Overheating

could be the thermostat. or the fact of there being countless bottles of stop leak in it. that gums up lines. pumps and cooling fins on the radiator. flush out the system and replace the thermostat. Be sure to open the air bleed on the thermostat housing (See pic below) otherwise it will air pocket and overheat. There may be one on the hard coolant line that runs across the top of the engine in front. If this has been done and it still overheats you may need to chemical test it for a blown head gasket


https://www.2carpros.com/articles/radiator-pressure-test


https://www.2carpros.com/articles/engine-overheating-or-running-hot


https://www.2carpros.com/articles/head-gasket-blown-test

When driving on the highway, the temperature is normal but when I exit and slow down, the car overheats. I pulled over and noticed antifreeze gushing from under the hood so I popped the trunk. It was coming from the reserve tank. I did notice earlier that the reserve was too full.(I just bought this car, first highway trip) Now, the excess coolant is out, it is at the right levels. The car cooled and I got back on the highway to continue, got caught in traffic and had to slow down, the car overheated again. I pulled off and heard a strange sound, once again popped the hood and found the antifreeze in the reserve tank boiling. It wasn't leaking anywhere, just boiling in the tank like a pressure cooker. Where should I start here to find the problem? My auto knowledge is pitiful but I can't afford a mechanic. Anything I can check or replace myself that doesn't require more than a Chilton manual and basic tools?
EDIT: just ran the car until it overheated. When I initially started it, the radiator fans were on. After about 5 minutes, they shut off and didn't turn back on again. I waited about 10 minutes, they never came back on and the car overheated. I turned it off, restarted it to see if the fans would turn back on, they didn't. Why would they work upon initial startup and quit when the car got hot? What should I check here?

Do the fans stay on when AC is on?
Check temp sender and fan relay.
Let me know

i also have a chevy lumina with the same problem except my fans always work. but your car overheats and the coolant leaks could be due to an intake leak which is a very common problem for the chevy model. It can be a little pricey to fix but I usually keep water in my car until I can save up the money to get it fixed. I don't have to put water in it often maybe every two weeks or so. I hope this helps

Engine Cooling problem
1996 Chevy Lumina Automatic 150K miles

It has a new thermostat and water pump. I check
the water and antifreeze before leaving the driveway.
Any ideas?

[quote:ec711f87f2="ckit36"]Engine Cooling problem
1996 Chevy Lumina Automatic 150K miles

It has a new thermostat and water pump. I check
the water and antifreeze before leaving the driveway.
Any ideas?[/quote:ec711f87f2]

Hello,

Have you noticed whether or not the Cooling Fans are coming on? If not could be a Relay or possibly the fan motors.


.

Thank you. I will get my son-in-law to check the fans.
I need to know more about cars now that my husband
has died and I know so little.

I was having the same problem. Do your fans come on at all? I also replaced the thermostat and put in new relays. The fans just would not come on. My brother told me to replace the temp sending sensor (usually on the thermostat housing) and the coolant sensor (usually on the radiator or the head). The coolant sensor tells the relays to turn the fans on. So far so good.

I'm saving answers for my son-in-law. After flushing the
radiator a few times it seems not to be overheating now. It could start again. Thanks

Today I had driven around several places and it quit
suddenly today. As is usual it would not start again.
I left the car and went into an air conditioned business.
Less then an hr. later I went out and it started right up.
The heat gauge did NOT go up this time but it seems
like something is shutting down when the car gets a
little hot. I sure couldn't take a trip in it if its over a
half an hour or so. Its too hot to get out and walk far,
WHAT A PAIN!

Where are the cooling fans and relays? We are at a loss.
and the car is overheating again big time. It doesn't help that somehow I didn't put the radiator cap on
tight and its lost on the road. I will buy a radiator cap
but what next? Thank you

Ok, if it is not overheating now that you flushed the system a couple times then you have another problem.

Has the engine light come on at all? If so need to get codes read and post them.

If no engine light then could be fuel pump or fuel pump relay.

Will need more info on vehicle....

Is it the Car or the Van and what size engine in Liters...


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My A/C clutch/pulley was making a high whining noise so I figured it was about to go out so instead of spending 100+ dollars to put on a new compressor, I measured the serpentine belt to where I could bypass it, I did. And now (after double checking the belt route,) My car overheats real bad. Could I have reversed the water pump by any chance?

IF it is overheating now and wasn't before the by-pass it sure sounds like a mis-routing or slippage. Are you working off a diagram to check it? I don't think you can by-pass it like that. The belt is not going to touch the water pump enough or if you wrapo it around it will spin the wrong direction.

3.1?

This is the car. It is still overheating or has started
again. I thought it was too old to get codes but I'll
take it in when I can get it to stay cool long enough.
The engine light has been coming on. Thanks.

Ok, if it is overheating again check the fans, they are located at the front of the car/engine compartment. and mounted on the radiator.


.

