| Subject: | 95 2.4 L Galant overheating |
| Question: | The car is overheating
without fluid leaks. I don't hear any of the usual noises I've heard
on other makes of cars when the water pump failed. I topped off coolant
and oil and then ran the car at idle until it warmed to normal. The
temp seemed to stabilize at normal and both electric fans came on.
The temp stayed at just above normal until I raised the RPM to about
2500. The temp then quickly began to rise. Is the thermostat the most
likely culprit? Next step? The car has 124K miles, was bought used
4 mos ago, but otherwise runs well, using a little but not excessive
oil, but is not leaking. |
| Answer: | John, The thermostat most likely is the culprit. Odds are is that your thermostat isn't opening enough or at all when your engine reaches normal operating temperature. It is possible for your engine to overheat if there is excess air in your coolant system. In that case, your system would have to be "burped". But replacing the thermostat is still a good idea. With the amount of mileage you have on that car, I would recommend having your coolant (anti-freeze) flushed, get a new thermostat, replace the radiator cap, and have your upper and lower radiator hoses inspected and replaced if they show signs of cracking. The nice thing about these replacements is that it can be very inexpensive if you're up to doing the job yourself. The parts are cheap and only a couple of household tools are necessary. Typically, your anti-freeze should be drained and your radiator flushed
every two years. Most people do not stick to that schedule and that will
cause premature wear on engine coolant parts like hoses, radiator, thermostat,
and water pump. |