Ok when i bought my 2000 Grand Am GT V6 it ran fine. But then one day it started to overheat and leak coolant. So I replaced the water pump, the thermostat and flushed the coolant out and added new coolant. I was driving it one day and it started to overheat again, I was only a mile from home so I decided to chance it. Bad idea. Coolant leaked out all over the highway and I blew the headgaskets. So i replaced the headgaskets, put in another new thermostat, replaced the serpentine belt,put in another radiator, and it still has the new water pump. For the first 2 months after the rebuild the coolant continued to leak. Then one day it just stopped. Now when I am at a stop light the temp starts to slowly go up, and it will keep going up until I start driving again. Then it goes back to normal. As long as I am moving all is well. WTH is the issue?! The cooling fans are working just fine, I tested that already. I replaced dang near the entire cooling system. It seems like its overheating because there isnt enough coolant in the radiator. The coolant overflow is full to the line. Is is possible that the radiator isnt pulling coolant from the overflow? If thats the case how do I fix that? I was thinking that maybe a coolant passage was blocked in the engine somewhere from some gasket material fallling in when we replaced the head gaskets, but then it would overheat while driving as well. Please help me!!!!!
Why am I still overheating?
- Thread starter megatronn
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High temperature at idle is typically related to the fans not kicking in at the correct temperature. Do you know at what temperature they start? It should be slightly above 210 and then bring the car back down to around 195. Is anything blocking the airflow through the fans? You did install a 195? Did you pressure test the system including any radiator or overflow sealed caps? You do have the correct cap, should have a rubber seal?
The fans do kick on right about 210 degrees, but the temp doesnt seem to come back down until the car is moving. Thats why I was thinking that it was serp/water pump or coolant issue at first. I dont have the correct tools to pressure check the system, but even if there wasnt 100% pressure the water pump would move the coolant throught the system and draw from the overflow wouldnt it?
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if it doesnt draw back from the overflow when it cools you have a cap problem or the hose going to the overflow has a leak. Did you properly bleed all the air out of the system after all the work you did?
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Yup I did bleed all the air properly as far as I know. Ill look into the cap and see if maybe its missing the gasket.
After doing some research i went ahead and started the car while it was 92 degrees outside and this is what I discovered. If i let the car run it will get up to about 210 and the fans will kick on. They will kick on and stay on, although it doesnt seem like they are spinning fast enough. They will cool the engine enough to maintain the temp of 205. Should I be looking into a fuse or relay issue? After the engine got hot I went and turn the cap on the overflow to loosen and and there was a sound of pressure being released when the cap was almost off, I quickly re-tightened it so as to not burn myself, but it does appear proper pressure is being maintained. So what do you guys think?
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what temperature thermostat did you install? Above you state it never went above 210 and the fans brought it back down to 205 on a 92 degree day. By partially removing the cap you verified it holds some pressure but the cap should have a center rubber gasket and a second one around its outter perimeter which is necessary for the overflow bottle to function. Does it have the outter perimeter gasket or seal?
There is a gasket around the center about half an inch from the bottom and then another gasket around the center about another inch from that one. Is that all of them? There isnt supposed to be a gasket around the center all the way up by the cap is there?
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I looked at the type of system you have and now realize there is no radiator cap. You have a screw on cap on the overflow bottle, correct? Going back to your temperature readings you stated the fans kick on at 210 and then hold the temperature at 205 on a 92 degree day so why do you think there is a problem?
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You are running a 195 thermostat? If so have you tried removing it, place it in a pot with water and a thermometer heat it and watch at what temperature it fully opens. You could have a thermostat that is not fully opening at 195.
Zimgxp
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Maybe check the temp with an IR Thermometer. The gauges are not known to be very accurate.
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yup its a brand new 195 thermostat. I was thinking that maybe either the coolant level sensor or the coolant temp sensor was wrong originally, but since the temp goes up to and stops at 205-210 i think its ok. i really just think the coolant is a little low and for some reason is not pulling from the overflow. Either that or the fans are not spinning fast enough. Can anyone take a video of their fans kicking on so I can see?
Zimgxp
New member
That's about normal temp. Fans wont come on till 230-240.
i have the same problem you having.
i have a 2002 Grand Am GT RamAIR.
when i first got the car the temp was at 200-195. And i live in texas. Weather here is 100-105 degrees. After a month it went over 200. to 210-215. I change the radiator, the thermostat. And the gaskets.. Same results. It stays at 205-210. I really can't figure it out why. My next step is replacing the thermostat housing.
i have a 2002 Grand Am GT RamAIR.
when i first got the car the temp was at 200-195. And i live in texas. Weather here is 100-105 degrees. After a month it went over 200. to 210-215. I change the radiator, the thermostat. And the gaskets.. Same results. It stays at 205-210. I really can't figure it out why. My next step is replacing the thermostat housing.
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car sits at 210 on 78 degree day
this car always seems to be gurgling and low on fluid i can't seem to get flow through the heater core either, i bled the line at the water pump, water never comes, this really seams to be one of gm's not so hot brain farts.
this car always seems to be gurgling and low on fluid i can't seem to get flow through the heater core either, i bled the line at the water pump, water never comes, this really seams to be one of gm's not so hot brain farts.