Is my car overheating?
I own a 1995 Oldsmobile Cutlass Sierra with 66,000 miles. My temperature indicator has been going over 1/2 and up to 3/4 and almost into the red zone. Is my car overheating? It usually always stayed on 1/2 while driving or while in idle.
I took it to get checked and the mechanic said that it is not the thermostat or the radiator and he put an instrument on the thermostat and it registered 200 and on two other places that registered 180. He thinks it is the Temperature indicator that is faulty and is going to install a new one on my dashboard when the part comes in.
I noticed yesterday that on the floor of the front seat passenger side that it was wet. I felt around and it does feel like it has an oily feel. I park under a canopy and usually the car is not in the rain and it hadn't rained lately so I know it isn't a leak. My friend told me it could be coolant leaking out of the heater core, etc.
I take the car for short hops and the indicator never goes into the red part but it makes me nervous as I don't want to drive an overheated car and ruin the engine.
Does anyone out there have any ideas of what it may be? Dolores, Who has to keep this car on the road as I have no money to buy another. Only use it on short hops, etc......
I would lean more toward the sending unit for the gauge instead of the gauge first as it is more common.
ReplyDeleteWetness on the passenger side floorboard almost always is a leaky heater core. Napa carries a product that will seal the leak if exchanging the core is too costly. I forgot the name but it is in a white bottle. Worked in our former Lincoln and Chevy Suburban.
ReplyDeleteI agee its most likely your hearer core leaking it floor is wet on passenger side floor board
ReplyDeletealumaseal powdered aluminum stop leak works well too. costs about $2.00 at meijers
ReplyDeleteMy advice is don’t work on your car until you are sure what’s wrong with it. Wetness on the floor could also be the A/C drain stopped up. If the mechanic pressure tested the cooling system he should have found a leak. The fan could be not coming on,
ReplyDeleteChances are you are low on antifreeze. Once the level is down you will overheat. Try after being parked overnight open the radiator cap and fill. The system will go down as it leaks out, but if you keep the level full it will be ok for the short term. If your heater core is leaking it is going to have to be changed at some time......
ReplyDeleteIn addition i doubt very much that the gauge is the problem. They very rarely fail. The temps that you had at the areas indicate more lime you have a leak, which will leave your level low and cause your temp to rise at the sensor
ReplyDelete90% its always the heater core try some alumaseal or bars leak or bypass until it can be repaired
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