Overheating
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Joined: Oct 2016
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Overheating
Ok, new radiator, water pump, and thermostat was put on and in ,in 2005. Car has been overheating for the last couple of months to the point of boiling th coolant in the overflow reservoir. How do I find out if I have a block in the radiator or somewhere else? Cant figure it out. Took mechanical fan off and put on electric fans with shroud that produce 3600 cfm. That should be adequate right?very frustrated
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 2,347
Likes: 1,180
From: CLEVELAND STUCK IN OHIO
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
Hope you serviced it several times in all those years, , , if not, likely its ALL clogged up, the coolant may still have a color, but that dosent mean it's still good,,,
new fans won't fix it,,,,
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
If it worked well with that configuration in prior years, you just need to restore the condition to prior state. In 15 years LOTS of things can go wrong. And most of those 'things' occur because of LACK of use. A regularly used cooling system that is maintained well most often works for decades...until a thermostat, pump, belts, and/or hoses wear out. The metal spring in the lower radiator hose can be a problem (it's there to keep the hose from collapsing at higher RPM's) if it disintegrates from rusting away after many years.
Use 50/50 mix of antifreeze and distilled water for coolant; change it out about every 3 years or so; flush the system before alternate coolant changes and replace the thermostat/gaskets after you CLEAN the system.
So, try flushing the system. If the radiator appears to have lots of scale build-up in the side tank/fins, use radiator CLEANER to de-scale it, first. If you think the hoses, belts and T-stat need to be replaced, have at it. It's probably well overdue.
Use 50/50 mix of antifreeze and distilled water for coolant; change it out about every 3 years or so; flush the system before alternate coolant changes and replace the thermostat/gaskets after you CLEAN the system.
So, try flushing the system. If the radiator appears to have lots of scale build-up in the side tank/fins, use radiator CLEANER to de-scale it, first. If you think the hoses, belts and T-stat need to be replaced, have at it. It's probably well overdue.
