overheating!!! help!!!

[jiveass]

I got a 99 trans am. I just replaced the radiator. Its a little thicker than the origional. It has an extra outlet at the bottom drivers side, which I plugged. I just installed a new water pump and thermostat. The car is still gettin too hot. The fans are working properly. The coolant level sensor on the radiator was disconnected when I got the car. I hooked it up and now the low coolant light stays on. Could this effect the accuracy of the temp gauge? I'm all out of ideas.

[Hanzy347]

Just curious when you recieved your new t-stat did it come with the housing to? What kind did you get? Also what proceder did you use to fill the radiater?

[jiveass]

Yea it came with the housing. Procedure? I just poured the coolant in the radiator. If you're thinkin I need to burp the system, I also thought that. I poured two gallons in and its still showin low. How much does this car take? The hose goin to the thermostat housing doesn't get hot, but the other hose does. It acts like the stat is stickin. Wtf is goin on here!!!

[HASTINGSRJ]

an air bubble could cause over heating. you said you poured 2 gallons in it, but did you run the car with the radiator cap open, and pinch the radiator hose to get the coolant flowing into the motor?

[jiveass]

Cap was open...squeezed the hose a bunch of times to get it flowin. Still nothin.

[HASTINGSRJ]

you have a block somewhere if the hose isnt getting hot. May want to try and flush the system.

[Hanzy347]

Pull the cap and turn the car on with the heater on full blast you may need more water. I use 1 jugg dex cool then fill that jugg with water that should be enuf.

[Hanzy347]

My bad to late^^

[jiveass]

What is left to flush? Everything is brand new.

[Hanzy347]

It may be the coolent temerature sending unit. I believe its either on the front of the pass. side head or its on the side.

[Hanzy347]

When the cars runnin and you pintch the top radiator hose then let go can you feel the serge of coolent?

[Smittro]

How do you know it's actually over heating? Is the PCM pulling timing/power? If you're going by the factory guage I would'nt count in it totally.. It mostly tells you hot, warm, cold, and not much on real accuracy.. Water pump good?

[Blackbird WS6]

How do you know it's actually over heating? Is the PCM pulling timing/power? If you're going by the factory guage I would'nt count in it totally.. It mostly tells you hot, warm, cold, and not much on real accuracy.. Water pump good?

pump/stat/rad...have all be replaced within couple days...i told him to get a aftermarket gauge BUT hes going to replace the temp sensor first and go from there he said

after that its either air in the system OR the gauge itself took a crap...we will see i guess

[RyanJM]

If everything is new check the sensor or when it's hot use a plug in scanner and see what it says your temp is to see if you have a bad gauge. My 98 has a 160 so on cool days it has no heater and warm days the temp sits where it should bit we used the HP tuner to check to make sure it was close to whY the factory gauge was reading at. It has to be a bad sensor , gauge or air in the system if everything else is.new new.

[pajeff02]

Sounds like it is air locked. Mine did that after I flushed the cooling system. I would have to check my literature to see how much fluid it takes. Do you have coolant flowing from the throttle body hose that plugs in by the radiator fill neck? All you can do it run it and shut it off if the temp climbs too high before the thermostat opens. Rev on it a bit and rock the car on its suspension and that should burp it. As stated, get a scanner on it to read the actual temp.

[jiveass]

this problem didnt start until i changed the radiator. It wasnt overheating before i changed the radiator. i only changed the radiator cause it had a crack near the neck and was dripping. i put the new radiator in, and it ran hot. the water pump was makin noise, so i figured that as the culprit. changed it. still hot. bought new stat, still hot. the hose goin to the stat stays cool. other side gets hot. the air in the system is likely the culprit, but that doesnt explain the disappearance of the coolant. i dont see a leak. its not goin into the cylinders. I do have a diablo hand held, so i can read the temp from it. but i have to drive an hour to my dads house to pick it up. I WILL fix this....

[pajeff02]

The engine and heater core will draw down the level of coolant in the system once the engine is started. How much have you poured into it so far?

[jiveass]

The engine and heater core will draw down the level of coolant in the system once the engine is started. How much have you poured into it so far?

i have poured 2 gallons on each parts change....and still looked low....one thing i didnt do when adding coolant was turn on the heater....is this necessary? also, i found a write up on how to bleed the air using the coolant hose that goes from the throttle body to the intake manifold.....i will try that as well..

[pajeff02]

It definitely takes more than 2 gallons -- that is only 8 quarts. You should have the heater on and the the temp selected to "Hot" to ensure circulation through the heater core. Not sure about our cars, but most have a valve that shuts off coolant flow unless the system is calling for heat.

[blackcar]

I believe our cars hold more than 2 gallons stock plus

I just replaced the radiator. Its a little thicker than the origional.

which means yours may hold more than stock.