My daughter came over to the house today (she has an '87 Firebird with the V-6) and told me she was tired of driving around cold. The blower motor was blowing cold air. I figured maybe she had a bad thermostat so we bought one. As I am taking the radiator hose off of the thermostat housing I notice that it is bone dry.....not even a trace of moisture in the hose or the housing. I pulled off the radiator cap and the inside of the radiator was dry. I filled the radiator up until it would not take anymore coolant and then started the car up and added more until the levels seemed to stabilize. Then i filled up the overflow bottle. Drove the car around and it started blowing hot air.

I guess the V-6 must not produce enough heat with the cold weather we have been having here in Maine to cause it to overheat or signal the idiot light to come on.

Strange isn't it? It would not have been my first diagnosis!

 

The "idiot light" sensor senses coolant temperature. If there is no coolant to transfer heat to the sensor, the heads will have to get very hot before enough heat is transferred to the sensor (via air) to trigger the light. Pray that you didn't warp any heads.

 

Silly female owners.