Brian P Posted October 29, 2002 Report Share Posted October 29, 2002 I think I have this figured out, but I'd like anyone's opinion in this matter. My gf has a 95 Grand am with the 2.3 liter. She told me what started happening a few weeks ago is that it overheats when driving slowly. Supposedly what triggered this is she kind of bumped the curb with her pass side front tire while parking. She checked under the car, and there was a small amount of coolant on the ground. She popped the hood and the coolant was overflowing out of the resevoir (the GA's use a pressurized resevoir, so you can't open while hot and there's no radiator filler neck) her mom drove it home 20+ miles and it didn't overheat until she neared her driveway...so at 60mph it was fine, but at 30mph the engine temp climbed up. I bought a thermostat for it and her father installed it, didnt correct it. Today I started it up to see if I could smell coolant in the exhaust, thinking it's a bad head gasket. No smell, no white smoke, purrs like a kitty. I took it for a short drive, I went literally around the block and it went from cold like 80* to 230* in about 3 minutes. got it home, popped the hood, fan isn't on. After another minute the fan came on, but it was cold air. Shut off the motor (nearing red-~280) felt the radiator and it was ICE cold. hmm. Removed the resevoir cap, heard a little hiss and a gurgle from under the battery/air filter(??) now the radiator got a little warm, but only on top, not the bottom of it. Possible radiator blockage??? Bad resevoir cap? I don't know how to bleed the cooling system, but I dont even know if it's required. Could this be a symptom of a bad head gasket? Thanks in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per0781 Posted October 30, 2002 Report Share Posted October 30, 2002 is the upper radiator hose getting warm? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vegeta Posted October 30, 2002 Report Share Posted October 30, 2002 Coolant flush, clean the radiator out of debrid, or water pump. I dont think the curb has anything to do with it. Its also possible that the stat is doing it. Pull it out and see what happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian P Posted October 30, 2002 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2002 I was hoping a flush would do it, but supposedly her father just did it a few days ago. I dont know if he ran pressurized water through the radiator or not. The thermostat was changed this past weekend, still doing it. That was the first thing I suggested...next time I gotta see if any of the radiator hoses are getting hot... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeorge Posted October 30, 2002 Report Share Posted October 30, 2002 check the T stat maybe there is something in it cloging it if you just did a Flush....remove it and run with out it for a time to see if it over heats. if it does then you may need a power flush......also are you using dex cool?? I know in the old s10's that use to clog the radiators....I hate DEX COOL with a PASSION Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian P Posted October 31, 2002 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2002 no dexcool...Id take a look at it now, but her parents just took it to a shop..dammit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chronic139 Posted November 6, 2002 Report Share Posted November 6, 2002 let the shop deal with it. just tell her to expect some hefty bills. i think the water pump on those quad are like 10 hrs. fucking quads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian P Posted November 6, 2002 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2002 The shop? Yeah BTW thats where her car is now. Luckily it's a family friend that isn't charging labor. Guess what! I would have indirectly fixed the problem myself, it was fucking buildup of shit in the radiator! If *I* had done it, I would have shot the shit out with pressurized water anyway, good as new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GPRACER Posted November 9, 2002 Report Share Posted November 9, 2002 let the shop deal with it. just tell her to expect some hefty bills. i think the water pump on those quad are like 10 hrs. fucking quads. GM pays somewhere around 5 hours for the pump, anymore than that and you are getting ripped off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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