I don't want a repeat of last winters problem so here we go...

Last year in the dead of winter, probably -10 deg outside, my car overheated for no apparent reason. Coolant was good, thermostat was good. It did it like three to four times, and each time the temp went all the way to the top and was PINNED. Needless to say, this isn't good for the headgasket among other things

I have a new thermostat in the backseat, j/w if I should put it in or look at somthing else as to what may have been the culprit. Also, ever since I over heated last winter, the car used to run at the middle bar to just under the middle bar on the temp gauge. Now it runs one bar over sometimes two bars over. Oil is changed every 3k miles. This summer it was HOT and I never overheated.

Ideas?



Vice President - NEJBody
2007 Cobalt SS
2001 Sunfire (retired)

Could be that the sensor is freaking over the cold weather and there is nothing wrong...

You might have air in your cooling system. If the heater is on and all of a sudden doesn't blow hot anymore, then you have air in the system.

Also, you could try flushing the coolant system, it might be blocked by something. And how do you know the thermostat is good, have you dipped it in a boiling pot of water to see if it opens? That's the only sure-fire way to see if it works, even if it is brand new.

Also, does your fan work?

pull the radiator cap when cold, and start it up. Watch for the water to start flowing around, you can tell when the thermostat opens up. If you have full guages for temp, have an assistant sit in and report temp dips and rises. If this temperature dip starts at the proper temp for the thermostat rating temperature, its good.

it could also be somethign as simple as the sensor that fires the electric fan up.


Is an '82 Olds Firenza a "Flash Ride" ?

Hey sean, I'll do that last test soemtime this week. sounds simple enough. then ill replace the thermostat...easy enough



Vice President - NEJBody
2007 Cobalt SS
2001 Sunfire (retired)