Car overheated

[dlanes]

Well, my car overheated all of a sudden. No leaks to be found, but heat doesn't work. I suspect a stuck t-stat. According to v8sho looks like it's somewhere next to the water pump? How hard is it to change and how do you change it?

 

[BamSHO]

Just follow the upper rad hose. The one end leads right to the thermostat housing. Its not real had to replace, just 2 10mm bolts and off it comes.



Brian Michael
98 silver Gen3

 

[dlanes]

Ok sounds good. It's hard to see anything with the front beauty cover on.

 

[SHOZ123]

Are both fans working?

 

[bacernate]

A t-stat won't do both things, it will stick open and cause no heat, or stick closed and overheat the engine but the heater would still work. You have no coolant flowing, either it's low (which is most likely) or the waterpump is failing.

 

[dlanes]

A t-stat won't do both things, it will stick open and cause no heat, or stick closed and overheat the engine but the heater would still work. You have no coolant flowing, either it's low (which is most likely) or the waterpump is failing.

Just looked at it again after taking the front plastic cover off and it was the water pump belt, it looks fine at an angle but the belt is literally just strings and the belt laying over it. I guess I'm used to have the water pump on the main drive belt or timing belt.

 

[dlanes]

Replaced the belt you need to remove the battery and remove the single bolt that is in the way and spacer. The belt comes out on the left looking from the front of the car. Hope that helps someone in the future. Removing the coolant hose helped, but because I had a very small tool set in the car.

 

[newshofan]

personly I would still replace the t-stat. Great prevenitive maint. I believe they say once your car overheats its good to replace the stat and put new fluid in. You should be able to find a great write up on v8sho as well for that. It doesn't seem hard at all to do. Deffenitly looks easier than the v6. As soon as I get another gallon of antifreeze I plan on doing it myself.

 

[dlanes]

Yeah, I plan on it, just want to flush before I change the t-stat. Also I really had a lack of tools with me as I rode my motorcycle over to my sister's place where the car had been sitting.

 

[newshofan]

I know the feeling of not having my tools with me. I always keep a set in my trunk. Never know when theyll come in handy. I don't know what all you could carry on a bike though depends on your saddle bags I guess. And most bikes I would say are probly a lil more reliable.

 

[dlanes]

Yeah if I would have know exactly what tools I needed I would have brought them, I just had a small glove compartment size toolset.

 

[SHOZ123]

1/4" drive 10mm deep socket and ratchet wrench IIRC.

 

[dlanes]

1/4" drive 10mm deep socket and ratchet wrench IIRC.

Actually I needed a 1/2" wrench to remove battery terminals, 8mm to remove the battery hold down, and a deep well 12mm would have been nice for the bolt to get the belt off.

 

[SHOZ123]

Sorry, had the battery in the trunk for so long I forgot how it was with it in there....

 

[newshofan]

I just flushed my system and filled with prestone cleaner after it runs its course I'm changing the stat. I think I should be able to change it without removing all the fuse and the battery. Its only two bolts right it doesn't look hard to get to