Overheating problems

**Sas** · 01-07-2007, 09:34 PM

Figured I'd take a moment to say hi. I've been having severe overheating problems with my 97 Trans Am. It started off by throwing a rod at 100k miles, so I just dropped a new motor in. Slowly I've been replacing everything else. Now I'm stuck on the cooling system. I just replaced the water pump, all of the temp sensors/switches, heater core, upper and lower radiator hoses, and thermostat. There could be more, but my head hurts already. My car starts overheating soon as I get about two blocks from my house, and kinda makes a clicking noise when I give it gas to pull it back into the garage. I've noticed that the temp gauge bottoms out, but when I turn on the heater it will only blow out cold air, no warm or even hot air. I'm wondering if it could be the heater control valve, or possibly a leak in the overflow tank. I haven't really noticed any puddles, other then the vapors coming out from the underside of the passenger side front end, near both of the components in question. Today when I started if up, after making sure coolent levels were where they should be, I took it down the block and it almost seemed like everything was ok (I didn't quite get the water pump gaskets on good, so I replaced them thinking that could be the problem.), I noticed the temp guage inside wasn't working, again. I looked under the hood and it looks like something ripped the sensor right off the engine. I'm not sure how it blew off, but I'm sure its not a good sign. So long story short, I'm trying to figure out how to get the heater control valve off, since it has two metal round clamp thingys with no place to grab, or if anyone has any ideas of what else could cause it.

I checked the oil and there's no contamination, so I'm doubting it's a head gasket, but that was something I replaced last week, just in case. Any help would be great!

**Orcus79** · 01-07-2007, 10:51 PM

probably an air lock some where. remove the rad cap and run the engin unntill the t-sta opens watching the coolant level, then carefully add coolant. do this until the level stops changing, als make sure add the right coolant, do not mix the green with dexcool they don;t like each other.

**Sas** · 01-07-2007, 11:06 PM

I've bled it off numerous times, to no avail. Also made sure just only use dex-cool for it. Would that cause it to blow the top off that sensor?

**Orcus79** · 01-07-2007, 11:17 PM

sounds like improper venting, have you checked the rad/pressure cap, also check the line to the recovery bottle for any blockages. give the heater controle valve clapms a feel the are probaly a compresion style clamp, you might feel some tangs that you may be able to get a set of pliers on, also have you checke the flow through the core its self, they are no an imprtant part of the cooling system.

**Sas** · 01-08-2007, 12:21 AM

The cap was one of the things I also replaced, something strange just happened this time. I put everything back together and realized, like a dumbarse, I had been forgetting to open the bleeder to fill the radiator, so thought it was one of those stupid mistakes and refilled the radiator with the bleeder open. This time I started the car, with the cap off and bleeder open, and waterkind of exploded out the radiator cap. I put the cap back on at that point and waited a bit for a stream to come out the bleeder and now it sounds like a misfire, of the timing got off somehow. All the bleeder valve did was bubble, but I only left the car running for about 2-3 minutes, becuase it sounded pretty bad. The water seemed to be circulating, but no clue where it went between the rad and the bleeder. I'm about to take this thing to a push, pull or drag sale pretty soon...

**Orcus79** · 01-08-2007, 12:25 AM

i'm all out of ideas at this point sorry man. Anyother member are welcome to step up.

**Zeroskater1028** · 02-25-2007, 08:40 AM

The exact same thing is happening to me. Help would be much appreciated. Thanks

**jimmy77611** · 02-25-2007, 02:13 PM

Do you have an LT1 os LS1?

**Zeroskater1028** · 02-25-2007, 03:32 PM

Sas has a 97 TransAm and i've got a 96 SS Both LT1's.

**wnmech** · 02-27-2007, 01:51 PM

I am sure you have the proper water pump installed but General Motors have whats called a reverse flow water pump and a reverse rotation water pump make sure the engine that you installed in your car has the correct water pump for the engine. If your water is not flowing in the proper direction it could cause those problems