About 2 months ago, the water pump went out on the sunfire, (1999 - 2.2)

the thermostat was not replaced and as far as i know, the pressure was not released out of the system after the new pump was put on.

ever since, it's been heating up really bad and my temp gauge has not been working, the check engine light came on and stayed on ever since every time i scan it, it reads that the Coolant Temp sensor was having a high input, so i replaced the CTS, didnt do anything. I can erase the code, and the my heat gauge will fluctuate work for a little bit, and then drop down to the peg and the check engine light will come on.

so today my alternator crapped out so i picked a new one off the shelf went out and put it on along with a new thermostat and rubber gasket ring, it worked great for about 5 minutes and then went back to having the check engine light on and running real hot again.

i'm using dex-cool too...

what do you suggest i start replacing next to fix this damn thing, i'm so frustrated i just want the car fixed, do i take it to a garage?

Testing the ECT from a post I made a while ago...

Heres how to test your ECT it done in a few simple steps, I just said above what it does when unplugged 0V. So what do you think it will do with 5V being sent to the PCM, read 225F, and bang the fan should come on. How do you apply 5V to it. The ECT is three wires, input to PCM, 5V reference, ground. Simply t pin the 5V reference, and t pin the input, use a paperclip the connect the t pins, fan the fan should then come on. If it comes on good, the wiring for the ECT is good, and PCM is good.

Now that was just part of it. Now using a voltmeter set it to DC 20V. You need to t pin the input from the PCM. It will read between 0-5V. Now if you t pin and say the car was hot at say 195F, but it is giving an input of 1.2V, the ECT is not working correctly.

I dont have the chart in front of me, but simply it should be giving X amount of volts at X temp. To low of volts and the fan will not come on, since the PCM uses volts as the temp value.

Also a final note the ECT input for the PCM is not the same one used as for the dash temp. It is a different sensor for that one, only one wire i believe, the ECT is three wires.



ECT high input, well it is negative temp coeffiecent. Temp goes up, resistance goes down, voltage flow goes up. So it is sending out a higher then it should voltage reading, so either the sensor is bad, or the car is really overheating.

Did you think maybe the new water pump is bad, you said ever since it was installed.

The impeller inside it could be bad, it not spinning, equals overheating.

Is the belt tension correct for the water pump?

hope it helps





- 2004 Cavalier - 124k, owned since new

Are you sure you have gotten all of the air out of the system? It sounds like the pump might be getting an air lock causing a loss of flow.

how do i get the air out? somebody said you have to open something on the radiator and run the car, but i dont know what or where it's located.

On the 2200 therE's a bleeder valve on the driver side of the engine. You have to loose it up a bit and let the air out.

It does seem like air in the system.



Gilles
2.3 Ho

could you give me more of a detailed location of that bleeder valve?

would that cause the temp gauge not to work?

It's by or on the thermostat housing.

It's not that it's not working, it's because of the air that you get some funny reading. The coolant sensor is for liquid, not air.

So when you get alot of air on the sensor, it can't read.



Gilles
2.3 Ho

The water pump dosen't like to pump air, it won't. You need to bleed the system after taking it apart or you'll get overheating and very odd gauge readings. Look for a small "nut" on or around the thermostat outlet, fill it until it runs out there. Start it and continue to fill it until you don't get any air out of the bleeder. Then it might work ok.
Don

the bleeder valve is above the trans right alongside the head on the 2200. Towards the drivers side on the towards the front of the engine. air will deff do that to the gauge.



2009 Ford Mustang V6

what do i do, just twist that nut off until i hear air coming out? do i have the car running? inform me please!

the smaller nut on the top is actually the bleeder bolt just carefully loosen it enough till you hear air come out. while the car is running ofcourse. let it run the air out and once the antifreeze comes out let it keep bleeding for a couple seconds to make sure. you may have to do this a few times though. hope this helps.



2009 Ford Mustang V6

You have to do it when the coolant is cold. If it's hot, it's under pressure and you'll most likely get burned.



Gilles
2.3 Ho

so am i gonna need to buy a bunch more antifreeze? i already had to buy 2 gallons for when we replaced the thermostat cause my manager let it run all over the parking lot

hmmm, when i try to get air outta my coolant, i just run the car (from cold), take the reservoir cap off and let it run....when it gets hot and starts to flow, air bubbles will come up (if there is air in the system) and the coolant level will drop slightly, i just add until air stops coming out, then put the cap on BEFORE i turn the car off....always worked for me....

Quote:

so am i gonna need to buy a bunch more antifreeze? i already had to buy 2 gallons for when we replaced the thermostat cause my manager let it run all over the parking lot

You'll maybe lose a pint at most (and that's being very generous). Just add water to top off.

dex cool jug says dont add water

right now i'm letting the car run with the resevoir cap off, if this doesnt fix it, then i need to try that damn bleeder trick.

i still have over half a gallon of DC left, so i should be good if it's only a pint.

fist off any time a car over heats the t-stat should be replaced.

if it is only air try this:
If the t-stat is in the lower hose drill a small hole in it. This is the only way I have sound to easily bleed the 2.2 ohv.


if this does not work it sounds like you may have blown your head gasket., any shop should be able to check for this.

sorry about the double post but forgot how to post picture this is where you need to drill the hole. This will not hurt any thing or effect warm up time.

jimmythekid1the thread killer recommends changing the thermostat...

I agree...

Yours seems to be stuck...

You may have air in the system, I think you know that, though. A pocket of air would cause overheating and possibly an incorrect temp reading. Also check the rad for blockage. Did you repalce the coolant after finishing the pump replacement? Just thinking.

like i said i replaced the thermostat and put in all new dex cool

lemme clear this up, the temp gauge does not come off the needle. the only time it works is when i erase the code, it works for about 10 minutes and then shuts off and the check engine light comes back on, reading a PO118 - Coolant Temp Sensor high input

therefore, i do not know exactly if the car is overheating or not, it never actually did before, but it got close to the red.

i've checked to see if the fan has been kicking on and it has

i also ran the car with the coolant resevoir cap off for prolly for a half hour and didnt seem to do a damn thing


my next step is to try the bleeder valve trick, if that doesnt work, then i'm gonna just start replacing @!#$, i'll probably buy one of those ultra cooling radiator with the dual cooling fans (which i had planned to do in the future)


i'm nervous about the drilling thing, could you maybe explain the point of that a little better?

the point of drilling the t-stat is to allow coolant to bypass the t-stat to make it easier to bleed.
the old 2.2 this was never a problem because the stat was in the upper hose, the later model ones as you now are in the bottom hose. So being that the air is trapped lower then where your filling the system makes it hard to bleed. Drilling a small hole 1/8 drill bit allows coolant to bypass the stat before it warms up and opens. A lot of cars already have a bypass built in the the stat but for some reason this engine does not.\

I was having the same trouble you are after doing a head gasket on 2.2 and an "old guy" recommend this to me, i done I over 50 times and it work good for me.

Also if you cap is on the reservoir, there is now bleeder. The bleeder is now a line that runs to the top of the reservoir, I have seen these line clog and cause this problem too, just to be safe blow that line out with compresses air.

hope that helps

which line is it exactly? the very bottom line, or the next one up

it will be a small 1/4 in hose at the very top of the reservoir. their may be two, just blow them all out. but it will be a small hose. the one at the bottom should go to the radiator and lower hose.