Pontiac Trouble

PROUDARMYWIFE

MEMBER
PONTIAC GRAND AM

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Yikes ok here go's.
I've got a:
1990 Pontiac Grand Am LE
111,000 Miles
AutoMatic Trans
4-doors 2.5L engine

My car (yet old) has well been taken care of. Runs soo great. So I took it 2k miles across country. Ran like a top! Now im down here in NM with my husband and the car starts acting up.
Car (oil level fine, radiator coolant level fine, trans fluid level fine) started to over heat while sitting at a light. It Red Zoned by the time we pulled off the road and turned it off.
We've done some tests at the Request of my father (whos worked on cars forever including mine but not lisensed)
I then realized the AC blower wasent working. So we checked fuses. The Fues on the heat/ac was blown. Naturally we bought a new one put it in and it blew as soon as the car was switched to the on position not even started yet.
So we unplugged the blower fan to see if putting a new amp in wouldnt blow with it unplugged. Well it blew. (So by my dads recolection its not the blower shorting it out) Then we plugged it back in and unplugged the radiator fan and tried again, again a new fuse placed in there blew. So we unplugged BOTH radiator and blower fans and put it in and it blew.
At this time We replaced the thermostat and tried a new fuse everything plugged in and the blower fan came back on and worked. Well we drove I dunno 2miles engine got warm say 220 (heard NO radiator fan come on) and we parked her at home thinking we'd try the blower again and the fuse had blown.

So we got mad and decided to UNPLUG all fans and the thermostat sensor this time to see if it blew another fuse. Of course it blew a fuse again. Thats where my dad got "its blowing b4 cranking the engine?" And hes stumped.

I recently found out a RAT was living in my engine. All wires are ok but 2 and they are covered in electrical tape due to insulation being stripped.

If you've got ANY other SUGGESTIONS on what we can do to our car (cant afford a repair guy due to my husbands pay being late and not comign in. Typical military and we've been denied any help from teh military $$ wise they know our car is over heating)

So we've got new thermostat in her and I have a new blower fan but the fan works when the fuse is good lol. I dont see any reason to replace it.

DO you think its the Radiator fan? I dont see how with it being unplugged and it still blowing the fuse.
Also we "read the engine" and there were no CODES stored just flashed 12 a billiontimes telling you that the test is starting working properly.

ANY HELP APPRECIEAATED!

linda. Walker4@us. Army. Mil

soldierlover@netscape. Com

thanks
:D

3 Replies

RASMATAZ

MECHANIC
75,992 POSTS

I'll knock out the overheating problem before you get to the AC/HTR thing. You have a direct short to ground affecting the AC/HTR circuit. Time to break out the DVOM, circuit tester/test light.

About the mickey mouse living in there, you need to ID what the lil fella ate within the electrical system

Check out the cooling system thoroughly-

Have it block and pressure tested-do the block first to pinpoint a combustion leaking into the cooling system or a gas analyzer to sniff for hydrocarbons at the radiator fill neck.

Pressure test: do not do a pressure test if there's leakage at the headgasket this might cause coolant into the cylinders and lock it up or bend a connecting rod if cranked thereafter. The headgasket should be repaired before doing the pressure test.

If the block and pressure test passes check the following: Thermostat, Pressure test the Rad. Cap, Clogged radiator, Fan clutch, Radiator electrical fan, collaspe hoses, water pump