might as well start an 06 topic

[Psych0matt]

Trying to diagnose (still) the 06 running hot issues, but I think it's the radiator.

 

Any benefit to flushing water between the radiator cap and the upper hose? I started tearing into the 06 tonight and ran water back and forth a bit between those two spots, but I can't get to the lower hose yet. I'm basically taking the radiator out anticipating having to replace it anyway, but I'm going to try and flush it and see what happens.

 

There's another cooler the same size as the radiator in front of it, ac condensor? it looks to have ac fittings coming out of it on the drivers side. And right below the cap/filler there's a hard line, I can take that off without issues? not sure what that goes to, transitions into a rubber line about midway across it looks like

[Imp558]

The other radiator thing is the A/C, the small hard lines are from the transmission to the transmission cooler built into the radiator.

[Psych0matt]

The other radiator thing is the A/C, the small hard lines are from the transmission to the transmission cooler built into the radiator.

the drivers side hard lines are ac, the single (at least that I see) under the neck is trans cooler? Makes sense. That can be disconnected without any issues, yes? That should be all else I have to do other than physically fish it out. A/c can stay in (assuming I physically have room to get the radiator out, with fans on). Or is it easier to pull the fans off first?

[Imp558]

Fans off first, the tranny cooler lines could be a plastic cap covering a clip to remove them.

[Psych0matt]

Fans off first, the tranny cooler lines could be a plastic cap covering a clip to remove them.

This line right here is what’s in the way of me getting the fan out

[Psych0matt]

Never mind, I was able to get the other side out first and an angle. But that’s what I need to take off to pull the whole unit out, right? I’m going to see if I can get to the lower hose before going that far

[Psych0matt]

Radiator seems to flow fine going to boil my Tstat. I suppose the water pump could be going but after a year and a half I wouldn’t think so. EDIT: Tstat opens. Now hmmm

[rich_e777]

I`d hate to think something with the heads, maybe its an air bubble trapped in the system? The symptoms youve been posting about sort of sound like my old 99 GTP after I replaced the radiator, water pump, tstat hoses etc. Dumbass Riche let it go to, ill get another. Anyways it kept running hot driving to work so I had Valvoline use their machine to flush the coolant system and never had a problem with it after that.

[Imp558]

Yeah, obstructed coolant passage or a water pump.

[Psych0matt]

Everything seems to have flow, and I had it flushed a month or two ago since I had no heat all winter, so I’m thinking either something came out of the heater core and lodged somewhere else, or now it’s soundin more like a water pump. All winter it’d get kinda warm and I could rev it up a bit and it’d go back down, and with the heat not working I figured everything was gunked up. Flushed it at tuffy and he said it was pretty bad. Since then it got worse. So maybe it was extra gunked up and it either took my pump with it, or it just happened to be slowly going out at the same time. EDIT: I might as well do the water pump and see if that helps, I’m pretty sure I have the lifetime warranty. I’ll have to check receipts, or just stop into the Zone

[Psych0matt]

Called AutoZone and apparently I did buy a lifetime warranty water pump, so I’m going to pull that one off this weekend between working long hours if I can, or the first part of next week, and put everything back together and slap a new pump on and see what happens

[runt]

I wouldn't doubt when they flushed that it pushed something from the heater core into the radiator.  I know at my dealer he said mine was plugged bad so I'm sure yours would be the same.

[Psych0matt]

The radiator doesn’t seem to have any flow issues at least for is fast and hard as my garden hose can push I figure the water pump is free so I might as well do that.

[rich_e777]

Called AutoZone and apparently I did buy a lifetime warranty water pump, so I’m going to pull that one off this weekend between working long hours if I can, or the first part of next week, and put everything back together and slap a new pump on and see what happens

If thats the duralast brand with the different impeller I really suspect those dont work as well as the factory originals with the larger heavier design. At least for the 1st gen 60degree engines.

[vipmiller803]

Unless the water pump is corroded so no more impeller exists (takes years, not 18 months), then I still suspect the radiator. As we mentioned before, the radiator could have enough flow for a garden hose but that does not make the area flowing the one that gets the most, or even enough, cooling air. Changing the water pump just puts you liable to having a doa aftermarket one, not to mention wasting a good part and labor.

Edited June 3, 2018 by vipmiller803

[Psych0matt]

I guess I assumed that the water pump was also a place a clog could’ve stopped

[Psych0matt]

Ordered a radiator, once the original one was out I kept flushing back and forth and kept having orange come out. It may have been cleanable but it’d eventually need replacing anyway, and since it’s already out...

[mfewtrail]

Ordered a radiator, once the original one was out I kept flushing back and forth and kept having orange come out. It may have been cleanable but it’d eventually need replacing anyway, and since it’s already out...

 

I don't think it's worth cleaning a plastic/aluminum radiator unless you already have the proper tools and setup to do it. Radiators can be found pretty cheap these days compared to say 10+ years ago. I recall paying $208 for a radiator for the '93 SE back in '02 and I saved nearly a hundred over what other part stores wanted at that time. Still on that same radiator all these years later. Currently, you can get what is probably the exact same radiator for about $50-60. I just ordered one for $49 shipped for the Regal - same brand the part stores carry.

Edited June 5, 2018 by mfewtrail

[Psych0matt]

Under $70 shipped, I was just annoyed because the wife’s van is having fan issues also right now and had to order that. However, changing her fan out shouldn’t take but a half an hour, and putting my car back together maybe an hour or so. My Friday night is already basically planned LOL

[vipmiller803]

It's the season for cooling issues... we got some good heat. Stressing out those parts reveals the weakest link rather quickly.

[Psych0matt]

Replaced the radiator, definitely cooling better, although it did sit at about 235 when idling for a while, but didn’t get any hotter. Possibly some air still in it (even though I thought I got it all out ). I need a new radiator cap, threads are screwy a bit.

[Imp558]

That's really hot, the secondary fan should have been on too at that high of a temperature.

[Psych0matt]

That's really hot, the secondary fan should have been on too at that high of a temperature.

secondary fan was kicking on. I didn't have a ton of time to mess with it before it started raining, but it at least seems to be a little better

[vipmiller803]

235 is the absolute highest edge of normal for idling. Have you gotten a chance to take it on the road?

[Psych0matt]

235 is the absolute highest edge of normal for idling. Have you gotten a chance to take it on the road?

I drove it to church and back yesterday which is about a 10 or 12 minute drive, and it never really went above half. But when I got home and let it idle in the driveway it did start to get a little bit warmer. I think at this point I’m just low on coolant from doing all this. When Amber gets home from work this afternoon I have to do the fans on her van, and mow the lawn, and hose out some of the coolant that spilled in the garage, and then I’ll make sure everything is all topped off.