top, or not? Fluid level is fine in the reservoir when cold.
Question: Why do I have no fluid in my Thermostat housing? I replaced the Thermostat.
My thoughts
I somehow need to “bleed” the system.
Can a Water Pump work intermittently?
Coolant boiling over means one thing.....air is in the coolant system or its getting pushed in their. You could have a blown head gasket, epsecially at that mileage. Because if you're getting that hot, that fast, just sitting in the driveway, and your fans and t-stat are working, air is getting in their right away and lowering your boiling point (temp).
I would say get a leakdown check to see if you have a bad head gasket(s). But check the t-stat first.
Also, if there is "no" air in the cooling system, you can peg the temp gauage into the red and you will get absolutely no boiling over of the coolant.
.
Seems to work ok now. I jacked up the front end first to about 12 inches high. Loosened the Radiator drain, the bleed screw on the Thermostat Housing, and removed the Radiator cap. I then removed the upper hose at the Thermostat Housing and blew (yes insert some smart *** comment 
) threw the top radiator hose which did get out about another 12oz or fluid. The green fluid was ok not much rust since I had it converted 5 months ago. Next, I reconneced the upper hose and closed the Radiator drain and filled with hose water. I ran the engine until thermostat opened and then redrained the system. Oh I still had the Thermostat bleed screw open during this process untill fluid could be seen driping out of it. I then repeated the whole process but with new Green stuff mixed 50/50. I also drained the reservior prior to the finalfilling as well. The last thing i did was after it was fully hot I toped off the reservior to the "fill hot" mark.
I did a long drive in traffic and everything acted as it should. Some upward needle creep when stoped until the fan turns on and then the gage is right in the middle. I did this in idle, in drive, and in drive with the AC on and everyting stayed where it should.
I guess the lesson here is you have to bleed the system period! When in doubt and you are having problems "BLEED the AIR OUT"!
) threw the top radiator hose which did get out about another 12oz or fluid. The green fluid was ok not much rust since I had it converted 5 months ago. Next, I reconneced the upper hose and closed the Radiator drain and filled with hose water. I ran the engine until thermostat opened and then redrained the system. Oh I still had the Thermostat bleed screw open during this process untill fluid could be seen driping out of it. I then repeated the whole process but with new Green stuff mixed 50/50. I also drained the reservior prior to the finalfilling as well. The last thing i did was after it was fully hot I toped off the reservior to the "fill hot" mark.I did a long drive in traffic and everything acted as it should. Some upward needle creep when stoped until the fan turns on and then the gage is right in the middle. I did this in idle, in drive, and in drive with the AC on and everyting stayed where it should.
I guess the lesson here is you have to bleed the system period! When in doubt and you are having problems "BLEED the AIR OUT"!
If you are still having problems with it after today I would lean towards a leaking head gasket. The was I always check is apply air pressure to each cylinder through the spark plug hole. Observe the coolant level in the radiator. If the level changes or if you get bubbles when you apply air to the cylinder, that you have found the culprit.
Otherwise it may have been just an air pocket in the system.....
Otherwise it may have been just an air pocket in the system.....
