Alright, it's been like 3 months and still can't figure out why my car overheats. I've had the radiator flushed, hoses replaced, 180* thermostat, water pump is good. I brought my car to a mechanic to run a diagnostic on it for me cuz i thought my fan wasn't kicking on. I'd watch my car heat up to 250 before my fans would kick on. The test came back good, thermostat was working properly at 180* and my fans kicked on at 220*. i was told I might have a head gasket leak but i'm not losing coolant or my coolant sensor might be bad and it's throwing off my gauge. I was just thinking my gauge is messed up since my fan is turning on time. Would that sensor have anything to do with the way my gauge reads? Or do i have to get my gauge recalibrated? .if i'm idling the temp goes up, if i'm driving, the temp goes up.i don't know what to do anymore. Any suggestions?

Oh, I was reading up on the boards and I was thinking about goin with the dual fans and having the one fan run at 200-220 and have a toggle switch for the 2nd fan so i can turn it on whenever i want. I like that idea. I thought maybe this would help my overheating problem. Looks like a fairly simple task. i could be wrong though.

 

Not that I've done it, but I can't see it being very difficult. Except maybe if the dual didn't just bolt right on.

 

Spend $20-$30 buck and call autozone or hit up summitracing.com and get a proper fan temp switch that comes on at 195 on 185 off. or somthing similar. Much easier and all will be forgotten $20 and 20 mins later.

Matt

 

I know this won't sound right, but why do you think it is overheating? On the '92 3.1l auto the fan on temperature is 226 deg F, 107.75 deg C.

RBob.

 

Does your radiator Boil over? My fan use to come on at 220* but I fixed that with a fan kit that turns on the fan at 170*

 

Erin, re-posting to my previous post after re-reading your original post.

I can see why you think it is overheating. The gauge may be way off. The ECM uses a different sensor thent he gauge for reading coolant temperature.

Leave the engine idle until the fan comes on, then check the gauge reading, that will be 220-226 deg F.

Things to check for when an engine continously runs hot: air dam, spark timing, debris between radiator and A/C condensor, radiator dirty on the outside, incorrect water pump.

An incorrect water pump would be because of the rotation. The v-belt driven pumps are the opposite rotation from the sepentine driven water pumps.

Also check that the fan blows air toward the engine (from the radiator).

There is also good info on the cooling-it-down board on this site.

HTH's,

BobR.