...in my 90 loyale...about 50 miles to be exact. My wife and I just left work and went to lunch, and in the three miles we drove, the temp guage went all the way to red line. I pulled over and she cooled enough to get there and back. I looked under the hood and everything seems normal, but the fan won't come on, even when it's approaching high temps. This morning, on the hour long drive down the mountains, we had no such symptoms. In the past, intermittantly, and without explanation except that it seems it was always a hot day, the temp guage has gone up, though never this high.

 

Do I have a failing thermostat?

 

This evening when it's cold, I have modest hopes of making it up the mountain and back home, even if it's just one small step at a time. Anything else I should check? Coolant in the reservoir is full.

 

Oh, yeah...and all the tools are back home...

 

belizeanbus

A sticking thermostat could easily cause the symptoms you're describing.

 

-=Russ=-

and fix the fan while you're at it! Thou art asking for a blown headgasket or worse!

Well it hasn't been my best day by any means. I figured I'd go with the thermostat explanation. I couldn't get her more than a few miles down th road without the temp shooting to redline. So she stayed behind for the night and we got home in a friend's car.

 

On the way I got a Duralast thermostat. I have an OEM on its way via mail, but for now this will have to work. At any rate, this is going to be a side of the road job, and I'm not sure what I'm after. The Chilton's manual doesn't have much for illustrations on this point. I'm thinking the thermostat is toward the passanger side, top of motor, behind the oil dipstick, with the large hose running from the radiator into it's housing...? Correct me if I'm wrong please. Next... do I need to drain fluids from the radiator to get at it? And finally...I was under the impression that the fan not coming on was a related issue... It's the first time I notice it not doing it's job. What else could be the culprit?

 

As always, thanks for the tech support.

 

belizeanbus

 

 

Oh, yeah...and all the tools are back home...

 

belizeanbus

now thats a really nice place to have them huh?

I'm not sure on how to change the thermostat (haven't done it yet), but it would make sense that the fan isn't coming on if the thermostat isn't opening.

 

The thermal sensor for the fan is on the radiator. If the thermostat isn't opening, the coolant circulates within the engine, and doesn't get to the radiator (hence why it heats up too much). The coolant in the radiator will still be cool while the engine is overheating, so the fan won't come on.

 

-=Russ=-