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YAMFCPT - Car overheats in heavy traffic.

Z

zoiks

Lifer
I have a manual transmission 240sx that has about 235k miles on it. Lately I've noticed when I ride the clutch a lot (stop/go traffic), the temp needle starts creeping up. Once the traffic gets smoother and I stop using the clutch, the temp needle goes back to the normal position.
When this started happening, I thought that perhaps the radiator was dry and sure enough the coolant level in the radiator was low which I topped off (There was coolant in the radiator but at a very low level). This however did not solve the problem which still happens when I have to frequently shift from a higher gear to the 1st or 2nd gear in stop go conditions.
Also the coolant level never dropped again. Any ideas why this might be happening?
 
Originally posted by: zoiks
Its bolted to the engine pulley so it turns on when the car is running.
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im not familar with the setup or anything, but it doesnt have like a clutch itself that is engaged by the engine or anything to start/stop it??
 
I would give the coolant system a good flush and fill. Also, you might replace the thermostat while you've got the coolant drained out.
 
Originally posted by: zoiks
Its bolted to the engine pulley so it turns on when the car is running.
Click to expand...

These type of fans are on a clutch type assembly...maybe your fan clutch is going bad?
Bad water pump? When a water pump goes bad, it'll leak coolant out the weep hole in the pump. This could explain your loss of coolant.
 
Thats an idea though. I've never changed ANY external belts in the car. Could it be that when I'm shifting in traffic, the fan belt might be slipping?
 
Originally posted by: Heisenberg
I would give the coolant system and good flush and fill. Also, you might replace the thermostat while you've got the coolant drained out.
Click to expand...

Hmmm... I think I'll do just that.
 
MIKEMIKE and Black88GTA, yes the fan is bolted on to a clutch assembly.
Though, I did have the water pump and the fan clutch changed a year or 2 ago on separate occasions. It could be either I suppose.
I could park the car on the side when the temp goes up to see if the fan is working at that time.
 
Originally posted by: zoiks
MIKEMIKE and Black88GTA, yes the fan is bolted on to a clutch assembly.
Though, I did have the water pump and the fan clutch changed a year or 2 ago on separate occasions. It could be either I suppose.
I could park the car on the side when the temp goes up to see if the fan is working at that time.
Click to expand...
Yeah, if your fan is controlled by a clutch, definitely make sure that it's turning when it's supposed to be.
 
You sure it's not a head gasket? I know you said it does it when idling in traffic, but is it possible that it does it other times as well and you haven't noticed it?

A bad head gasket will let combustion into the coolant...creating air pockets that travel around your cooling system. When these pockets hit the coolant temp sender, it'll cause your temp gauge to skyrocket real fast, hang there for a bit, then go back down as you're driving. This cycle will repeat.

That's probably (hopefully) not it, but if the motor has 235k on it...it's something I'd check for.
 
Originally posted by: Black88GTA
You sure it's not a head gasket? I know you said it does it when idling in traffic, but is it possible that it does it other times as well and you haven't noticed it?

A bad head gasket will let combustion into the coolant...creating air pockets that travel around your cooling system. When these pockets hit the coolant temp sender, it'll cause your temp gauge to skyrocket real fast, hang there for a bit, then go back down as you're driving. This cycle will repeat.

That's probably (hopefully) not it, but if the motor has 235k on it...it's something I'd check for.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure its not the head gasket. That was the first thing I thought of but I'm usually very careful about monitoring the engine temp gauge and I never let it reach even close to the red bar.
I also drive the car to work pretty much everyday ( ~23 miles one way) and to far distances when I go fishing (about every other week about 120miles one way). Also to put it into perspective, I first noticed the problem a couple of months ago.

If there is a problem with the head gasket, I'm not sure how it would tie in with the clutch situation since I know that the problem only occurs when I ride the clutch pretty hard. Its never happened otherwise.
 
I'd bring it to the mechanic to get a checkup to see if there's anything wrong with the radiator.
Unless you're really good with cars and you can do it yourself, which you probably would have already if you haven't. But then again, if you were really good with cars, you wouldn't be asking for help on ATOT.
 
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