overheating please help!

[venom97]

my 96 gt was running hot on my way to work last night and on my way home it peged the temp gauge. i had to stop twice. i was thinking it could be a stuck t- stat but when i stopped the fan wasn't running. i jumped the fan and it helped but still was running hot. anyone have this problem?

 

[Jinx]

Could be a partially clogged radiator. What is the fluid level in the resivoire and what condition is it in? i.e. dirty, clean. The thermostat is still suspect too. It could be partially stuck open, but usually when a stat goes I think they default to the open position . When the car has cooled (over night) did you remove the radiator cap? Can you see fluid? Sometimes radiators develop small cracks that leak over time (happened with my truck).

 

[venom97]

the coolant is clean and the res. is right where its supposed to be. i did notice some coolant around the cap. i checked the cap and it was tight.

 

[Jinx]

You need to check down in the radiator as well. The resivoire is only there for over flow. As for the fan, I'm sure it does have a fuse, either on the panel inside or on the main distribution box under the hood.

 

[topless98gt]

Same thing (sorta) happened to me a few weeks ago, and today. I was on the highway with the A/C cranked all the way up today and then pulled in to sonic and killed the A/C, but left the car idling. When I went to leave, I noticed either steam or smoke, maybe both, coming from under the hood. I pulled it into a parking spot, let it cool and then filled it up with water. I took it to a shop (highway all the way) and then left it with them to take a look at. They said they couldn't find any leaks anywehre, but that the thermostat might be sticking. I bought a thermostat and a gasket and plan on replacing it tonight. If that doesn't work, only out $10. They also said the fan was kicking on when it needed to, so the fan isn't the problem.

Any ideas? If you need more info, please ask. I provided as much as I figured you need to know

 

[venom97]

let me know if the t-stat fixes the problem for you, i think that where im going to start

 

[topless98gt]

Will do. I'm letting her cool off in the back right now

 

[twogts4us]

Sounds like a hung thermostat.

 

[topless98gt]

Well, an hour and 10 dollars later...everything seems fine...until I get into traffic. It seems to only happen when I run the A/C. Everything was great, I headed up to Sonic to get some food, idled there WITH the A/C ON and nothing happened. I got back on the highway with the A/C on and then traffic came...we slowed down and my car got to the "AL" in "NORMAL". I killed the A/C, and then got back up to good speeds and everything seemed fine. When I got home, I let it idle for a few minutes with the A/C off, then turned the A/C on and let it idle. No problems.

I'm puzzled to what it could be.

 

[Jinx]

I'm puzzled to what it could be.

Possible faulty temperature sensor? Have you tried pulling any codes?

 

[Disturbed One]

There might be an intermitent problem with the fan. There was a car that came throught that was having an overheating problem only when she drove without the A/C on. The fan would kick on when she'd have her a/c running but once she'd shut off the a/c the fan would stop also.

 

[FORCED2DV8]

It always runs hotter when the a/c is on, I switched to a lower thermostat 180. and wired the fan so it comes on sooner, i have had no problems since.