Temperature issue since overheat

[Andres2882]

For those who didnt hear, my car overheated very badly the other week. Long story but it was my fault. Anyway, since then, my car has run a steady 15 or so degrees warmer. No temperature spikes or anything, it just holds steady hotter.

My question is whether anyone thinks the extreme temperatures could have cooked by thermostat - causing it to open at a higher temperature than 180 degrees? The temperature was hot enough to cook my low cooalant sensor. I've checked and cannot find any other leaks, no coolant in the oil, etc. Just runs hotter and seems to take longer to cool off when the car is shut off.

 

[dastang2]

how bad did it get, i got to 290 before and nothing happened afterwards. i am just guessing but maybe carbon was built up and causing to run hotter or maybe some of the plugs were somehow damaged. who knows.

 

[racerraj]

I wonder if maybe just the thermostat was damaged. It'd be cheap to change, maybe throw a Mr Gasket 180 in there.

 

[silver87]

Sadly I had the same experience a couple weeks ago. I was driving and reved it up and before I knew it my car was overheating (hit about 250) took it to the shop where I work and there was no coolant in the radiator, filled it up and since then its sits about 15* hotter. I have been driving it and no loss of coolant, I pressure tested it and no leaks and no signs of blown head gasket or cracked block. I have it sitting in my garage now because I need to get to school everyday and dont know if I can trust the car. If there is any suggestion it would be great. This weekend I am putting a new thermostat in.

 

[tomst9]

What kind of mixture of antifreeze did you put in. Maybe the mixture is different, causing you to run hotter
tom

 

[silver87]

Not to mean to steal the thread but I just got the pre-mixed 50/50 peak.

 

[sillyg]

Try bleeding the system you might have air in it.

 

[TrickStang37]

how do you bleed the system?

 

[HISSIN50]

do swap the stat out (follow racer's advice - Mr G's are nice). do get a new cap - remember that the pressure in the system raises the effective boiling point. and as said, Bleed, bleed bleed.

you can test the system's ability to hold pressure too if nothing else works.

good luck.

 

[TrickStang37]

again, how how how do you bleed bleed bleed!

 

[shttygtstang]

lol

 

[HISSIN50]

again, how how how do you bleed bleed bleed!

to bleed: on a cold motor, remove the rad cap. jack the front end up (or park creatively) so that the rad neck is the highest point by a good point, in the system.
run the car till the stat opens and then a bit more. you should see air coming out of it (it is much easier for water to get out with no pressure in the system from the rad cap). the temp should get slightly higher than your stat rating and level off.
be sure the heater is on full bore for atleast part of this. some guys also have removed the ECT sensor to help - i dont.

good luck. good luck. good luck.