If it has overheated several times, and hasn't had a head gasket replaced on it...chances are it will need one soon. Frequent overheats cause the heads to warp.
One way to check the fans for motor failure is to pull the coolant temp sensor plug at the sensor (2-pin, not the 1-pin one). This will put the fans into default mode (runs continuously)....if the fans don't come on when you pull the sensor plug, you have a problem with one or both fans, or the rad fan relay. Do you find that the top rad hose gets hot, but the bottom one stays cold? If so, you probably have a plugged rad. This could be overheating from something as simple as a dead thermostat. Take the thermostat out and buy a $1 pot at the local dollar store, and pop it into the pot on the stove. Fill it with water and heat it to boiling. See if the thermostat opens. If it doesn't, replace it. If it does, then this eliminates this as your problem. Cheers. -DP -----Original Message----- From: Geoff [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, April 04, 2005 10:59 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [dodge_intrepid] Sick baby If she's overheating, there are some simple causes. One is: is the radiator flowing properly? Only way to tell for sure is to pull it and have it tested at a radiator repair shop. A clogged radiator won't be able to carry enough heat away to cool the engine properly. If it's plugged up with road grime, caked on oil/dirt, and/or bugs, it won't flow enough air through the fins to cool. So what kind of shape is the radiator in? Two: are the cooling fans coming on? If you're experiencing overheats in stop and go traffic, but it seems to be cooling fine on the highway, chances are there's a cooling fan problem. You can check just by running the engine at an idle with the hood up on a moderately warm day. The fans *should* kick on at some point when the engine temp begins to rise. If they don't, you've found your issue. Three: you don't have any symptoms of a blown head gasket, do you? No obvious coolant leaks, no bubbles in the reservoir bottle at idle, no sweet-smelling white steam from the exhaust? Head gasket problems sometimes manifest themselves in overheating conditions. If your engine has overheated, sadly, you probably have an issue here, since a bad overheat tends to warp the cylinder heads, making for a head sealing issue. Four: what kind of shape is the radiator cap in? If it doesn't properly hold pressure, the cooling system cannot work as effectively as designed. You mention replacing some other parts, but how 'bout that cap? Replacing your car to save money on gas, eh? Hope you've done the cost-benefit analysis. Typically that doesn't work out so well in the long run. --Geoff ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Give the gift of life to a sick child. Support St. Jude Children's Research Hospital's 'Thanks & Giving.' http://us.click.yahoo.com/5iY7fA/6WnJAA/Y3ZIAA/46t0lB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Web: <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dodge_intrepid> Subscribe: <mailto://[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Unsubscribe: <mailto://[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Moderator: <mailto://[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dodge_intrepid/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
