Re: 1997 Catera

probably

No I?m not kidding.

The car has only started running "hot" this summer. Yes the fan is running. Before this summer the gauge has never indicated overheating.

Ironically, I took it to a competent mechanic and he discovered that the sensor was bad and falsely reading hot. A very common problem in Cateras. Being that this forum is free I was simply hoping to avoid a $75.00 diagnostic fee.

This is a 4 hour R&R on the Catera and was pretty expensive. Had mechaninic check other items while inside and found oil cooler good, leaking left valve cover and small wiring problem.

Larry Harker Auto in Phoenix rated one of top 50 shops in Phoenix for many years. Honest and friendly.

The Catera is a German performance, near luxury sedan. It goes without saying that it is expensive to maintain and to repair.

I do not consider the other items band aid approaches either. The Catera thermostat opens at 198 degrees and the car is a hot runner to start with.

I live in Phoenix AZ and this was the third hottest summer on record EVER! The technical data surrounding waterless coolant was interesting to me and I am still considering it, just wanted to know if anyone had ever tried it.

Also, the Cateras oil cooler has been criticized in the past and I have heard of some adding an external, if for no other reason to prolong the life of engine and internal cooler.

I was also looking to get some feed back on the all coolant route as the Catera was one of many cars affected by the Dex Cool problems. Many Catera owners have reported corrosion problems apparently relating to Dex Cool coolant. I would still like to hear from anyone who has run all coolant or tried other coolants with success.

Thank you for your input.

"Daddy" wrote

This was the main reason for my first comment. I have never heard of anyone (car maker, coolant maker or independent "expert") suggest using "all coolant".......at least not with the commonly available "standard" coolants. What leads you to believe that might be a viable option?