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2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue with 53k original miles overheating (please save me)
Chuan
Member Posts: 2
2002 Oldsmobile GL Intrigue purchased for $800 with 53k original miles bought from a man on offer up who claimed it was his wife’s grandmothers vehicle band she had passed away. They couldn’t find the title for two years and sold it to me last weekend and they finally found the title in her old boxes.
How it’s overheating? It you let it sit at idle for it and
Car overheats when left at idle in about 20 minutes or so and when driven I can drive for about 15 minutes before it climbs above normal range to the red light coming on, I’ve never let it get past that never actually overheated under my care.
I was told it was thermostat and I went to auto zone and purchased it replaced and still overheats
I’m reading that you must use OEM thermostat and water pump.
They were doing something after replacing the thermostat where they had me run at 2k rpm and turn heat on but the heat never fully came oh and then it was just blowing cold actually even when set to 90f.
Different mechanic I brought it too says water pump looks replaced almost like the previous owner replaced it and didn’t have luck fixing the overheating like me but from the information I’ve gathered we both screwed up and used autozone parts where are not identical(correct me or wrong I don’t know anything about this car )
Should I try replacing my oem thermostat ? Or water pump? What can I tell my regular mechanic that is quirky to this cars coolant system to fix ?
OEM parts ?
Reverse heater hoses ? (Could that help me ?)
Before the car overheats it runs like a dream it shifts smooth, coolant and oil change light is on
No visible leaks outside
Flush radiator? (What do I tell mechanic to do )
Heater core ?
I’m lost here and would appreciate all help that $800 for this car was all I had but I have money to repair this vehicle because at 50k something miles it’s a dream to drive even the leather isn’t cracked it’s like new
Please help me direct my mechanic on what and how to fix this seems very fixable if the car wasn’t overheating it’s literally like new no rust car I’d like to keep in my family for years
How it’s overheating? It you let it sit at idle for it and
Car overheats when left at idle in about 20 minutes or so and when driven I can drive for about 15 minutes before it climbs above normal range to the red light coming on, I’ve never let it get past that never actually overheated under my care.
I was told it was thermostat and I went to auto zone and purchased it replaced and still overheats
I’m reading that you must use OEM thermostat and water pump.
They were doing something after replacing the thermostat where they had me run at 2k rpm and turn heat on but the heat never fully came oh and then it was just blowing cold actually even when set to 90f.
Different mechanic I brought it too says water pump looks replaced almost like the previous owner replaced it and didn’t have luck fixing the overheating like me but from the information I’ve gathered we both screwed up and used autozone parts where are not identical(correct me or wrong I don’t know anything about this car )
Should I try replacing my oem thermostat ? Or water pump? What can I tell my regular mechanic that is quirky to this cars coolant system to fix ?
OEM parts ?
Reverse heater hoses ? (Could that help me ?)
Before the car overheats it runs like a dream it shifts smooth, coolant and oil change light is on
No visible leaks outside
Flush radiator? (What do I tell mechanic to do )
Heater core ?
I’m lost here and would appreciate all help that $800 for this car was all I had but I have money to repair this vehicle because at 50k something miles it’s a dream to drive even the leather isn’t cracked it’s like new
Please help me direct my mechanic on what and how to fix this seems very fixable if the car wasn’t overheating it’s literally like new no rust car I’d like to keep in my family for years
0
Comments
Is the cooling fan coming on? When it sits and idles and the temp goes up above about 210 or
so the cooling fan should come on. It should come on if you turn the AC on.
Is the thermostat installed right? On the 3800 engine, there was a ring of rubber that mashed
against the fin edge of the thermostat. The thermostat went into the cut in the middle.
The squished rubber when the top of the thermostat housing was tightened down sealed the
system. Didn't even have a paper gasket between the metal halves.
Also, is the thermostat inserted with the bronze end toward the engine so it senses the
hot coolant that bleeds past and starts to open properly.
You can try some analysis but starting with a cold engine and letting it idle but keep feeling the
upper radiator hose near the engine. You'll be able to tell when the thermostat starts opening
slightly letting hot coolant out of the engine. Then it will get much hotter as the coolant in the radiator
that's being recirculated gets warmer as the circulation flow rate increases.
Remember the heater core is also a part of these circles and is always circulating coolant
from the engine as it warms up.
How does the coolant look in the reservoir? Brown gunk? Or clear orange? Or clear green?
Or clear yellow green of the Prestone mixes with all types which is equivalent to DexCool?
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
lining that can collapse under the suction of the water pump pulling the water from the radiator.
The collapsed hose then blocks the return flow from the radiator. Remove the lower hose and
check the inside.
Last resort would be to remove the radiator to clean and check its flow. If someone has an
infrared thermometer from somewhere like Harbor Freight that can read temps, you might check
the temps on various parts of the path coolant travels and check the radiator for hot water
at the top and then cooling water as it goes to the bottom to the lower hose to return to
the engine.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,