1994 Dodge Shadow Car still overheating after repairs

ROBERT.CHASE

MEMBER
1994 DODGE SHADOW
6 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
101,000 MILES

I have a car that a friend gave me that was overheating eveytime you drove it. The fan was not working so we replaced the fan and the thermostat. We let the car run and the fan did come on right after we changed it, so we know it was working that weekend. But in the 10 days since the fan and thermostat were changed, the car is still overheating, we are still having to replace the water, even though we can find no definative leaks. Today it redlined after only going 5 or 6 miles, in cool weather, with water in both the radiator and the overflow. Once we got it home we filled the radiator and overflow again and let it run without the cap on. Fan never kicked on but car got hot and water started pumping out of radiator. Please advise.

Tuesday, December 8th, 2009 AT 8:18 AM

1 Reply

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
34,330 POSTS

The fan isn't turning on because the engine isn't overheating; certainly not in 5-6 miles. Rather than throwing parts at, which is the most expensive and least effective way to repair a car, have it diagnosed by a mechanic who will use a special tool at the radiator to check for a leaking head gasket. It's a tube with dark blue fluid inside. He will draw air from the radiator through the fluid. The fluid will turn bright yellow in the presence of combustion gases from a leaking head gasket. The gases blow into the cooling system causing the appearance it's overheating.

The fan turns on when the coolant hits 210 degrees and turns off around 198 degrees. If the engine is actually overheating, the fan will turn on and there will be steam coming from the overflow reservoir.

Caradiodoc

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Wednesday, December 9th, 2009 AT 12:33 AM