help - car runnin hot

[Unkonshus]

I think my water pump is out, but I don't know how to be 100 percent sure. It's getting up to 1/2 on the temp guage, rad and tank are full, all hoses are okay Any ideas? Average temp in Tx now is 102, but never ran hot before...

[TheMU47]

ok...you have a 97 SL2

-does the radiator cap hiss when loosened?
if so, read on. if not, test / replace cap.

-does the radiator fan come on when the a/c is activated?
if so, read on. if not, check for voltage at the fan plug / check fuses for a/c, hvac, cooling fan, check grounds, check wiring, check fan motor.

-with the coolant cap off and the engine running, does the water circulate in the resevoir?
if so, read on. if not, make sure sytem is topped off, check for leaks at the water pump.
- Is one rad hose hot, the other cold?
if not, read on. If so, check or replace the thermostat, check or replace the water pump.

-does the car read at the 1/2 when you know it's cold?
if not, read on. If so, test / replace the ECTS and harness.

check for obvious stuff too, like obstruction of the radiator, damage to the radiator, damaged hoses, etc.

A cracked head would overheat the cooling system too, but I doubt that you have that problem. Texas is hot....I'm sure it's something simpler.

[brokenheadz2003]

for a quick fix do the fan switch and leave it on all the time, just dont forget to turn it off when you get out of your car...its about 105 in CA where i live and mine does the same thing

[Unkonshus]

the cap does not hiss, fan comes on when a/c is on. The a/c recently started kicking in and out at weird times (like off until I drive 500ft before kicking in and not working at idle). All fuses and fan motor okay. No leaks at the pump or hoses. As for diff temp hoses, they both are warm but the upper one "feels" empty kinda and the fill tank is full. And the guage has ALWAYS read slightly above 1/4. Today when I pulled into the house it was at the 1/2 and on the rise. I was reaading an older post about this and learned not to mix coolants red and green. But about 5 months ago, I did add some "mixed with any kind" coolant to it. That would'nt hurt would it?

[GTI]

for a quick fix do the fan switch and leave it on all the time, just dont forget to turn it off when you get out of your car...its about 105 in CA where i live and mine does the same thing

no that is very very unnecissary dude. You dont need the fan on all the time.

[therealm0rh0us]

thats right it causes problems just like running no thermostat
well not just like .......

[PROTOTYPE]

for a quick fix do the fan switch and leave it on all the time, just dont forget to turn it off when you get out of your car...its about 105 in CA where i live and mine does the same thing

no that is very very unnecissary dude. You dont need the fan on all the time.

Not only that but I think our cars deactivate the fan at 35 mph.

[therealm0rh0us]

or 40 i think you won
cadillac northstars were 40mph
but they have airflow through the front of the car s cars have no grills but i still think your right

[saturnspeed_12]

did i like not read it right? 1/2 on the gauge is perfectly fine. you can mix in that "mixs with all" anti freeze in with dex cool, but NEVER mix the green and orange. it will cause big problems, if you would like to ask my brother hed let you know.

but half way is fine. if it hits the red, then check for problems. if it gets to 3/4 and fan kicks in and cools it to 1/2 your fine. the ects might be bad, because 1/4 mark is not the spot it should be. between 1/4 and 1/2 or near 1/2 is where it should be.

[Unkonshus]

I also noticed last night that I couldn't "hear" the fan like normally, but it was running. Something must be wrong with the fan if it turns just not that fast?? Ian, I have never had the same guage reading as you. Mine always (up until this week) ran like a smidgen above 1/4. Which is weird b/c Im in the Tx heat(103 today). So your saying that 1/2 on the guage IS OKAY?

Maybe I'm just fliipiin out [img]{SMILIES_PATH}/rolleyes.gif[/img]

[saturnspeed_12]

let it sit and see where it gets to. if it gets to the red (meaning in the red not near it) then shut it down and then that will let you know youve got a problem. if it getst o like 3/4 and the fan kicks in and cools it down to 1/2, your perfectly fine. if it gets to 3/4, fans kick in, and it stays there you have a problem.

[Unkonshus]

I dont know if my fan even kicks in at 3/4, b/c i never let it get that high. Like i said, it always ran at 1/4. Does this mean replace the ects?

[saturnspeed_12]

possibly, but let it run and see how high it gets and see where it drops to after the fans kick off.

[Unkonshus]

Today the guage went right up next to the red and stayed. never went back down until i got out of the traffic jam. Im leaning towards thermostat?

[saturnspeed_12]

could very well be.