My car keeps overheating and I can't seem to determine if its a bad thermostat or head gasket. I've had to add antifreeze here and there over the past few months, even during the winter, because the light would come on and the car would only run hot when not moving. Now its running hot moving or at idle. I'm guessing its the thermostat. Any thoughts??
If the thermostat is sticking closed you can maybe tap the housing with a hammer or other tool while it is running, it may cause it to open up and you will see the temp going down on the gauge. As I recall the thermostat is at the front, within easy reach, so you could go ahead and take the thermostat out, reassemble and see if you still have a problem. For testing it won't hurt anything to run without it, just make sure to replace it with a new one if it's bad. There's also your waterpump and possibly a fan clutch. If it has electric fan make sure they are coming on, if not maybe the fan itself or possibly relays can be bad. Please rate this. Thanks and good luck.
Check your head gasket. remove spark plug #1 and start the car. if anti-freeze shoots out, thats your problem!
Check for bubbles coming up in the radiator--signs of blown head gasket. If no bubbles, try replacing thermostat.
Please see my tip at http://www.fixya.com/cars/r5929960-s_thermostat . These are generic instructions. If you get stuck or need specific instructions for your car, please get back to me with model, year and engine info.
749 views
Usually answered in minutes!
Well I pulled the dipstick and found water in the oil. The oil looked milky. I know that can't be a good sign and that it now looks more like the head gasket. If it's a head gasket would it be cheaper to fix the gasket or just purchase a rebuilt motor? The engine has 160k and has been good engine for the most part, except for the tranny, which has been rebuilt twice.
×