I know I've posted my probs before but I'm about to start trying to fix my probs today so I thought I'd get some opinions first.

I'm having an OVERHEATING ISSUE which seems to be common among our cars. What's strange is, when it is starting to overheat (needle above the midway mark) I opened the hood up and touched the upper radiator hose, and IT WAS HOT! So the thermostat couldn't possibly be stuck closed. So would a thermostat THAT IS STUCK OPEN CAUSE OVERHEATING????????? THAT is my main question.

If the answer is NO, then I must have something else.

Now a head gasket leak can't be, I see no leaks, nor any coolant loss. And my oil is not leaking either!

What about a bad water pump? I don't know, maybe but wouldn't that also cause water leaks? Probably not this one.

What about poor circulation? Maybe something (other than the thermostat) is stuck somewhere causing no circulation? So maybe a flush? This I might think to be possible.
My only problem is, how do I do a FLUSH?? What are the procedures? I loved my Haynes manual for my Integra. No such thing exists for our CL (maybe a Mitchell BOOK?). I DO HAVE THAT mitchell cd i downloaded from this forum. BUT IT IS USELESS FOR ME. I CAN'T FIND ANY PROCEDURES TO REMOVE THERMOSTAT OR TO DRAIN COOLANT ETC. Am I not knowing how to use it??

Anyway, please help anyone if you got any input. Sorry about another lengthy post.

Down but not out CL

 

so ur top hose is hot when its running? or is it cold... if it is hot and hard, then ur water pump is doin what its pos to do. also with it cold remove the radiator cap start the car and let it warm up if there is no water flow after the needle gets to the 1/4 past cold then u have a stuck thermostat. and it needs to be replaced.

do u have a 3.0 or 2.x? u can flush it after replacing the thermostat by removing the upper hose at the radiator put the water hose into the radiator where the hose was. start the car and let it warm up. antifreeze will start to come out of the upper hose as soon as u see this start the water hose. it will come out for bout 30 seconds at a time and stop. just keep the water hose on. let it flow until u see nearly clear water. that is the free way.

or u could go do autozone and get the flush kit, and it has directions on it.

 

For the price of a thermostat and the few minutes to turn the two bolts holding the housing together, just replace it first. These are double acting thermostats that can be confusing to diagnose, with strange symtoms

 

and 8 years later........... :drum roll:

 

Lol!

 

 

 

My '98 3.0 runs really hot also, but the needle never goes above 1/3 on gauge . . . . . changed ect, still hot to touch . . . .REALLY HOT !! T-STAT??

 

thets a very good place to start, if the t-stat has something blocking it you would have heat issues, ive seen radiator stop leak plug up t-stats on G.M.'s. put in a 150 or 160 degree, if the problem presists you might have a blockage in the coolant passages that slow the flow, the fan might not be working properly , keep in mind that a rad. on a summer day after driving around is FUCKIN HOT!!! so make sure you have a problem befor you try to fix no problem cause you will never win that battle. if you can.... (ive done this)... run the car to you think its to hot, then LEAVE THE RAD CAP ON FFS! take a digital thermometer and with a rubber glove in a leather glove open the drain slowly on the bottom of the rad (with pan under) and put the thermometer in the stream and see the temp. if it sayes.. oh lets say 180 and you take out the thermostat and its a 180 you know your good to go, if its like 230 or something you gots issues.

 

what is "hot"?...my engine runs "hot" to the touch also....bc its an engine...and they all are "hot" when you touch them...if the temp needle is where its supposto be id say dont fix what aint broken and keep ur phlanges off the hot parts when the engine is running

 

DUH !! But really, should the upper intake on the engine get so hot that you can't put your bare hand on it?

 

Absolutely normal! Like 2.2 said, It's an engine Lol! My temp guage sits about a 1/3 of the way up unlike most other cars that sit just below half. That's normal as well from what I've gathered on here. I have a 3.0 though.

 

Im assuming you mean upper radiator hose...and yes its normal mine has always been this way. If you are unsure check other cars...im sure they are the same

 

i concur with 97'CL2.2, even if you ment the intake its self, yah, the intake will be hot too, not as hot as the rad hoses but the engine bay itself, the fakin hood mang is HHHHOOOOOOTTTT!!!!!!

 

Guess it's just RUNS HOT that way . . . . the coolin' fan circuit is running normal . . . . . the fan switch on the t-stat cap is rated 212-230 deg.; I used an infrared thermometer on the t-stat housing, and it showed approx. 190 deg, well under the fan switch range. Not gonna worry about it anymore because i jumpered the switch plug and turned the car on . . . fans came on IMMEDIATELY !! So I know that the fans will come on when I need it. I want to personally thank ALL of you guys for your input on this. . . . it's made me a better mechanic !! Yep, even the " . . .engine does run hot . . ." comment was amusing to me.

 

190 deg's is oookkkkkkkaaay, i guess, but 180 deg's would be soooo cool, your car would love it. http://www.ebay.ca/itm/MISHIMOTO-S20...#ht_2684wt_902

this is what the temp. doctor ordered.

 

How do you move the wiring harness with the plastic sleece on it directly in line with the bottom bolt of the thermostat out of the way?

 

i gots the 3.0 and in mine it is connected to a metal bracket, the bracket is bolted to the tranny via 2 bolts, 12 0r 14mm???? removing the bracket might not buy you room, undoing the clip from the bracket might damage the clip, be careful. if room is the issue get an angle extension for your socket. cover the wires with paper towel, a bag then an old shirt.

 

I would like to chime in with similar issues on my 1997 CL 3.0. Same overheating issue, however; I've replaced the t-stat & the "Radiator Switch Fan Sensor" only to finde out that the "Fan sensor" was for/off a 2.2 CL. As I bought this car used I am still learning about what was or was not done to it. Can somebody give me some insight on any difference with a 2.2 t-stat housing being on a 3.0 CL?