Overheating problem...So I got my car

ko 5.0 · Sep 1, 2008

back after it has been sitting in the garge for about 3 weeks getting inspected, oil change, me on vacation and so on. So as i am getting onto the highway, i punch it a bit and get the rpm up pretty high. After about 4 miles i pull off the exit and smokes coming from the hood. I notice that it is overheating and spilling fluid from the radiator. I pull it into parking lot and it's really hot. Left it there for about 6 hours, it's cooled down, add fluid, take it home and it over heats again. Can't drive it more than 5 miles now without it overheating. The hoses get so hot i can hardle touch them.

I'm hoping it's not a blown gasket, i'm gonna replace the thermostat tommorrow, what else should i be checking for? Fan comes on fine and i just put a mr gasket in last year and had no problems at all.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks, Ken

CC'S95GT · Sep 1, 2008

does the fan come on hi and low speed or only low also how old is the water pump ? when you get the belt off spin the pump pulley and see if it's smooth or possibly leaking. but if everything was ok before it went into the shop then a stuck thermostat does make sense

2slo95fiveoh · Sep 1, 2008

if the thermostat was bad then the upper radiator hose would be hot, and the lower would be cold. I would pressure test the
cooling system to be sure without throwing parts at it.

95-stang · Sep 2, 2008

2slo95fiveoh said:
if the thermostat was bad then the upper radiator hose would be hot, and the lower would be cold. I would pressure test the
cooling system to be sure without throwing parts at it.

As he said.
It's also strange if was ok before it went in that its suddenly just gone like that, if they changed the anti-freeze or anything to do with the coolant it could be an air pocket, i have found my particular car to be a real **** of a job to get air out of the system. I have had the hoses almost blowing off and a fountain of coolant coming out before the last bit of air is gone.