car overheating.....help

[Mac11 10+ year member]

ok i have a 1993 saturn sl-2 sedan that i bought used about 6-8 months ago. just last night it started running really hot for the first time ever. i checked the coolant and it is full. the car comes back down to normal temps and actuall below while driving and running the heater. there are no coolant leaks and the car runs smoothly. anybody got any ideas on what sort of problem i could be looking at here? thanks

-Mac

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[wErd 5,000+ posts]

is your fan working?

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

Have the thermostat checked. If it doesn't open properly, then the coolant gets stuck in the block. By running the heater, you actually helped a lot by using the heater core as a mini radiator.

 

[Diplexers 10+ year member]

Have the thermostat checked. If it doesn't open properly, then the coolant gets stuck in the block. By running the heater, you actually helped a lot by using the heater core as a mini radiator.

What he said. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[the chica 10+ year member]

he is right!

 

[Mac11 10+ year member]

ok ive had another minute to check the car out(I dont have it all the time i let my g/f drive it as it is my 2nd car) and the fan is not kicking on so.....how do i know that its not the fan motor?

 

[wErd 5,000+ posts]

haha, i was right //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

theres probably something wrong with your fan clutch, im sure if you take it to autozone or something and buy a fan clutch for your application they will install it for you.

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

haha, i was right //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif
theres probably something wrong with your fan clutch, im sure if you take it to autozone or something and buy a fan clutch for your application they will install it for you.

If it's like most newer 4 bangers there is no fan clutch. It has an electric fan that is controlled by an electronic thermostat. The fan is only needed when you are sitting in traffic on a hot day anyway. If the car is moving there should be enough airflow over the radiator to sufficiently cool the engine, assuming the radiator thermostat is opening properly. This thermostat only allows coolant to flow between the radiator and block once the coolant in the block has gotten to a certain temp. Allow it to flow too soon and the engine takes forever to get up to temp and runs like butt in the meantime. Opens to late, sticks, or doesn't open at all and the engine overheats.

 

[wErd 5,000+ posts]

i wouldnt consider a 93 "newer"

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

i wouldnt consider a 93 "newer"

Well it isn't Pinto or Datsun old, but since you want to be a prick...

Like most FWD cars with a TRANSVERSE mounted engine, it has to have an electric fan because the belts that would normally drive the radiator fan on an inline mounted engine are sandwiched between the right fender and the engine and are not located anywhere near the radiator. No possibility of a belt driven fan and no fan clutch.

 

[Mac11 10+ year member]

Well it isn't Pinto or Datsun old, but since you want to be a prick...
Like most FWD cars with a TRANSVERSE mounted engine, it has to have an electric fan because the belts that would normally drive the radiator fan on an inline mounted engine are sandwiched between the right fender and the engine and are not located anywhere near the radiator. No possibility of a belt driven fan and no fan clutch.

hes right....electronic fan. thats why i mentioned the fan motor. i bought a new thermostat and im going to put it in tomorrow. since there is soooo much interest as of late i may just post what happens. thanks for the info guys.

-Mac