Re: 97 Eagle Vision Overheating

Try removing all the coolant hoses from the block to the rad. Leave the heater core hoses on, take out the thermostart. Put a garden hose in the input on the block, and flush everything out. Then flush the radiator the same way.

When you re-install the thermostat be SURE IT IS IN CORRECT. I belive the copper bead should face the engine. Check the thermostat package to be certain.

Hook everything up. Either jack up the front of the car or park it on an incline to make the radiator the high point in the system. Fill the rad, let the engine idle untill hot and the thermostat opens. After the thermostat opens, re-fill the radiator. Keep it full, untill it will take no more water. Do this only with water, no coolant! (You don't want to waste your coolant). Once you are certain the radiator and block are full, shut off the engine. If BOTH heater core hoses are hot and You have heat from the vents you are in business! Drain the appropriate amount of water, and add antifreeze. The stream should be more steady when draining. If not, try turning the drain a few more turns. Wear leather gloves when doing this, if possible. Once you have drained the appropriate amount of water, re-fill with coolant to achieve approx. a 50/50 mixture.

TO TEST A THERMOSTAT:

Boil water. Put the thermostat in the boiling water. Watch it open.

Hope this helps.

Carl

Does the overheat happen on the highway, or in stop/go traffic?

I ask because this could also be an intermittent fault with the electric fans (bad low-speed relay, bad connection, failing fan motor, etc). When my wife's car started doing this, it was the "long skinny" fan motor beginning to fail. The way the paired fans work, the "long skinny" motor failing will cause *both* fans to quit working on low speed. Although the other fan will continue to work on high speed it can't provide enough flow to fully cool the car by itself. This only shows up in traffic, though, as there's enough air movement at highway speed to keep the car cool without the fans.

Bill Hodgs> Doesn't sound like bad radiator. Sounds like air bubble keeping coolant from