Ok i have a 91 bird with a 350. I just put in a brand new radiator, new 180 thermostat, 50/50 mix of antifreeze and water, and a new radiator cap (yes it is 16lbs). The thing is the car runs at roughly 220 when it first heats up and it can vary temps from ~190-250*. I checked the fans and they are working fine. The thing is my belt is a couple of years old now and i am wondering if that could be causing my car to run hot. I know that belt runs the water pump and the cooling system in our cars. so could this be it.

 

If it wasnt doing this before id replace the belt cause its cheapest.How old is the water pump?Or you cuold have air traped in the system.Have you tried purging it with a vented cap and refilling?

 

Belt shouldnt have anything to do with the overheating unless its not on the pulley...then youd be way overheating and not just riding a little high. Did you replace the temp. sensor when you replaced the rad. and parts? If so, I have seen a brand new sender put out the wrong temp numbers to the gauge. If you have access to a laser temp gauge or something to externally check the actual temp at the water neck/thermostat housing and verify its actually the same as the gauge on the dash, i would try that also. Also, maybe look into the thermostat...make sure it was the correct one...not likely its that, but thought Id throw it out there.

 

Was it overheating before the mass replacement of components? If yes, what haven't you repalced yet?

If no, what did you do wrong? Did you make certain that the system is fully topped off, completely bled of air? Things like that?

 

how is your air dam?? if it's broken or not there it could be causing your car to run hotter than it's supposed to........

 

Had the same problem, replaced my fan switch. Correct me if Im wrong, but i thought that the fans dont kick on till around 230ish. I got one that kicks on at 195. So now my car never goes above 200-205.

 

assuming that you reach close to 250 in long stop,
if u dont have a fan switch,
its NOT overheating and its NORMAL
professional mechanic whose been mechanic for so long told me,
that older car tends to run warmer(220-240)
and that
car manufacturer took out temperature gauge with numbers are because ppl thought they're overheating when they are NOT..

if you check everything, air dam, waterpump, etcs
and it still runs warm, then thats your normal operating temperature, for your 91 car, yes its 15years old
not 2002 where they run little cooler than older cars

 

Newer cars try and run hotter than older cars as the new technologies in manufacturing allow for higher run temps. as well as the hotter it can run the more efficient/emmissions friendly it is I thought...

 

where are you getting your temps from? dash gauge is crap