The fans etc. seem to be o.k. according to my son-in-law, He tried the new radiator cap and we
thought we had it because it went a few days
without overheating or stopping on me. I even
drove it on a 30 mile trip....both ways with no problem. Going home I was more concerned because it was dark and my 10 yr. old great-grandson was along. I didn't want to get stuck and have to walk in the dark. Then yesterday was a nightmare. We went to church with no problems and afterwards went to my son's and daughter-in-law's house. We were there about an hour and started home (about 2 to 3 miles away). When we got within under a mile from home the car shut down. It began cutting out and missing and then stopped. It would not start
again so we walked home. After it cooled down it
started and came home. After a rest we left again.
I was going to take a grandson and the great-grandson to my son-in-law's house.We didn't get a
1/2 mile when it shut down. The two of them and
a man going by pushed it into a gas station. After
a rest and adding a little gas it started up and shut
down less then 1/2 mi. later. After 3 more stops I
suggested calling the son-in-law. He pulled the car
into a parking lot, took me home and the other two
to his house. I just called over there and the grandson said his dad was going to try to start it. I told him to suggest getting codes read when he talked to him again. We don't have cell phones. During these stops the heat gauge didn't say it was hot but my son-in-law still thinks something is shutting it down when it is just a little hot....As I said before it has a new thermostat and water pump and now a new radiator cap. Water is not leaking out and fans are working.

Ok, here's what he will need to do...

Have him drive it around the neighborhood till it dies... he will need someone else with him that can try starting the car.

When it dies he will need to check for spark at a couple of plugs. just pull loose a couple plug wires before attempting to start again. then have the other person try starting the car and slowly pull one of the plug wires away from the plug and listen for a snapping or using a philips screw driver incert it into the end of the plug wire so that it contacts the metal inside then hold it about 1/4 - 1/2 inch away from a good ground. look for spark it should be a bright bluish/white. If no spark could be the coil or the control module.

post findings....


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I purchased this car cheap. i plugged my code reader up and put a throttle position sensor on it and it did not fix it. i also put a idle air on yesterday with no fix. i have a temperature sensor and a fuel filter I am putting on today. the car runs very good on the highway as long as air is cooling the engine, but driving through the city it gets warm and stalls but cranks right back up. I do have to park it and let it cool off before it quits stalling. Any help or ideas would be appreciated.

Thank you so much. I am ready to talk to my son-in-law.
I pray this works. It sounds logical and shows effort and
thinking on your part.

try cleaning the throttle plate on both sides and IAC hole with choke cleaner. then if it continues check fuel pressure with a gauge pump ma be drawing to many amps when hot. autoparts rent it.
https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-fuel-system-pressure-and-regulator

When I changed the throttle position sensor I cleaned it. And yes I have been wondering about the fuel pump. hopefully not though those get expensive. i originally thought if the fuel pump was bad my car would not run, but I have read they can.be crazy at times. well definitely check into it today when I put the new fuel filter and temperature sensor on it I bought yesterday.

Just to add to this one are you still setting codes? if so what are the exact code numbers not code descriptions you have.

It is not throwing any more codes.

My engine keeps overheating. I have put coolant in it. Maybe i am not doing it the correct way. But i take the cap of (twist cap) and start the engine and keep filling the coolant in there untill it is full. And i typically let the car run for 30-45 mins and keep filling it. And about 3-4 weeks later it starts to over heat. I am not technical with cars at all. Could it be a leak somewhere? What is most common in these cases. I just don't want to put too much money in this car. I have had this car since 2001 and it has really been a great car. No problems other then the typical (battery, alternator).

Can you let me know what you are thinking about this issue ?

Thank you very much,

Detlef Hultink

What Can Make an Engine Overheat?

Overheating is caused by anything that leads to a loss of coolant, prevents the cooling system from getting rid of heat, or causes excess heat in the engine itself:

Coolant leaks (water pump, radiator, heater core, hoses, freeze plugs, head gasket, engine internal).
Weak radiator cap (does not hold rated pressure and allows coolant to boil over). Pressure test the cap to check it out.

Cooling system clogged (deposits built up in radiator or in the engine due to maintenance neglect or use of hard water). Use a cleaner, then reverse flush system to clean it out. A badly clogged radiator may need to be rodded out or replaced.
Thermostat stuck shut (replace).
Inoperative electric cooling fan (check fan motor, relay and temperature switch for correct operation).
Bad fan clutch (replace if slipping, leaking or loose).
Missing fan shroud (reduces cooling efficiency of fan).
Slipping fan belt (tighten or replace).
Too low or too high a concentration of antifreeze (should be 50/50 for best cooling).
Bad water pump (impeller eroded or loose - replace pump).
Collapsed radiator hose (check lower hose).
Debris in the radiator (remove bugs & dirt).
Late ignition timing (reset to specs).
Restricted exhaust system (check intake vacuum readings and inspect converter, muffler & pipes).
Radiator and/or fan undersized for application (increase cooling power by installing larger radiator and/or auxiliary cooling fan).

That's s tough one if it dies and starts right back up.