Overheating problems....?

'stang princess · 10-02-2006

I have a 2.3 L 1990 mustang. yesterday i drove it around for about an hour or so, and my temp gauge said that the car was overheating. I stopped, added some antifreeze into the overflow res. and started the car back up. when i started it up, the temp was at the mid rnage and then climbed right up to the red line (270 Deg.) I have never seen a temp gauge move that fast. I stopped, touched my radiator hoses, and it was not overheating, the hoses were hardly hot. Upon driving the car again the needle went straight to hot, and then as long as i was moving it would hold at mid range. I replaced the T-stat today and now it is doing things backwards. When i start it (after sitting for 3+ hours) the needle goes right to the top, upon driving it for a few, it goes to the middle. When I am idling (at a light or stop sign etc....) it stays at the mid line. When i start to go, it jumps right to the hot. I tested my old T-stat by throwing it in boiling water and the damn thing opened right up. put it under cold and it cooled right down and closed. I have checked the oil and anti freeze, they are not a milky color so i dont think its a cracked head. All my fluids are full and none of my cooling system hoses have cracks, leaks etc. Anybody have any ideas as to what this could be? I gotta drive this dang thing on friday so i gotta figure it out soon. Thanks! I dont know if its really ever overheating or not.

Nyt_Muves · 10-02-2006

Be careful! If it is hot until you drive, then you could have a fan issue. Of the fan clutch is going, then it might not be pulling enough air, and that would cause overheating at idle, that would go away when moving.

'stang princess · 10-02-2006

MY fan is wired to always be on when the car is on, anbd if it went any faster i would imagine it would flyy off the damn car. any other suggestions?

Nyt_Muves · 10-08-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by 'stang princess

MY fan is wired to always be on when the car is on, anbd if it went any faster i would imagine it would flyy off the damn car. any other suggestions?

Could need the radiator rodded out. Could be one that happened to me once... The impeller of the waterpump came loose on the shaft, so the shaft was turning but the impeller was not moving water. Probably not your issue as it cools down at speed. If you have not been regular about changing your coolant regularly, it is quite likely that you need your radiator rodded out. Would probably be almost as cheap to get a new radiator.

Desert Dale · 10-08-2006

Princess, sounds like you are familiar with cars to be placing your hands on hoses etc. Good for you! I think that either you have a temp sender that's going wacky or possibly a bad ground at the temp sender. I would put a mechanical temp gauge on the darn thing to make sure. Also you might want to check your pressure cap. For every lb. of pressure, it raises the boiling point of your coolant, and if it's blowing off early, it can cause some heating problems. Good luck Princess! Desert Dale.

Mustang_Crazy69 · 10-08-2006

yea i have had rotted water pump impeller well idk if there were any left... but i wasnt over heating.... (that was on my 69) other then the header geting hot as normal

buckeye43 · 10-10-2006

I agree with Desert Dale, sounds like the sender is going south or the wiring is flakie. A bad connection at the sender will cause the guage to do some really strange things.

'stang princess · 10-11-2006

Where would I look for the temp sender?

GTMUSTANGCS · 09-19-2008

i agree with a temp sender. if you want to know where things are purchase a repair manual. you can always use it.