I have a problem that is getting very expensive. I’ve replaced the water pump, the T-Stat, EGR valve 4x, the catalytic converter twice because they are completely plugged up, coil packs, O2 sensor and the MAP sensor. With all of the parts, the engine temperature light still comes on and when the engine gets hot, it runs very bad or just quits. I see the fan working but beyond that I am lost.
I would like to get this thing figured out because I can’t afford another car. I’ve heard people say its everything from a plugged radiator to carbon on the head.
Any ideas
SOTP, I would say the radiator is plugged. Replacing parts has gotten you nowhere, right? Some of those things you mentioned I would not even think of for a car with an overheating problem. Get some diagnosis going. Did you replace these parts or did a shop? When does it overheat, idling, stop and go, highway? Was the temp gauge tending towards hot for a long time before it overheated quickly? Does turning the heater on cool it off? Has the coolant been serviced regularly?
As I wrote, SOTP I would my GUESS the rad with a car this age, but there are lot of things to check out before I considered it a DIAGNOSIS. Consider taking it to a radiator shop. They can check the radiator flow. If they replace the radiator and the problem does not improve, they should be prepared to refund your money.
If the radiator has never been replaced for that vintage, it is a guarntee that is is highly ineffective. Its either plugged or full of bugs. That would have been the second or third thing to do on the list, not the last. Don’t know if that explains why it stops running though unless you have severely overheated the engine already or there is a problem in addition with the ignition system.