Car keeps overheating
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Teching In
Joined: Oct 2006
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Car keeps overheating First off I have a 96 Trans Am. A little while ago I threw a code saying that I had multiple cylinder misfires. I drove my car down to the hobby shop here on base where I replaced the opti-spark, plugs, and wires. As I was putting it back together I discovered that the water pump that I had replaced just a year earlier had been leaking out of the weep hole. So I got a new water pump and thermostat and put them on. I also suspected that one of my two radiator fan motors had gone bad so I went ahead and replaced it while I had the assembly out. I put it all back together and properly filled up the cooling system with someone who had a little bit more experience with cooling systems than I do (since this car gave me some trouble a year ago when I replaced the water pump). Well after about three hours of trying to get the car to keep cool they were closing so I drove the car to their parking lot. It appeared that everything was working as advertised with the exception of the fans, they never turned on. When I drove it to the shop the car kept cool and now it keeps getting to the point where even just at idol, it gets so hot I have to turn it off before I do some damage. I checked the three relays and the one fuse and they checked out good. The temp gauge works so I assume that the sensor is good. Any advice on what steps to take next would be greatly appreciated. Thanks – A.J.
Thread Starter
Teching In
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Yeah my gauge is working properly but I’ve heard that there are two sensors on most cars, one that sends a signal to the gauge and one that sends a signal to the computer and that the one for the computer could be malfunctioning. As for the temp, it will go all the way to the red unless I cut it off first. I want to try to avoid taking it to a shop but it’s starting to look inevitable.
Originally Posted by 96T/A
Yeah my gauge is working properly but I’ve heard that there are two sensors on most cars, one that sends a signal to the gauge and one that sends a signal to the computer and that the one for the computer could be malfunctioning. As for the temp, it will go all the way to the red unless I cut it off first. I want to try to avoid taking it to a shop but it’s starting to look inevitable.
my car did the exact same thing last summer. I ended up replacing the 160 thermo w/ another 160 and it kept over heating, so i put a 180 in it, changed the sensors and flushed it out 4 times with a " Prestone Radiator Flush Kit" - sold at autozone for like $3.00 and did a coolant system pressure test.
replaced my cap- cuz it tested bad also. and i've not had a problems since.. - but you'd be amazed at how much nasty crap comes out of that when you flush it.
Hope this helps.
Thread Starter
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I did a radiator flush when I did the water pump a year ago. Where are the sensors located on an LT1? Do they both go by the same name? When I called part stores they only had one “Engine temp sensor”. Thanks for all the help.
Originally Posted by 96T/A
I did a radiator flush when I did the water pump a year ago. Where are the sensors located on an LT1? Do they both go by the same name? When I called part stores they only had one “Engine temp sensor”. Thanks for all the help.
The sensors have 2 different part numbers. and one is in the waterpump and the other is in the side of the block between cyl #'s 1 & 3 ( driver side of the engine)
One is a Coolant temp sensor and the other is a temperature switch. from autozone i believe the part numbers were like SU109 and SU145.. i think, but dont quote me on that. - the sensor is the one on the waterpump and the temp switch is the one in the block.
This flush that you did- was it a Back Flush- using this kit or did you just simpily hook up a hose and run it through?
