Alrighty guys... the Monte is pissing me off.....

All of a sudden, the car started trying to get "warm" in traffic... by tha,t I mean maybe one line passed the middle.

Then the other day I was coming home from work, and the things went 3/4ths of the way around to teh 260 line... and stayed there. When I pulled over to see if my radiator fans were working, and climbed abck in the car, it was back to regular operating temperatere.

So for a couple of days of driving, it would run 5 or so at regular temperature, then spike and come back down after a mile or so. The spikes go to about 230 or so on the gauge. So I got some radiator flush, pulled the thermostat, and flushed the radiator a few times. Nothing ever came out. The water was clean enough to drink.

So I checked to see if there were any bugs or anything blogging the radiator, and found nothing. I put in a new Murray fail safe 195 thermostat and it ran well for a week, even all the way out to Martinsville, VA and back.

But tdoay, going to work, it spiked to about 210 and stayed there while I was on the interstate. As soon as I slowed down, the temperature returned ot normal. The overflow tank was empty (it usually is, I think it leaks sometimes), but the radiator was about as full as you can reasonably expect.



I don't know what to do with it unless the water pump is going out. I've been running the green stuff with garden hose water for a couple of years. I can't see hwere any intake gaskets, upper or lower, are leaking. The belt has been replaced... I do'nt know if maybe it's not pulling the water pump as well as it could.




The car is just upsetting me. I had to put wheel hub assemblies on it about a month back. I changed the valve cover gaskets, I've repainted it.... the transmission is starting to shift a little funny when it's cold... it's all enough to have me looking at my finances and checking out new Mustangs and Camaros.


I'm thinking the water pump or the radiator needs replaced... but this car is just starting to let me down a little bit.


(Considering I've restored cars, all of these repairs should be "minor" in my book but still...)

 

Wow That really sucks! I wish I could help you out. My water pump went out a few weeks ago, it was screeching like a banshee. I think there's usually some unusual noise when the water pump goes out.

Don't give up on your Monte yet though.

 

when was the last time you checked the fluid. what i meant did you flush it recently also i wouldreplace the tstat. during a flush to see if it is that firs then going after te water pump or radiator. nothust that when was the last time you took a hose to the out side of the radiator to clean off any debrisif any or dirt colected. i wanted to bring it up first if it got looked over. if it did it again iwould go after the water pump then rdiator.

 

i take my statement back i wold go after the water pump i reread your post. mine did the same thing about a week ago after i replaced the pump. it runs cooler now after i replaced the pump. now i know it was my pump keeping it unusually warmbefore i went.

 

ill go after the pump mine did the same a week back. i replaced the tstat flush and cleaned off the radiator. now it runs cooler than it did before wish i new it was going sooner to be honest.

 

The water pump usually weaps fluid when its bad. I would look into that. It's frustrating when you have car problems no matter how much experience you have.

 

I guess I'll have to climb under there sometime soon and see if it looks like a water pump is leaking then.

I bet that job is a chore... what with all the Serpentine system and all on the front of the car....

 

Hi `Duane, sorry to read about your prob, but it's all part of owning a automobile 4-Sure.

It could `be a bad/worn thermostat ? How old is your present one ? If it's sticking, it can cause sporadic temp's I hope it's a low cost fix...Good Luck

 

Maybe there's air in the system that needs to be purged? A lot of people seem to have a problem with overheating after doing a flush until they bleed the system.

 

I would check Tstat... I put both in mine (with 160,000) radiator also...

In traffic its usually in the middle and will in tough traffic jams go to 260..But the fans kick on and it goes right back to normal...
I noticed as these Montes get more miles on them...the temp gauge shows more temp...Yet its not overheating...maybe even a LIM? ....
Does your low fluid idiot light come on? ever...Once in a while I'll have to add fluid to my resovoir..But I also have no leaks...and no smell of anti freeze burning thru the exhaust....and my oil has no "MILKY" issues...

How many miles on it Duane?....