Overheating Problem!!! Help!!!
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From: College Station, Texas
Overheating Problem!!! Help!!! Ok so on the way home from work, I look down and I'm running slightly over 210 on my temp gauge. No big deal I'm sure it will cool back down. Every quarter mile, another 10 degrees up. Before I know it, Im 20 degrees below redline. I had to stop 3 times to allow the car to coold back to 210 just so I could drive another half mile until I got home. I'm taking it to a radiator shop tomorrow morning. What the **** is the deal though!!! Each time I stopped you can hear the coolant just bubbling and overflowing out of the resorvoir and the radiator. Is something clogged? I checked it out tonite before I left work and it passed both freezing point and reserve alkalinity values for Dexcool specs. The car has 94k on it and I'm not sure if it's ever been swapped. Can a thermostat blow out and cause this? I checked the water pump and no leaks whatsoever. Can it fail without leaking? Someone please help because I would like to estimate my cost for this job. If its a water pump I would like to do it myself but anything radiator related I would rather let a shop do.
Josh
Josh
Your radiator could be clogged with sedement in the bottom rows not allowing proper heat dissapation. Your T-stat is probably bad now that is has seen 240-250 degrees. Could be as simple as a weak radiator cap, have it pressure tested.
Pull out the dipstick on your overflow tank and see if it's shittied up. Mine was horrible, but I've got a good method for cleaning it out.
If you've got an aftermarket 'stat, the fluid has been changed. Did you check the level?
If you've got an aftermarket 'stat, the fluid has been changed. Did you check the level?
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From: College Station, Texas
The level is good. I checked the coolant dip stick and yes it has a little bit of grime on it from broken down coolant but nothing crazy. What really gets me is that this was spontaneous and all of a sudden. It seems like something gave out. Im hoping it is the tstat. I was told when I got the car that they though it had been changed but they weren't sure. I got this through a dealer so you know how that may be. The car is only drivable for like 3 minutes before I have to pull over and its wasted with heat. Some important element just gave out IMO. I hope its just that tstat. Each time I pulled over, the coolant was bubbling hard and spewing out through the coolant cap on the tank and the radiator. Is that just what happens with overheating or is that relevant to a specific cause?
Josh
Josh
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I've noticed that every time a car just up and has the temp go through the roof, it's low on coolant. My dipstick looked like it was dipped in peanut butter when I got my car. 
One easy test, is you could remove the thermostat entirely, then re-fill the system with straight water (if you don't feel like wasting an $11 jug of dexcool lol). It's just 2 bolts, and may save you some $$$$$. If it's still doing it, you can take her to a radiator shop/change the water pump.
One easy test, is you could remove the thermostat entirely, then re-fill the system with straight water (if you don't feel like wasting an $11 jug of dexcool lol). It's just 2 bolts, and may save you some $$$$$. If it's still doing it, you can take her to a radiator shop/change the water pump.
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Thread Starter
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From: College Station, Texas
ok since this is a daily driver, i guess i will contact a local parts store for a stock style tstat. I would normally go with a htech 160 but I can't really go a few days without my car. I'll see if I can put in the new tstat and some coolant in this morning. I have been reading up on how blown head gaskets or leaking ones can cause this but that seems very odd for such low stress on my motor. No track time and only sees WOT maybe once a day maybe in one gear on top of that.
Josh
Josh
sounds to me like what mine had was doing the exact same thing as you describe it was too much air in the cooling system what i did was do a full flush and i refilled the system like it tells you to in here http://www.installuniversity.com/ins...sity/index.htm sorry i do not have the link but that worked for me like a charm if the system isnt filled like it tells you in install university the system catches air and causes the bubbling and eventually overheating
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I just checked the stick again and apparently it was darker than I though last night when I said it was mildly gunky. It has a lot of junky looking burnt fluid on it. Im gonna drain and refill the system first before I buy a tstat. When I checked the radiator though before this happened the coolant was visible through the cap hole. I never checked the reserve though.
Teching In
Joined: Feb 2006
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From: Monroe, GA
If the thermostat is not opening, the car will overheat and the coolant in the radiator will still be cold, ie. no flow. Start the car cold, make sure the coolant is full, when it gets hot on the gauge, see if the hoses going to the radiator are hot.
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Ok I mixed up dexcool and topped off both reserve and radiator. 5 minutes later after turning on the cold car, it was hot and over flowing. I don't have time for this so I took it to a trusted mechanic. If I just didn't have 2 finals today!!! 
I hate paying money for things that I can do myself its just so stupid. He is going to pressure test it and if there are no leaks he will replace the t stat. He did mention that if there are no leaks, fans are kicking on and the new tstat is in that it may be an internal issue which would kill me. He said I will know by 10. This sux...
Josh
I hate paying money for things that I can do myself its just so stupid. He is going to pressure test it and if there are no leaks he will replace the t stat. He did mention that if there are no leaks, fans are kicking on and the new tstat is in that it may be an internal issue which would kill me. He said I will know by 10. This sux...Josh
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From: College Station, Texas
All is well. I deleted my thermostat and replaced the housing. I added water to what I lost during this and will do a good flush when I get home. The car runs around 157 on the highway and stays below 183 in the city. Very nice...
Josh
Thanks to all for the help.
Josh
Thanks to all for the help.
Is that really good for an LS1?
This post makes me laugh! The same **** happened to my girls car a few days ago.!!!
I just replaced the thermostat today and it seems the problem of high temp. went away so far.
This post makes me laugh! The same **** happened to my girls car a few days ago.!!!
I just replaced the thermostat today and it seems the problem of high temp. went away so far.
Not to hijack but I was coming to post in this section when I saw this. I had my water pump seize up on me about a week ago. Got the part on Tue and put it in that night. I ran the car and topped off the fluids that night but have not driven it on the road until today. Same type thing happened, but the real kicker is that I REPLACED the t-stat when I put the new pump on as a precaution and for convenience. My original stat never gave me problems and I am thinking that Napa sold my wife the wrong one (if possible). I got rid of the box and receipt the night I replaced it so I cannot cros reference the numbers. My stock stat's seal (bottom, not neck) is torn so I can't put it in again to drive around if I was to order a 160. Should I just invest in a new stat and hope for the best? I flushed the radiator about July so I don't think that will be the problem. I drove it to the brink of sanity and shut it down to cool. On the last leg to home it spiked real high (260) and then the check gauge light went out and the needle went back to just below 210 where it usually sits, 30 seconds later it was on the climb again. I can feel the hose on top of the pump real firm and slightly swelled but the one off the t-stat is spongy but has a little flow going through it. That is the reason for thinking stat. Any ideas? I would like to get this resolved tonight so my wife can have full access to her car, thanks!
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Joined: Jul 2005
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From: B'ville, New York
be careful driving around with your temp. Aluminum doesn't like high temps. You could be doing alot of harm to your motor by not just parking it and bumming a ride. Its sucks but last time i looked $50 in stats/coolant is cheaper then $2000 heads and gaskets.