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Hi,
'90t - bought after in front-end accident. Always had this problem since I bought it. No coolant leak when I purchased, or now for that matter.
I've been getting conflicting diagnoses on what the most likely problem is for my cooling problem, and I'd like to tackle the most likely problem first.
As it is with rebuilding the front end and replacing thermostat, I've already got 5 gallons of used coolant laying around my garage that I must get rid of (always manage to get dirt in the coolant, so I don't reuse).
The problem:
Car starts and runs fine. Warms up, but then the needle keeps going. After about 15-20 minutes, it hits red line, and the fan never kicks on. I've jumped the thermoswitch, and the fan then runs, so electrical is okay. I replaced thermoswitch and thermostat, and the same problem arises.
After 10 minutes in 35 degree weather this morning, the temp gauge in car read almost half way up - i.e. before the fan would have kicked on anyway. I popped the hood at work, and could hold my hand on the hose coming out of the engine block. It was warm-probably warmer than body temp, but not hot. I could hold with a firm grip around the entire hose and it was not hot.
Problem is exact same before and after replacing thermoswitch and thermostat, so I don't believe I put these in wrong.
I bought the car after it had been in a front-end collision, and this has been the problem since I owned it. Don't know if this problem was induced by this accident or if the previous owner had been driving with poor engine cooling. I know he had a short commute to work, so he might have just not bothered with it.
potential solutions:
1) radiator clogged
2) bad water pump
I was guessing radiator was clogged and not allowing water to get through to the thermoswitch to kick on the fan. There is not obvious signs of major leaking by the water pump to indicate a leak there.
Is my best guess the radiator or water pump? If pump, what am I looking for in a failure before pulling out of car? What am I looking for if I remove the pump? Would I expect the blades to be chewed up or broken off? Would I expect a stripped shaft so the blades aren't spinning?
Rebuild recommendations (parts to use/avoid, tips, etc)?
Sorry for the long ramdling discussion, but this '90t is my first real DIY car, haven't done much more than oil change/exhaust replacement/coolant flush before this car, so my diagnostic skills aren't great yet.
900Fun
'90t daily driver
'90s parts car-taking up my garage space
posted by 208.22.10...
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