See the Troubleshooters.Com Bookstore.
If there's no leak, an overheat is caused by a problem with coolant level, coolant circulation, or heat transfer. Fill the coolant level. If the problem recurs within a month, it was something other than low level. Circulation problems are caused by clogged radiators, bad water pumps, non-functioning thermostats. Squeezing the hose on the outlet side of the thermostat reveals whether the thermostat is opening and closing, which is a sign of normal functioning. On cars where it's non-destructive to run without a thermostat (typically older, non-computerized cars), it may be informative to run without a thermostat for a couple days. If the problem was thermostat-caused, the car will run cool as a cucumber. If the cause was elsewhere, it will overheat even without a thermostat (though it may take a little longer to overheat).
Clogged radiators can often be detected visually. Often bad water pumps can be detected by feeling for play in the shaft, and manually turning and feeling for resistance. Always remember to check the effectiveness of the water pump belt.
Heat transfer problems are caused by insufficient air flow to the radiator (check fan, shroud, bugs/debree on radiator or on air conditioner heat exhanger in front of it). They can also be caused by oxidation/deposits inside the engine, which usually causes "hot spots" that are very hard to detect. Serious overheating in heavy traffic but not in open driving is an indication to investigate the fan, fan clutch or motor or relay, or shroud. Some cars have two fans, and both should be on if the engine is hot.
When replacing your radiator, always spend the extra money to get the very best. On my 1967 Dodge Coronet I have a $400.00 custom made 17x25 4 row radiator. I have not been able to find a radiator shroud. I was sure glad to have the big radiator the first day of my fully loaded (1000 extra pounds) trip from L.A. to Orlando. It was 105 degrees outside, and I got stuck in a 45 minute traffic jam after a long climb. The water got much hotter than usual, but didn't boil.
Always use the coolant mixture recommended for your car, climate and driving conditions. Both 100% water and 100% antifreeze coolant mixtures exhibit inferior cooling properties. My car was built before the invention of coolant reservoirs, so I bought an aftermarket coolant reservoir at the local car parts place for $6.00. Now when my car cools down, it sucks back the coolant it spit out as it achieved normal running temperature. The radiator's always full, and it's easy to add coolant.
I hypothesize that many cases of unexplained overheating and cyclical overheating (temp goes up and down while driving) are caused by exhaust gas leakage through a broken head gasket, even in the absense of yellow gunk on the oil cap or white smoke out the exhaust. I hypothesize this also explains some cases of unexplained coolant loss. You can read more about this in Litt's Overheating Hypothesis.
Always carry plenty extra of all components of your coolant (i.e. water and antifreeze) in your car. When approaching a long steep grade such as "The Grapevine" in Southern California, I always stop and fill my coolant. That same car that runs cool all day with a half dry radiator can overheat and bust gaskets on a steep 2000 foot climb, especially if loaded or pulling a trailer. Watch your gauge or idiot lite like a hawk during steep climbs. Do not run your air conditioning on steep climbs unless your temperature gauge (not idiot lite) says you're running at normal temperature, and be prepared to turn off the AC at the first hint of elevated temperature.
Overheating rapidly leads to expensive consequential damage. It can easily crack head gaskets. If not repaired, a cracked head gasket can let non-compressible water into the cylinders, which can accumulate and break the starter and flywheel. Radical overheats can bend heads and other parts. A single serious overheat can require an engine rebuild AND repair of the initial cooling problem.
Idiot lites are almost no help, because its almost too late when the idiot lite goes on. And remember, when you first shut off the car, temperature goes up further. And if that idiot lite burns out, heaven help you. For those reasons I have equipped idiot lite cars, having a history of cooling problems, with a temperature gauge. With your temperature gauge, get to know the usual level and variation in the high temperature point. Shut down the engine well before the gauge goes into the red, because the engine will get even hotter the first couple minutes it's shut down.
The instant you notice a serious overheat condition, turn off your air conditioner and turn your heater on full blast, and open the windows. Those steps just might save your engine. Obviously, driving with the heater on in very hot weather may pose a personal safety risk, so you may need to pull over and shut it down. Always, but always, carry drinking water when driving in hot weather. Personally, I make sure all my radiator water is also drinkable, and of course I never use the last of it in the radiator.
If you keep a car long enough, you'll get cooling problems. The bad news is that overlooked, ignored or unchecked, cooling problems lead to ghastly expenses. The good news is that caught early, cooling problems are relatively inexpensive to fix.
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