On 12/8/05, Nathan E. Pralle <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > 1996 3.5L Intrepid, 175K miles > > Went to take it to the airport (2.5 hours away) the other day and it > overheated (even in -7F weather). Actually, it got really hot. Then it > spiked to overheated. Then, as we were driving back home (only 3 miles > out, thank goodness for that) it started going down at a fast rate. > Then stopped. Then went back up. And then I got home, kicked it, and > went and rented a car. :P~ > > I don't know if it is the thermostat, but this would be the 4th > thermostat that I've put in it. The last one was replaced sometime in > the spring. > > Water pump was done around 110K so I'm *really* hoping it's not that. > The fans were running fine, so I really doubt it's those. When it was > overheated, no warm air was coming out the vents, so I'm assuming > thermostat.
Sounds like low coolant. The thermostat doesn't block off the path to the heater core, just to the radiator. The bypass goes to the heater core, so there should be flow regardless of the state of the thermostat. > > This whole dance of the sugar-plum thermostats is getting old. So I > have a few questions: > > 1. What would be making the thermos go so quick? > I don't think this is your trouble. > 2. What's the chance that in the bloody-cold weather my radiator fluid > got "slushy" and plugged something? I need to check its rating, but the > last time I flushed and filled it (sometime in May/June, I think) it was > a 50/50 mix that I put back in. 50/50 is good to 35 degrees below zero. If it's anywhere close to 50/50, that isn't your problem. > > 3. What would happen if I removed the thermostat completely for awhile > (just to test to see if that's the cause). I mean, I realize that the > purpose of the thermostat is that it blocks the flow of water to the > radiator until the engine is warm enough so it warms up faster. But if > there was no thermo, it'd just take longer to warm up, right? Would > that cause problems? Your engine will never reach proper operating temperature like this. It will always run cold, and probably rich, and probably become a fuel hog in the process. If you're experiencing -7F temps, you will never have heat in the car. > > Ideas always appreciated. > I'd be willing to bet you have one or more of the following: o very little coolant in the engine o a huge air bubble, o a failed water pump o failed head gasket(s) -- --Geoff MML Moderator/Admin/Occasional SAA/Keeper of the MML Map '92 Acclaim; '98 Intrepid; '03 Grand Caravan Read about AND join the MML at: http://www.moparmailinglist.com Skype: ggariepy68 ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Get fast access to your favorite Yahoo! Groups. Make Yahoo! your home page http://us.click.yahoo.com/dpRU5A/wUILAA/yQLSAA/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/
