3.4 overheating HELP.... BACK AGAIN

Ok so if any of you commented on my last post thanks for the help... here we go.. again...

((((((I put a new thermostat. Flushed cooling system. Pressure test held 14psi.
OVERHEATS FASTER!!! )))))

if anyone missed my last post after doing everything everyone said to try i put a gutted thermostat (just the o ring and casing) and it ran fine but still overheats pulling hills but a whole lot longer drive time before it overheats.

But like i said in parentheses above, it overheats faster with a new thermostat than with the gutted one.

Does anyone have any idea what the hell is going on???

 

I missed the previous thread so bare with me.....

But you ran a gutted thermostat and it still overheats? Are you verifying this with just the temp gauge on the dash or with a scanner than shows live data?


If your still getting temps above 212 degree F with a gutted thermostat then you might have much more serious internal problems. How old is the water pump itself? Have you been using green coolant? I've seen corrosion so bad on those water pump fins that they don't pump water fast enough for it to actual cool anything

 

Did you check for head gaskets or a cracked head?

Just what does "I did everything you guys said" mean?


edit: BTW, this STILL sounds like a plugged up radiator. The last thread had someone chime in and say they replaced theirs but never saw what you did to yours.

 

I personally have encountered this. Never in a million years would I have believed it but when I pulled the pump the impellar itself was dissolved... It cost me 50 bucks on a bet with the mechanic who looked at it. I told him he was full of crap..... he smiled ear to ear when I showed up to pay him....

 

I saw it on a work van that had 400k on the original water pump... those "fan" blades looked like thin butter knives

 

OP ... If not plugged what're the condition of the fins? Did a bunch get bent over?

 

Fan clutch good? Rad hoses not collapsing? Clogged rad is also possible. Is it using coolant, besides what is going into the overflow.


Also did you correctly purge all of the air in the cooling system?

 

I replaced my radiator after 200k. I had done all the maintenance. New hoses, Pump, t stat, finally started running hot one day. I feared a cracked head, or gasket. Nope, radiator clogged. She's been fine since.

 

Is all of the air out of the system ? Does your heater work correctly? That's a common sign of air in the system.

 

What’s the story? Did you figure this out or what??????

 

Any resolution on this? I too am having overheating issues now. I hit 252 degrees the other day. I put more coolant in it (lost about a gallon), and it was fine. Drove home (wasn't far) and by the time I got there it was back up at 228 degrees. I replaced the fan clutch about a month or so ago, and then the thermostat this weekend. The coolant is boiling when I get home, and then it drains out. Could it still be a clogged radiator?

I had the timing belt and water pump done by the dealer about 25000 miles ago. I am at the point where I am thinking that the radiator internals are no good and it should be replaced. When I add coolant to the radiator, I can see the fluid circulating and I watch the temperature fluctuate, so it appears that the thermostat is opening and working. Short of replacing the fan clutch again or the radiator, I am at a loss. I am worried that the head gasket may be bad now or the block. I will be checking the fluids later to see.

Anyone that has any information or ideas that would like to chime in, I would greatly appreciate the help!

 

Verify the thermostat is good. I had one half cocked and it was restricting coolant.

Also I would check for combustion gasses in the coolant and collapsing radiator hoses.

 

What Old Green said. If you are losing coolant it's likely leaking into the engine and burning up. You may notice a sweet smell from the exhaust if it's bad enough. Conversely if you test the coolant it may have gasses dissolved into it indicating the same thing. That's most likely a head gasket or less likely and worst case a cracked head. I'd start there only because you indicated you're losing coolant. Obviously check for leaks.

If you change your oil and see anything funky coming out along with the oil or it just looks odd that's a clue too. Another test is to check the temp of the top hose to the bottom hose. They should feel the same. If they don't radiator is likely clogged.

 

I think he ran away....hasn’t been back since he made the thread. Maybe it was something silly and he’s embarrassed like a coolant hose disconnected