Overheating

[volty]

It seems this messageboard is all about posting problems, now... Maybe ya'll can shed some light on my problem.

I was comin home from work on the freeway, and I looked down and the car was lookin like it wanted to overheat (the needle was at the top, nearly). So I turned off my A/C (its Texas, and like 85 degrees), and the guy I was giving a ride to suggested to turn the heater on full blast, which I did. We rolled for a couple of miles like that, windows down, heater on. The temps dropped pretty quickly, and so I turned the heater off, A/C back on, etc. And the temps climbed, and then the A/C started getting really warm. Repeated the heater bit, and drove home like that. When I got home, I turned the heater off, A/C on, and the same thing happened.

Any suggestions?

For reference, mines a 95, with about 111k miles on the clock. Its a standard, etc. Any other questions I can answer.

Thanks a lot, guys.

[Queamore]

Sounds Like a failing raidiator to me. But could be the thermostate sticking or the water pump going. To check Let the car heat up get a towl and carfully squeeze the top hose on the raidiator if it's rock hard then your thermostat is stuck closed. To check the water pump jack the car up start it and look underneath for antifreez leaking it should only leak a little or you could listen to it if it makes a winding noise then it's the water pump. I don't know of a way to check the raidiator but if everything else checks out then thats all that it could be. Unless the heads are shot that would heat up the engine to but that would mean your car is about to die I don't think thats the case

[bruinbear714]

Sounds Like a failing raidiator to me. But could be the thermostate sticking or the water pump going. To check Let the car heat up get a towl and carfully squeeze the top hose on the raidiator if it's rock hard then your thermostat is stuck closed. To check the water pump jack the car up start it and look underneath for antifreez leaking it should only leak a little or you could listen to it if it makes a winding noise then it's the water pump. I don't know of a way to check the raidiator but if everything else checks out then thats all that it could be. Unless the heads are shot that would heat up the engine to but that would mean your car is about to die I don't think thats the case

Sounds like the electric fan on your car isn't turning on with the A/C on. Does it overheat if you just let it sit there idling with the A/C off?

[yellow_jacket]

Are you only having this problem when you are stopped? If so, it is a fan problem. If not,(if it happens while you are driving) it is a flow problem. Start with the easy stuff: thermostat. If that doesn't fix it, Personally I would have the radiator flow checked( any radiator shop can do this). The water pump causing a problem like this is kind of rare, it would mean the impeller blades were worn down and that usually doesn't happen unless the bearings are bad in the pump and by that time they make a lot of noise.

[Q45tech]

Or massive dirt/leaves/fuzz between the condenser and radiator blocking air flow.........bent abused fins............once rads are 7-8-9-10 years old [actually sooner] they are not the same as brand new slow steady decline in capacity to exchange heat.

Same with condensers corrosion/dirt/ banged fins slowly add resistance to air flow meaning at the same fan speed less and less air flow and hotter and hotter coolant. Soon the 20% reserve is gone and the system can't take 90F heat much less the brand new oem spec of 120F ambient.

[volty]

Alrighty. Update time.

We flushed all the coolant, and replaced it with new stuff. Seemed to solve the problem but good. Yet, tonight coming home from my girlfriend's house, it overheated again. We popped the hood, and lo and behold, no coolant whatsoever in the overflow tank, which previously had been filled to the Max level, as of 2 days ago.

Ideas?

Its not a fan bit, the fan turns on and spins but good. Checked the top hose, and its soft.

We didnt see any coolant on the driveway in the mornings, so I dont know...

On a related note, any special anti-freeze/coolant I should have? Or just the generic stuff. And, what mixture to put in? Its Texas, so the coldest it gets is 20 fahrenheit.

Anywho, first step should be what, aside from putting in coolant so I can go to work?

Thanks guys.

[PalmerWMD]

Your coolant hoses are soft when you run the car???

Then you are not gettign any prssure in your system.

Water pump?

Fred...

[volty]

Quote »To check Let the car heat up get a towl and carfully squeeze the top hose on the raidiator if it's rock hard then your thermostat is stuck closed. [/quote]

Thats what I mean... It wasnt rock hard.

Well, went to work. Grabbed a bite to eat at a Deli across town, about a 20 minute round trip, and on the way back, sure enough. I had filled the overflow tank before I went to work, and by the time I got home, nothing was in there. I didnt notice a leak on the ground under my car. Could it be leaking while the water pump is going?

I'll fill it with coolant, get it hot, and see if its leaking while running, tomorrow.

Any other possibilities?

[LAWLESS240]

I HAD A VERY SIMILAR PROBLEM IN MY 90(OVERFLOW TANK EMPTY). I EVENTUALLY FOUND A SMALL CRACK ON THE TOP OF THE UPPER RADATOR HOSE. I REPLACED IT AND THE PROBLEM STOPPED.

[Rev_D21]

Alrighty. Update time.

We flushed all the coolant, and replaced it with new stuff. Seemed to solve the problem but good. Yet, tonight coming home from my girlfriend's house, it overheated again. We popped the hood, and lo and behold, no coolant whatsoever in the overflow tank, which previously had been filled to the Max level, as of 2 days ago.

Ideas?

Its not a fan bit, the fan turns on and spins but good. Checked the top hose, and its soft.

We didnt see any coolant on the driveway in the mornings, so I dont know...

On a related note, any special anti-freeze/coolant I should have? Or just the generic stuff. And, what mixture to put in? Its Texas, so the coldest it gets is 20 fahrenheit.

Anywho, first step should be what, aside from putting in coolant so I can go to work?

Thanks guys.

Make sure you bleed the air out of the cooling system before you put the cap back on. Best way is to put the car on ramps so the front is tipped up. Run it till the cooling fan kicks on. If you don't bleed the air pocket out you will notice there will be no heat inside the car and you could lead to a massive overheat condition.