herbz28

iTrader: (1)

well i did a ton of searching but found nothing. My car keeps overheating. It is bubbling into the overflow and completely running over. The car heats up really fast and the fan kicks on at about 230 then it will stay on the whole time till it hits almost the red and when i stop i can hear it bubbling over. I checked the sensor between the number 6-8 spark plug and found it was broke and not hooked up. Could this be the cause of my cooling issues. I also know i need to replace my air dam because it is broke off on one side. Anyways amy help will be much appreciated

84redta

iTrader: (34)

the switch in the passenger side head is the fan switch, it would turn on the other fan sooner if it was hooked up correctly and working. You need that first fan to turn on to maintain temps, the fan that is coming on is being controlled by the computer. As far as overheating, it should not be getting to the point of boiling like that while sitting. The mix of antifreeze in the car could be too watery, and not enough coolant (if it wasn't a pre-mixed 50/50 to start with). Also if the radiator or thermostat weren't operating to optimal conditions, then that would cause overheating, along with any clog in the block. While driving it can overheat because your radiator flap underneath is broken off, and not enough air is getting up in there.

What condition is your coolant?

herbz28

iTrader: (1)

well when i looked at the coolant that was in the overflow it was pretty murkey green iknow it needs replaced but as for the air dam i thought that only worked if the car was going over 40 miles per hour. most of the city driving around her eis 40 or slower. So on the passenger side it controls. What is the easiest way to flush the radiator?

henryd3

iTrader: (128)

The fact that your car heats up quickly but does not seem to react to the fan coming on sounds like the thermostat may not be opening and so the fan has nothing to cool. When it first warms up does it reach thermostat temp and then cool briefly as cooler water is allowed in, and at the same time the upper radiator hose becomes hot from the water coming out of the engine? If those two things don't happen, replace the thermostat That broken fan switch also operates the other fan as a back up to the primary one and would help if operational

StringRust

iTrader: (2)

Start with the cheap fix of replacing your thermostat. They also make a coolant flush kit that splices into one of your heater hoses. With that you can hook a garden hose up to it and it will make flushing your cooling system a little easier and less messy! As far as your air dam, every little thing helps but I had one thirdgen that never had one on and it never overheated.

herbz28

iTrader: (1)

yeah i can feel both hose getting warm when i touch them and i do once in awhile notice the temp gauge drop a little once in awhile. i will replace the thermo stat this weekend and also that switch and see where we get from it all. It is just weird because before i had a problem and it was the radiator cap not sealing properly because the tab on the top of the radiator was bent up to far so i tapped it down a bit to seal the radiator better. but when i look at the wiring for the twin fans it looks pretty hacked up like someone put it together.

nickhil2003

Actually water is a better coolant than what antifreeze or coolant is store bought coolant just has anti corrisve properties that prevents the cooling system from gunking up . i would comptley flush out the cooling system and see what happens

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

Try a new radiator cap FIRST, before fiddling with ANYTHING else.

herbz28

iTrader: (1)

radiator cap is brand new and also swapped it out with a spare. is there a way to correct the top of the filler neck on the radiator itself where the radiator cap twists onto

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

Depends. If it's aluminum/plastic, no. If it's copper/brass, maybe.

Is it messed up? If so, that would explain why the cap doesn't seal. If the cap doesn't seal, then "boiling over" is normal, and NOT an indication of "overheating". NOTHING you can possibly do, will make the water stay in, if the cap is messed up.

Easiest way I know of to repair the cap place, is to replace the radiator. They're SUPER CHEEEEEEP, not worth the effort of trying to hack on. Try www.radiators.com or www.1aauto.com.

herbz28

iTrader: (1)

it looks to be copper/brass and i really dont have the money to go about replacing the radiator unles i can find a descent one in a pickn pull car

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

Prolly not going to happen; any more than you're likely to find good used gasoline in a picknpull car. Most likely, anything you'll find there, will be just about the same as what you've got; although you never knoe, you might get lucky. Don't bet the farm on it though.

Not much else to do, but fix it. Do you want the car to work, or not? Comes down to a real simple question, with a real simple answer.

Not sure what other options there could possibly be.

If all that's keeping you from fixing it is you don't have the money, that's easy enough to take care of. As little money as that is, if you can't afford that, what will you do when you need money for tires, or batteries, or any other typical maintenance that old cars always seem to need?

herbz28

iTrader: (1)

I understand where you are coming from and appreciate the advise. I understand the concept of paying for general repair questions. I just got thru paying out the nose for some tires and also some body parts. Purchased all these before i started having these problems. Thats why i am kinda short on funds. i am going to replace the thermostat and also flush the radiator this weekend and see what happens

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

If I was you, I'd keep my money in my pocket, and not mess with that other stuff. Most likely, any money you spend on anything else besides making the system SEAL UP will accomplish nothing (because it will still LEAK), and then you will just be that much farther away from the solution to your problem.

