running really hot

[imthepredator2]

hey guys, for some reason, my car is running really hot, when i drive my car, within 5 mins, the temp gauge is spiked out, i thought it was false readings, until i actually felt the heat from the engine compartment, you can feel the heat as your driving! any ideas?

 

[Man A]

what is your coolant gauge reading? have you checked your coolant level? any leakes? could be your thermostat, radiator. maybe your cooling system needs to be flushed.

 

[imthepredator2]

well, when i bought it, it was running hot, the temp gauge in the car is always spiked, and i belive its causing my check engine light to come on also... if i continue could it cause anything to burn up, causing a much heftier repair bill?

 

[Man A]

running the engine hot can cause major problems. you could burn up your head gasket, warp the head or block. i think you can damage your piston rings too.

so start by checking your coolant level. if its good then change your thermostat. its possible that its staying closed or just not opening up enough

 

[imthepredator2]

alright, after i get off work ill check that out ASAP, and ill keep ya posted

 

[imthepredator2]

well, i went and checked it out, the radiator fluid isnt moving whatsoever... i think i need a new thermostat, anything else i should look for?

 

[madking411]

here's how you can tell if its the thermostat or not:
-if when you drive the car, at highway speed or ~55 - 60mph, and your engine temp goes down, then you are probably having a problem with the cooling fan. it cant be the thermostat, because the thermostat is obviously letting fluid flow through the system normally, all you needed was the extra air being forced through the radiator to cool down the fluid inside which would normally happen if your fan was coming on at a complete stop.
-if your thermo. is stuck closed, then the engine will overheat even if the fans are coming on, because even though the fluid in the radiator is cooled, its not getting back to the engine block/head to actually chill it down. What you should do to confirm this, is turn your heat on full blast, and if the engine's temp gauge goes down then your thermo. is most likely stuck closed.

 

[wite2nr]

get a new thermostat (make sure you get a new gasket too), and might want to replace the upper / lower / heater hoses. flush out the system and refill with new antifreeze. then you should be good to go!