My van likes to overheat. I would like to fix it so that it doesn’t overheat anymore. I’ve been given a variety of opinions at work, but I thought I’d turn to all of you, since you’ve nailed the last few problems I’ve had dead-on.
Here’s some extra symptoms I notice that might help narrow it down:
- In normal, warm weather, the temperature increase isn’t very predictable. The van will heat up to about midway on the gauge, and everything will seem just fine. Then suddenly the temp will rocked up to the redline mark. Sometimes this happens after 10 minutes of driving, others it happens 30 minutes after driving.
-the temperature will suddenly drop in the same way it jumped up. Without warning, and after being redline or near-redline, the needle will dip suddenly to 3/4. It will stay there for a bit (again, no pattern) and then it will rise back up to its previous high.
-faster driving usually gives a higher temperature
-cold weather seems to make it overheat faster and hotter than warmer weather. If it’s less than, say, 40, it will usually go straight to redline rather than hover at midway for a while first. On extended drives, it will bury itself way beyond the redline and force me to pull over.
-The heater is blowing the least-hot air I’ve ever experienced from a vehicle’s heater. I’m not sure if this is related, but I thought I’d throw it in.
Oh, and to answer the inevitable: the coolant level is a-ok.
Thanks in advance!
Telling us what make model and year along with the current mileage would be helpful as would any history on this. How long has it been doing it, have you tried anything to fix it? etc.
There are several possible issues and you may well have more than one.
Thermostat: Could explain changes in temperature, but I have not seen one act quite like that.
Temperature sensor: Maybe part of the issue. Other than the gauge what makes you think it is overheating?
Air Pocket: It might explain it all, but I would not bet on it alone. However that is the first thing I would check.
Symptoms sound like intermittently sticking thermostst. Need make, model, year, engine size, AC- Y/N? No crystal ball!
I’d install a new thermostat and possibly a new coolant temperature sensor. When you refill the coolant, make sure you get all the air out of the system. An air pocket somewhere in the cooling system will cause problems such as you describe.
Oh, sorry about that - I thought it was just a general question.
It’s a 1993 Ford Econoline, V8 engine, 190k miles, no AC. It’s been doing this since I bought it 3 months ago, but I rarely spend more than 15-20 minutes on the road, so during the warmer weather when it would often make the trip without any overheating, I decided to address the more serious issues (faulty ujoints, 4amp drain on the electrical system). The only thing I’ve done to try to fix it thus far is have the radiator cap tested (it tested fine). I was going to go after the thermostat next, but with all the different suggested I was getting, I wanted to see if anything stuck out as most likely to you guys.
Thanks again!
I would change the thermostat but . I would look at the water pump the propellers may rust away .