I'm reminded of, some decades ago, I was standing around in a parts store that some friends of mine had bought, one Friday night after work; and in walks Skillet. He wants a starter for his, like, 67 Buick. Friend tells him, $32. Skillet is like awwwww mang I jus get paid, all I gots is $25, can't you gimme dat starter for $25? D00d is like, the starter is $32. Skillet argued a bit more, finally realized he couldn't get d00d to budge, so he gives up and buys $25 worth of air fresheners and curb feelers. Next Friday, I stopped by again on my way home just to say hi, about the same time; and in walks Skillet again. Wants a starter for a 67 Buick. D00d says, got it in stock, $32. Skillet puts up the same argument again, gets the same result, and buys $25 worth of chrome girl-silhouette license plate frames and a fuzzy steering wheel cover, and walks out. D00d turns to me and says, how much you want to bet he'll be back again next Friday with $25 in his pocket, wanting a $32 starter, but instead will buy $25 worth of useless home-boy crap for a car that doesn't work? I had to laugh. He was probably right, being a retail kind of guy and all. He probably knew the type well.

Don't be like Skillet.

Focus on the goal at hand, save your money for what you REALLY need, don't waste it on BS that's basically just useless shiny things beside the path. That is the road to financial ruin AND a car that doesn't work, all at the same time.

torque_is_good

why would you want to mislead the OP?

at atmosphere,around 15 psi, as we know, water boils at 212 degrees F. A 50/50 mixture boils at around 265 to 270 degrees F. To me, that calculates to about 25% higher which is not insignificant. In order to get water to not boil until around 265 degrees F then you'd need to raise the pressure to around 40 psi. naturally if you raised the pressure of a 50/50 mix to 40 psi then it would continue to have a higher boiling point than plain water at the same pressure.

Please be clear when making posts because some young uns on the forum believe everything that they read, especially when it's a lower cost option they are motivated to believe.

fireturd350

iTrader: (8)

I agree. You've already replaced the cap, so it's time to flush the system and put a new thermostat in with a new gasket. I've used the Prestone flush kits where the fitting you splice into the heater hose works well. I used an old radiator hoses on the cap of the radiator to pipe it off the car into a catch container for the old antifreeze. After it starts to flow water clearly I just let it go onto the ground at that point. The Air Dam won't prevent the car from overheating if it's not moving. You could always try to put a fan switch in too if the flush doesn't help, course that takes some splicing of wires. Some people don't like hacking apart wiring. I ran an old light switch for mine off the fan relay for years in the driverside cup holder area, soon as flicked it on and the car had power it would turn the fans on.

naf

iTrader: (7)

Although the boiling point of the fluid is important, it's not the whole picture. Consider that the thermal conductivity of water is nearly 2.5 times that of ethylene glycol.

I'm also not sure the boiling point is raised that much? 50/50 mixture should boil around 225F? Maybe you're referring to a different coolant?

herbz28

iTrader: (1)

i understand where you are coming from in this but from i am getting your almost telling me to not be a idiot to replace things that do need replaced. I am not going to buy a new radiator just because the top is a little messed up. i spent the evening yesterday and was able to fix it no problem. As for the other items i am going to replace they are not "air fresheners" or "steeling wheel covers" or so called "doo dad plate holders" they are parts that need replaced for the car to operate properly.Never did i mention about spending money on useless parts. The car runs great other than this item and if your going to give me a hard time about replacing parts that do go bad then please take your 2 cents somewhere else instead on going on a rant about me not replacing a radiator that is functioning properly. As for everyone else thank you for the tips and help. i am going to flush the radiator this weekend and replace the thermostat and i ordered a jet performance temp switch to turn the fans on earlier. Again thanks for all the help.

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

That's OK, doesn't bother me at all.

Enjoy spending your limited funds on stuff that won't fix your car!!

Come on back when you're ready to fix the leak.

torque_is_good

nope, 50/50 is around 265 degrees F +-

now, naturally you don't want your car running at 265F degrees but you also don't want to have a cooling system that has lost pressure to have something in it that boils/evaporates at 212F degrees.

torque_is_good

when your A/C is on the cooling fans will run. What happens if you turn on your A/C?, does it still overheat?

torque_is_good

I'm not going to defend sofa because he doesn't need to be defended. he's helped a bunch of posters with problems.

I will enlighten you a wee bit. I'm an enthusiast and have several vehicles. My Camaros are an 89RS and a 95Z. I post at several camaro forums as well as Mustang forums (i own one of those too)

With my 3rd and 4th gen cars, to be frank, there isn't a topic that hasn't been broached. You began with "i searched" which you probably did but, your topic has been discussed exhaustively and being that your vehicle is 24 years old, trust me, the answer is already here in this forum.

But, many of us reply just to streamline the fix for those asking as we give back just like others give back to us. After answering the same type of question for what seems like the millionth time it's just human nature to become short.

if you want a laugh, go to the exhaust section and see how many times the question about "what headers", what cat back, please post sound clips when there are thousands on youtube etc etc. are asked. It tends to be newbs that ask thinking that perhaps they are the first to ever consider putting headers on a 25 year old car.

So, seeing as your vehicle is over 20 years old, there is a good chance that you will find your answers here and many of us know these cars inside and out. I happen to know the 89 because I tore it completely down to restore it.

welcome, keep posting and we'll get you fixed up and sofa will still help you, because he is a nice guy who helps out.

camaroinoh

Water pump + thermistat = all good then i would drain coolant from rad and feel with fresh check for debri between ac condensor and rad u wouldnt beleive what makes its way in there and it will choke your cooling system also

herbz28

iTrader: (1)

flushed radiator had alot of junk in it also replace the thermostat and also the sensor. Cooling systems works perfect now. Took the car on a good 100 miles drive didnt see temps above 220 at all. Thanks for all the help. Radiator is perfectly fine with no leak or anything