Thread: Temperature Problems

Sorry for yet another topic like this, but it's easier to get help in my own then in someone elses.

For about a month the car has had an issue where the temperature would creep up at both stop lights and lower speeds. First thing I replaced was the thermostat with another 195*. This did nothing. After this I realized that the fans weren't coming on unless the air conditioner was on, so with Sabre's advice I replaced the coolant temp sensor. Well, my fans still don't come on, and now the temperature creeps up when I am driving as well as at stop lights. The radiator is topped off, and I'm pretty sure that I have removed the air from the system. What else could be the issue? I'm thinking either a clog that happened very suddenly, or a water pump that crapped out.

I marked this as important because even with running the heater I can no longer make the long hilly drive to work, and with carpooling I miss out on about two hours a day, which is killing me.

PLEASE help.

I have checked the fuses but will check again tomorrow just to be sure.

I haven't actually flushed the system. But I blew a heater hose and took a while to find it, so I had to keep filling it back up until I did. Then I did intake manifold gaskets, and lost quite a bit there. Plus the temp sensor and thermostat were done at different times, and I lost a bunch of coolant each time.

I don't want to flush it unless I'm sure that the water pump is fine, because I'm broke and have already spent a small fortune on coolant.

How hard are they to replace? I've never done one before.

I've heard from people on this forum that the Chilton manuals suck and that the haynes is the way to go. I've been looking for a Haynes since I bought the car and stores either sell Chilton only or they don't have the Haynes for this model.

Yeah, I flushed the system, and pulled off the old pump, but it was getting cold and my hands were numb so I gave up and decided to finish tomorrow.

I also found a Haynes manual and am regretting buying it. Half the crap it says to do, I didn't need to do. Then half the crap I needed to do, it doesn't say mention. Maybe other parts of the book are better, but after reading through the water pump section a few hours before I started, I just tossed it aside and haven't opened it again.

New water pump, new coolant, and 40 degree temperatures were not enough to keep the car from overheating.

And switching around relays didn't make the fans come on either.

and @Sabre: I remember you mentioning that a warm air intake gave you better mileage... How much better was it? Was there a noticeable loss in power?

Well....when you turn the ac on do both the fans come on or just one? Just wondering if the ''low'' fan is bad and the high only comes on when the ac is on.

Both come on. If I remember correctly one does take a second or two longer than the other. (I'm thinking the driver side) I'm not sure if that matters.

Well it's not a fan issue then. Ummmm.....gotta be something with the wiring if the relays are good. did you trace all the wires?

Trace, as in checking to make sure that none of them are frayed or ripped out or anything? No I didn't.

And the fans have three relays. The two that were the same size I was able to swap. The third, I don't know about.