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overheat.

Joined
Oct 21, 2003
Messages
213
Location
Prunedale, California
everyday before i go to work i warm up my car for 20 mins and i drive down the road for about 5 to 10 miles my car starts to overheat. i pulled over and shut the car off for 10 mins. after 10 mins i drive it and it doesnt overheat anymore. could this be a stuck thermostat? i have 23k on the thermostat and coolant i put in in november of 05.
 
well first off there is no reason to let your car warm up for 20Mins. 30-40 Seconds is plent of time. i know its cold in the car but by letting it warm up your actually wasting gas and it doesnt make a bit of difference to the engine. if your cold when you get in the car after you start it up turn it to full heat and recirculate (Max AC on our cars)

what do you mean by overheating? does the needle actually get into the red zone or just up to the "L" in NORMAL?
if it does actually go into the red then i would start with a coolant flush and change the thermostat. also check the tension on the serpentine belt. if its too loose it may slip on the waterpump pulley.
 
well first off there is no reason to let your car warm up for 20Mins. 30-40 Seconds is plent of time....
LOL. CF22 is not in Prunedale, CA anymore. He is in Granite Falls, WA. He probably can't see through the icy windshield or he doesn't want his toushy to freeze. :laugh:
 
my comment still stands. if he cant see out the windshield then scrap the ice off. if hes cold then wear some more clothes. im not trying to be harsh but the best thing you can do for the engine is to get in start it let the idle settle and go. you wear less material off the cylinder walls if you do this then if you let it sit and idle for twenty minutes when the engine is cold. the engine actually warms up quite fast its the coolant (which gives you heat inside the car) that takes time to warm up.

btw i didnt look at his location when i typed my original msg
 
I would only ever start the car before I came out to it with my remote starter (when it was working) or Id go out to the car, start it, scrap it off than go. 20 minutes is definately not needed. Especially when your only going 5-10 miles. :troutslap:
 
my comment still stands. if he cant see out the windshield then scrap the ice off. ..
Not sure if you've lived in the North but your breath will form crystals on the windshield while you are driving if the car is not warmed up. Yes, I do not go wait more than 5 seconds (seat belt, lock door, put in gear and sometimes release brake) when I start the car and go in the DC area. But when I used to live in ND, man, the car gets warmed up first or I am looking out the window rather than the windshield when I drive. ;)

Edit. Noticed nobody answered his question. Yes, it could be a stuck or thermostat about the break again. What is the strength of the coolant? May be wise to invest in a $5 coolant strength tester from Autozone or Advance.
 
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Not sure if you've lived in the North but your breath will form crystals on the windshield while you are driving if the car is not warmed up. Yes, I do not go wait more than 5 seconds (seat belt, lock door, put in gear and sometimes release brake) when I start the car and go in the DC area. But when I used to live in ND, man, the car gets warmed up first or I am looking out the window rather than the windshield when I drive. ;)

Edit. Noticed nobody answered his question. Yes, it could be a stuck or thermostat about the break again. What is the strength of the coolant? May be wise to invest in a $5 coolant strength tester from Autozone or Advance.

i answered his question.

and as for your question i lived in chicago just last year and was born and raised in Boston. ive been to qubec for a few weeks and ive been to Dillon CO several times. i know how the cold works. throw the defroster on high heat. it will warm up quick enough and you should not have any problems.
 
i answered his question.

and as for your question i lived in chicago just last year and was born and raised in Boston. ive been to qubec for a few weeks and ive been to Dillon CO several times. i know how the cold works. throw the defroster on high heat. it will warm up quick enough and you should not have any problems.
dunno how your defroster works but mine blows cold air untill the cars warmed up.
 
dunno how your defroster works but mine blows cold air untill the cars warmed up.

as does mine however the "cold" air is warmer than abient air extremly fast cause the coolant is already warmer than ambient after just a few seconds.

also another option that i mentioned is to put the system on recirculate and high heat. this takes the cold air in the car and heats it up much faster than just the defroster or blower alone.
 
.....put the system on recirculate and high heat. ...

What's non-recirculate? I thought you don't have the vent function when it is turned to heat. As in, all you get is recirculate when it is in heat mode. :shrug:
 
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well it does switch on the AC (most cars do even the older ones) however i dont think it switches to recirculate. if it does than thats even more reason to switch to defrost.
 
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