overheating problem

DaBird93

Registered User
ok so i changed the normal, thermostat still does the same thing, the gauge will stay cold then slowly climb to hot then the check gauge light comes on, then it will slowly go down again and repeat itself while driving.. my question is, is this the water pump slowly dying? or the radiator clogged? im down for whatever im just annoyed becuase i know soon that gauge is going to stay hot and im gonna overheat lol
thanks for the help!!
 
ok so i changed the normal, thermostat still does the same thing, the gauge will stay cold then slowly climb to hot then the check gauge light comes on, then it will slowly go down again and repeat itself while driving.. my question is, is this the water pump slowly dying? or the radiator clogged? im down for whatever im just annoyed becuase i know soon that gauge is going to stay hot and im gonna overheat lol
thanks for the help!!

pull the water pump if your worried not sure if it could be the issue. a gasket cant be much more then a couple bucks.
 
First scan for codes, then see if the car over heats while going down the freeway. Does the car stay cool while driving down the free? Have the eec perform a diagnostic check, if will cycle the low/high function of the fans.(the goto is posted in the forums, check for pulling codes).
 
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When going down the freeway this is when I notice it the most.. Could it possibly be the fan not turning on when it needs to be ? No check engine light came on so I don't think there would be any codes.. Could there possibly be saved codes or codes thrown without any lights popping up ?
 
Its not the electric fans, the radiator sees more air flow at 45mph+ then the fans will ever produce. I would still check to make sure you didnt suck in a plastic bag into the condensor. At this point given the information I would guess its either water flow or the eec getting incorrect information from a sensor. Get the codes!!!! its easy to do. takes 2 minutes. Forgot to ask, stock thermostat or aftermarket? Small chance you got a defective thermostat.(sure you didn't put it in backwards.. sorry I had to ask) I can see the stat opening really late just at the car is about to overheat, thus generating the check engine light as a warning....
 
Thermostat went back in the same way as it was.. I changed the thermostat with a napa one.. What is this EEC ? And to check codes I would have to take it somewhere don't have a scanner.. The only light that comes on is the check gauge light..
 
The thermostat should only go in one way. the wrong way it won't fit right and will leave the housing leaking at the gasket.

You haven't said if the engine is really getting hot or not. i.e., the gauge gets it's signal from a temp sender (mounted on the thermostat housing). If the gauge is just mis-representing engine temp due to a bad sensor, well then you have nothing to worry about. But if the engine really is getting too hot, then you need to worry.

Assuming the engine is really getting hot (and that's a big assumption), next time you are at home for a while, start the car and just let it heat up. Have the hood open and watch the gauge. Somewhere around the R in NORM, the cooling fan should start. Certainly by the time the check gauges light is on, a cooling fan should be running. Is it?

If not, that's is what is causing your engine to overheat. Keep an eye as the temp goes up and up, does a fan suddenly come on? Now there is how the temp goes back down.

This fans may not come on when the should due to:
1) fan motor burned out.
2) EEC-IV coolant temp sensor inaccurate or otherwise faulty.
3) IRCM module faulty
4) EEC-IV module faulty.

If the engine isn't really overheating, then it you probably need a new temp sensor for the gauge. (or the gauge could be bad).
 
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