Engine overheating

Tiny
JSCRAMER
  • MEMBER
  • 2000 CHEVROLET TRACKER
  • 2.0L
  • 4 CYL
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 130,000 MILES
Overheats at one mile. New radiator, two thermostats, clutch fan, two radiator caps. Removed exhaust pipe from engine. Bled coolant at heater hose many times. Clamped top radiator hose and bled bottom radiator hose at thermostat housing many times. No coolant in oil, no bubbles in radiator, no leeks, no coolant smell at exhaust pipe.
Saturday, January 13th, 2018 AT 11:09 AM

29 Replies

Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 51,847 POSTS
Hello,

It sounds like the impeller on the water pump has fallen apart or corroded. Here is a guide that will how you what you are in for when doing the job:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/water-pump-replacement

This guide may help as well.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/engine-overheating-or-running-hot

Below is how it is done on your car.)

Check out the diagrams (below).

Please let us know what happens.

Cheers, Ken
Images (Click to make bigger)
Thumb
Thumb
Thumb
Thumb
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Monday, January 15th, 2018 AT 12:53 PM
Tiny
JSCRAMER
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
I failed to include a new water pump and hoses. Heater works good.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Monday, January 15th, 2018 AT 10:28 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 51,847 POSTS
I am thinking the exhaust system can be clogged up causing the engine to work harder. Does the engine have full power? If not here is a guide that can help us confirm the failure:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-test-a-catalytic-converter

If okay please check for a blown head gasket.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/head-gasket-blown-test

Please run down these guides and report back

Cheers, Ken
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
-1
Tuesday, January 16th, 2018 AT 9:50 AM
Tiny
JSCRAMER
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
Yep it was the head gasket its going to cost me $1300.00 to get it fixed boo! Thanks for the guides though really helped. I love this site
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+1
Tuesday, January 16th, 2018 AT 12:07 PM
Tiny
TRACKER2000CHEVY
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2000 CHEVROLET TRACKER
  • 2.0L
  • 4 CYL
  • 4WD
  • MANUAL
  • 244,000 MILES
2000 Chevy Tracker, 2.0L J20A

Problem: Overheats

Replaced water pump, rad cap, and thermostat with no luck. Did the a pressure test for head gasket. Came back ok.

Vehicle (after new parts installed) works if: I open up rad cap and run vehicle for 15-20 minutes. Then I can drive without overheating. If I turn on the the heater - vehicle overheats.

Any suggestions?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, January 16th, 2018 AT 8:26 PM (Merged)
Tiny
AQUIREDKARMA55
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
If it only starts to get hot after you turn the heater on. I would suggest checking the heater core. If it has any blockage obstructing the flow of coolant then it could cause overheating.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, January 16th, 2018 AT 8:26 PM (Merged)
Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
May still have an air lock if it's doing that check radiator for cold spots if you feel cold spots radiator is junk and needs to be replaced.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, January 16th, 2018 AT 8:26 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MARK FORCIER
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 2000 CHEVROLET TRACKER
  • 4 CYL
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 142,452 MILES
00 chevy tracker overheating. Replaced termostat and hoses still overheating
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
-1
Tuesday, January 16th, 2018 AT 8:26 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 110,127 POSTS
Make sure the cooling fans are working. Also, make sure there are no air blocks in the cooling system (bleed it). Finally, if the coolant is full, fans working, no air in system, and the t-stat is working properly, have the head gasket checked.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, January 16th, 2018 AT 8:26 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KRWCARS
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 2000 CHEVROLET TRACKER
  • 4 CYL
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 150,000 MILES
Just bought a 2000 Chevrolet Tracker, drove it for 2 hours perfectly fine. Turned the a/c on within 2 minutes the air was cold then completely stopped working. I shut the a/c off and it began over heating fast. Pulled the car over and had my dad look at it after it cooled. He changed the water pump & heat sensor. The car would sit running with no problems as soon as I began driving it the heat gauge steadily made it's way to H. He checked the fans and they worked fine. Now the car will not start without being jumped and it will overheat everytime you try to drive it. Any suggestions?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, January 16th, 2018 AT 8:26 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 110,127 POSTS
Hi:
Not sure what you mean by heat sensor. Was the thermostat replaced?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, January 16th, 2018 AT 8:26 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KRWCARS
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Yes sorry not great with cars my dad is and is dumbfounded by my car
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, January 16th, 2018 AT 8:26 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 110,127 POSTS
If everything is new and the radiator isn't plugged, I would then have to check for a head gasket issue.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, January 16th, 2018 AT 8:26 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SMITTY84942
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
  • 2002 CHEVROLET TRACKER
  • 100,000 MILES
I have replaced the thermostat, water pump, serpentine belt and still the car overheats. The top rad hose is boiling hot while the lower rad hose is ice cold which I know points to the thermostat but it has been replaced. Any help would be appreciated. This just started out of the blue. The car has been well maintained with very few problems up until now.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+1
Tuesday, January 16th, 2018 AT 8:26 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Check if the radiator is clogged and also try bleeding the cooling system and see what happens
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, January 16th, 2018 AT 8:26 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SMITTY84942
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Thanks rasmataz, I tried your ideas. I took off both upper and lower rad hoses and removed the thermostat(again). I flushed everything and made sure the thermostat opened under boiling water. Bled the system by leaving the rad cap off until it heated up. Still the same problem. The waterpump housing is too hot to touch yet it overheats and the lower rad hose is cold?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, January 16th, 2018 AT 8:26 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Rad cap off and engine idling pinch of the upper hose for a few secs while looking inside the radiator then let go-the coolant flow should increase if not recheck the water pump, if okay have it block and pressure tested to find out more-
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, January 16th, 2018 AT 8:26 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SMITTY84942
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
This may help or not. The car is still overheating but also not charging. New battery and alternator but on a test drive after a boost it just starts losing power up until the point when it will die. The car bucks and also stays on a fast idle prior to shutting down. Not sure if that helps with a diagnosis but I thought I would add it just in case. Thanks again for any advise.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, January 16th, 2018 AT 8:26 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ATLADNER
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2001 CHEVROLET TRACKER
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 143,000 MILES
Engine Cooling problem
2001 Chevy Tracker 4 cyl Two Wheel Drive Automatic 143000 miles

We have replaced the thermostat, hoses, alternator, battery, and flushed the system. But it still overheats. No leaks, water moves in the system, but as soon as it is drive, it overheats within a half mile. Any suggetsions? Thanks!
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, January 16th, 2018 AT 8:26 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Have the alternator checked and also if it continues to overheat have it block and pressure tested
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, January 16th, 2018 AT 8:26 PM (Merged)

Please login or register to post a reply.

Related Engine Overheat Content

Is Your Engine Cool Enough to Check?
VIDEO
Is Your Engine Cool Enough to Check?
In­struc­tional re­pair video
Overheating Symptoms
GUIDE
Overheating Symptoms
An over­heat­ing en­gine is never a good thing to have hap­pen. If the prob­lem is caught quickly you can save the headache of a ma­jor en­gine re­pair. Know­ing the in­for­ma­tion from...
VIEW MORE