1997 Buick Century over heating

JSHAVERS3

MEMBER
1997 BUICK CENTURY

Hi, I have a 97 Buick Century that I had for almost two years now. L last year I had my water pumped change because of over heating problems (winter months). Now it is starting to resemble the same issues that I had before. Every morning on my way to work I notice that My car will try to over heat but then will balance itself out. If I crank it any time after I won't have that problem. It only happens after a very long sit (8 hours or more). Also I have noticed that when I started my car and drove off, I turned on my heater and almost immediately tried to overheat. What could possibly be the problem? How much would it cost to have it repaired?

5 Replies

SATURNTECH9

MECHANIC
30,870 POSTS

When it overheats are both upper and lower radiator hoses too hot to hold?Aso is the radaitor fan on when it overheating?

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Sunday, November 10th, 2013 AT 2:35 PM

JSHAVERS3

MEMBER
3 POSTS

Its hot but not to where you can't hold it. It's kind of hard to tell whether the fan come one because of it being quiet but I believe it does because of a very faint humming sound I hear when the problem occurs. When I checked my coolant reservoir there are some black sludge looking stuff in it but not much.

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Sunday, November 10th, 2013 AT 2:48 PM

SATURNTECH9

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At least one of the radiator hoses has to be getting too hot to hold or its not getting that hot. Have you measured the actual temp when its overheating?Not with the gauge.

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Sunday, November 10th, 2013 AT 2:56 PM

JSHAVERS3

MEMBER
3 POSTS

No I haven't. It doesn't actually over heat. According to the needle in the car it will get close to it but would then indicate that the temp is normal. No lights or anything have came on. It recently started happening and only 3 times in the past 2 weeks from initial problem.
It's difficult to explain it because when I drive the needle will indicate that it is heating up and come very close to overheating but then (while still driving) will suddenly balance itself out and I won't have any other problem out of it, Even when I turn on my heater. The problem only happens when I begin driving after having sit for a very long period of time giving the engine ample amount of time to cool off(ex: over night or 8+hours)

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Sunday, November 10th, 2013 AT 3:05 PM

SATURNTECH9

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30,870 POSTS

So are both radiator hoses getting hot?It sounds like you need to make sure the coolant temp sensor is reading correctly an the radiator fan is coming on hen it should. But you need a in fared temp gun and scan tool that can read live data like coolant temp. A scan tool that can do that on amazon is about 50 something and the infared temp gun is forty something. To do your own car work it a takes a investment in tools an the time to do it.