Overheating 1st gen Neon...ideas?

[RoadWarrior222]

Hi folks,

Well the sister in law is complaining her neon is overheating in traffic to the point where it starts beeping at her... so probably not gauge movement panic (Oh no it's overheating because it was only at 1/4 all winter) ... it apparently cools down pretty good when moving at a reasonable speed, and on the highway... so my first thought is the fans have crapped... so I spun them to see if they were siezed, didn't feel that stiff, but just a little... and she started it up and they came on, (Was about 10 mins after she drove it here hot) and temp seemed to hold steady while idling in the driveway.. but it didn't bring it down enough to kick the fans off.. gauge about 5/8...

Not any obvious signs of coolant loss, radiator doesn't seem in too bad shape..

no funny noises from the waterpump (yet)

not sure if we're dealing with a reduced efficiency prob or what at the moment, she seemed to be saying it cooled RIGHT down at highway speeds, which is kinda puzzling.

The fans may not have been coming on until I spun them, dunno if the problem is resolved or just reduced now...

Hoping it's not a combo of everything being slightly off, fans a little weak, rad cap a little weak, waterpump a little weak, radiator a little clogged, thermostat just not quite opening all the way, etc etc, because there's no money to throw at it....

Any ideas about trying to narrow it down? Though the first thing I suspect is the rad cap...

thanks for any pointers,


RW222

[RoadWarrior222]

Gah, nevermind, missed the completely freaking obvious...

It was run real low on fluid and I'd only seen it when it had had a pint recently dropped in the res, without sucking it back yet, so I figured it was "full"...

Though I guess long term, there might be a leak to beware of... but it might not have had a good fill for a long while...

[contraption22]

Just be aware, there were some fan relay issues with these. Usually not the relay itself but the wiring to the relay on the rad support. Something to be aware of.

[turbovanman²]

Sounds like fan issues if its around town only.

[BadAssPerformance]

Just be aware, there were some fan relay issues with these. Usually not the relay itself but the wiring to the relay on the rad support. Something to be aware of.

Yep, the relay location under the battery was not the brightest idea, LOL!

I noticed my 99 SOHC overheatring when getting off the highway on my daily commute home... well, by notice I mean I heard a beep beep beep and looked to see if the door was open LOL... yeah, first car to beep at me for high coolant temp... anyways, as soon as the light at the bottom of the off ramp changed the car moved, cooled off and didnt get hot again... coolant level was fine, not sure if the fan was kicking on, so I put a relay in it and also wired up a toggle switch thru a secondary relay. It continued to do this all last summer but always would cool right off... So one day, the car was cool an dit started overheating... I was like WTF!? and then I completed my left turn and it cooled right off... BINGO, enough loose solder in the gauge cluster that the left turn signal was amping up the coolant temp gauge, LOL...

[Orangetona]

Sounds like exactly what the problem is to me...it was low on coolant and the fans cant draw enough air through without ambient air to help lower the temp. Not to mention, that air in there is gonna definitely affect things.