1997 pontiac sunfire overheating?

[naomi Jansen]

ok so i have a 1997 sunfire that was in a crash back in june. i had a trailer hitch puncture my radiator and some body damage.

we bought a used radiator from pic and pull and installed it.
driving for 10 minutes after that the car started overheating badly.
didnt know what to do checked all the line did a radiator flush and then i could drive for like an hour before it was boiling or if i went up hills the overflow would boil out.

in school we replaced the radiator cap but couldnt think of anything else to do. the radiator cap helped a ton i can now drive it for 30 minutes before she gets warm. she no longer boils now though just gets visibly warm (i can see heat radiating from the engine) and smell funny

the water pump works with no leaks. we change the oil regularly. i make sure the fluid is at the right level etc.

is there a way to test if the radiator itself is working right or anything? i dont want to spend more than 200$ on fixing this thing cuz ive already spent 600 fixing it and i only paid 1000 for the car.

 

[Scott W]

Low coolant level or bad thermostat.Did you make sure all the air was out of the system?Start it let it run for 20-30 min with the radiator cap off and watch it,when the thermostat opens it will raise the coolant level and may push it out of the radiator.

 

[Andrew R]

My money is on air in the coolant system. Look into the procedures for bleeding your coolant system. Change your thermostat. If you can shove a hose in the upper part of the radiator and it comes out the bottom part, and its not leaking when the cars running, chances are that your radiator is just fine. Also, I've seen water pumps that although look fine and aren't leaking, sometimes just don't do their job. But that would be a last resort along with looking into a head gasket breach

 

[Zip-tie Racer 18]

Wrong thermostat? I don't know if you replaced it or not. I don't know how to test a radiator, just make sure there is nothing restricting air flow through the radiator. Try using an additive called "Water Wetter" mixed in your anti-freeze from O'reillys. It helps a lot and keeps your engine cooler, as long as you don't leak it out. Good luck and Merry X-mas