Radiator Problems

[shucker1]

Be sure to check the front of the radiator and A\C condenser for a coating of bugs and or trash (I.E. Plastic bags). You do not want to use a pressure washer on those fins to clean them off, it will collapse them. The garden hose with a jet spray should work fine.

 

[gijoecam]

Let's back up and start with the basics... begin at the beginning if you will...

What started happening, and when? Have you checked your coolant concentration? That's the first place to start... drain and flush the system, refilling with a 50/50 mix of water and antifreeze if it hasn't already been done.

The clutch could be bad as well, but they tend to fail in the locked position, unnecessarily moving air when the engine is cool. It's much more rare that they fail and freewheel.

Even with a faild fan clutch, it should not be overheating if you're moving at 55 mph down the freeway, even with the AC on. If that's happening, we've got other issues there...

-Joe

 

[Rx7freak08]

Um when I got my car. It over heated one day. I saw that the coolant needs to be flushed. So I flushed it. The next day it did it again. It was getting so hot there was steam coming out of the resisvor.

I replaced the thermostat and nothing happend. I don't remember if i would get on the high way with it on and it would stay fine. I don't know if it does that. I know if I do city driving it over heats.

 

[JohnJ]

Um when I got my car. It over heated one day. I saw that the coolant needs to be flushed. So I flushed it. The next day it did it again. It was getting so hot there was steam coming out of the resisvor.

I replaced the thermostat and nothing happend. I don't remember if i would get on the high way with it on and it would stay fine. I don't know if it does that. I know if I do city driving it over heats.

The things about city driving that can be worse than highway driving for an overheating problem:
-Periods of low speed: low airflow over the radiator - suggest bad fan or fan clutch or internally or externally blocked radiator
-Periods of low engine speed: low coolant flow rate -suggest deteriorating water pump impeller - suspect this especially if coolant looks rusty, brown, or old, if this is the problem replace radiator also
-High pressure in combustion chambers during acceleration: blowing gas into coolant - suspect bad radiator cap or leaking head gasket
-Acceleration increases slippage in automatic trans - suggest tranny problem. You'll notice other symptoms also, though.

 

[Rx7freak08]

Thanks that helped.