Why is my 2002 pontiac sunfire overheating?

[delille]

My car keeps heating up to like 230 - 245 degrees. I changed the thermostat like a week or so ago and it is still doing it. I put the heat on and it goes down a little but very slowly. The past two days though it did this twice through out the day.

Before I changed the thermostat it would over heat and i couldn't drive it with out letting it cool and adding water. Now it just goes back down . . . I have taken it to a shop and they cant find a leak or anything. They told me to change the thermostat. I DID and it is still doing it!

 

[chad s]

Could be the water pump. have you only been putting water in or anti freeze? Some anti freeze you can not add water to, if you do it will clogg up the radiator and water pump.

 

[Austin G]

check the radiator fan, all coolant hoses, and the radiator itself. If the car only overheats while sitting, the fan may not be engaging. check the fan clutch or electrical connection. If the car overheats all the time, there may be a damaged radiator coolant hose .if you cannot recall the last time they were replaced you probably need them replaced. a good way to check is to squeeze the hose. if it feels excessively soft, replace them. It could be an issue with the radiator (try flushing it, if that fails, maybe replace) It could also be an airflow problem. check to see if there are leaves or debris clogging the radiator fins or the air inlets If all of these fail, have a mechanic look at it, especially the engine. There may be a clogged water passage in the engine, or coolant may be leaking into the combustion chambers via a breached head gasket or a warped head.