Suddenly running extremely HOT

[aslives]

My 1978 / 2000 never got hotter than 190 and its suddenly about 1/3 of the way to 260 - even on short drives. Mechanic thinks the radiator has to be redone. Could it be anything else?

[focodave]

It could be any number of things.
Several ideas would be:
1) Thermostat stuck shut
2) If there has been a slow leakage of coolant, perhaps there is an air bubble in the top end of the cooling system/engine
3) Electric fan malfunction (fan motor, switch, etc.)
4) Is the radiator cap in good shape and is the rubber gasket sealing properly?
5) Clogged radiator
6) Is the water pump making noise/bad?

[So Cal Mark]

very easy to check for a plugged radiator with an infrared thermometer

[Tuc124]

If it is a radiator issue, Vick's has new ones for $179.00. You'll pay close to that for any repairs. I'm replacing mine on my '69 just because I have an original and I know it's tired.

[azruss]

start with the most obvious. stuck thermostadt

[aslives]

The temperature changes, so I doubt that the thermostat is stuck. I was told it would be about $200 to clean it and maybe $350 - $400 to replace it because of the cost of the copper. Seem high?

[paintdudeluke]

Are you losing water? (Is it low after it cools off?) Water from the exhaust? Check all the symptoms before trying to point to a cause. It could be a crapped out sending unit and its not even hot.

[paintdudeluke]

Another Q. Hows the heater working?

[aslives]

Heater is working well - I don't think I'm looking water though maybe I'm low. Will check fluids again tomorrow.

[bradartigue]

The temperature changes, so I doubt that the thermostat is stuck. I was told it would be about $200 to clean it and maybe $350 - $400 to replace it because of the cost of the copper. Seem high?

http://www.autoricambi.us/product/CO1-4 ... arbureted/

If you're being quoted $200 to clean it then just replace it with the above

[azruss]

my experience is the thermostadts get sticky and will only open partially or some of the time and the same with closing. I've never had one just outright fail, just get real flakey and send your temps all over the map. Particularly if your coolant isnt pristine, you get this issue. you can feel it when you pull the stadt and manually open and close it.

[So Cal Mark]

$200 is way too much for cleaning, it should be less than half of that to have it rodded out

[Martin124]

I had similar problems during a drive today. I stopped at the side of the road and tapped the thermostat housing with a screwdriver handle. All fixed! Maybe start with the simple?

[4uall]

this may help

http://wwwe.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopi ... verheating

[mgbgtn]

Try running the car up to normal temp then see if the fan starts. If not then it could be the temp sender for the fan is bad or the relay could be bad.