overheating ????

[1trucavalier]

Okay 1st I replaced the thermo with stock 195, replaced the wp, replaced the cts (by TB), flushed the radiator, replaced with 50/50 green coolant, replaced the radiator cap, new belt tensioner and the temp still climbs when idling. When i start to drive for a distance or on the highway the temp stays 1 bar below half but if i sit it goes up immediately. Both fans work and cut on just past the half mark but they still are not enough it still gets hot. i was gonna do a manual fan switch but thats worthless because the engine gets hot (I guess the guage sender might be not working right) with both fans on. The only other thing I could possible think is the sensor connected to the radiator is bad. I called to get a price on the radiator which is NOT LEAKING and they said $1325. I was laughing my ass off!!!!!!! HELLLLLLLLLPPPPP

[GnatGoSplat]

Did you remember to bleed (burp) the cooling system when you filled the new coolant? This is a somewhat time consuming task, but it needs to be done. Air pockets in the engine will cause hot spots.

[1trucavalier]

how do your burp it? I have it taken apart now replacing the heater core and if that doesn't work there is nothing left to replace but to burp it. ty 8)

[GnatGoSplat]

Let it warm up to operating temperature and loosen the bleeders. There's one on top of the thermostat housing, and another close to the water pump (on a 90+... 88-89 don't have the one close to the water pump). When coolant streams smoothly out of the bleeders with NO bubbles or unevenness, then all the air is out of the system.

[1trucavalier]

duhhh! I feel stupid now kind of figured they were for bleeding but I guess its just early. I need coffeee1

[SEiZe]

Let it warm up to operating temperature and loosen the bleeders. There's one on top of the thermostat housing, and another close to the water pump (on a 90+... 88-89 don't have the one close to the water pump). When coolant streams smoothly out of the bleeders with NO bubbles or unevenness, then all the air is out of the system.

 

I have a '96 Cutlass w/ 3.1, and I have two bleaders. One of them is a Standard-Head Screw and the other is a 6-Point small bolt. I have opened them both up once at the norm. operating temp. and it seems that I am getting more air in the system then i am letting out. Do both bleaders need to be opened to get the air out, or can i open one?

 

P.S., All hoses and cooling components are tightly sealed.

[GnatGoSplat]

If the car is at normal operating them and you open them with the engine running and nothing comes out, then it's full of air. Coolant is supposed to stream out of them when there's no more air in the system.

[SEiZe]

should the stream be weak or strong ?

 

I tryed it the other night and I had a trickle out of one but nothing coming out the other.

[GnatGoSplat]

It won't be very strong, but it'll be more than a trickle.

I know the one on the thermostat housing is very important to bleed. I'm not sure on the other ones. I usually always have a steady stream coming out of the other ones too.

[1trucavalier]

the best way to do it is NOT to open it all the way up. You want to first let it get up to temp, then open the passenger side just slightly so it hisses and hisses until you see coolant then close. Do the same thing on the one by the intercooler pipe/ thermostat. I was over heating due to damaged radiator put a new on in and it would still get hot bleed off the air that in my case hissed for like 3 min and haven't had a problem since.

[Lee]

My sister-in-law's 95 Grand Am GT did an overheat yesterday. She had to get to work right away but the low coolant light was on. The coolant tank was empty. I added coolant but the light never went out. She made it to work (15 miles) and it didn't overheat but the light stayed on.

 

It's a 3100 with no radiator cap, just the plastic coolant tank cap. I told her it must be airbound but there was no time to bleed off. Where are the bleeders for this. The thermostat looks to be in a very inconvenient spot below other hoses just to the driverside of the engine. Is there one by the water pump?

 

She got the car this last summer and has had this trouble a few times. She has a husband so I never thought much about it but apparently he could give a f*.

 

Sure could use the help.

[Lee]

Oh yeah....She left home, got three miles and the temp gage started spiking, then the low coolant light came on. When I opened the hood I saw there was some leakage from the coolant tank cap (presurized).

 

Then I added coolant (glycol) etc.

[Lee]

update:

 

She pulled in with a warmed up motor(15 mile drive)....I bled the valve above the water pump and only got coolant. The low light is still on. Letting it cool a bit to see what the level is in the overflow tank. She said her husband had added some more this morning.

 

I didn't see another bleeder valve on it.

[cutlassdude96]

The N-body version of the 3100 is a little different from what Ive seen. They dont have a bleed screw on the theromstat hosing just a line to the tank I belive.

[Lee]

When the car cooled down a bit I checked the overflow tank. It was full. There was no air, only water when I opened the bleeder earlier.

 

She said that the temp isn't spiking anymore. I told her it was best to replace the thermostat but that it still didn't explain the low coolant light staying on.

 

We are getting 0* tonight.

[1trucavalier]

there is a coolant low switch in your overflow at the bottom. the cts switch is like $6-11 and the overflow switch is about $10 I would replace them first.

[RedZMonte]

When the car cooled down a bit I checked the overflow tank. It was full. There was no air, only water when I opened the bleeder earlier.

 

She said that the temp isn't spiking anymore. I told her it was best to replace the thermostat but that it still didn't explain the low coolant light staying on.

 

We are getting 0* tonight.

 

if the light is coming on then its your coolent level sensor.

 

RedZ