Engine Overheating - Replaced Thermostat but did not help

JysnWllms · Jul 9, 2015

Hey guys,
I am really hoping someone could shed some light on what exactly needs to be replaced. I just lost my job and really cannot take it to the shop and spend god knows how much money, that's just not an option. When it first started overheating, it was only while idle at a light. As soon as i could accelerate the temp would drop back down to normal. I checked the fans and they were not coming on at idle which I googled and found out it was most likely the thermostat.

It was only $14 so I figured what the hell. I just replaced it but now the engine overheats no matter what, even if I am going 50 mph. I opened the hood and snapped some pics of what I think might be coolant leaking? I am not sure but I don't understand how changing the the thermostat made this problem go from bad to worse. Hopefully its not a head gasket or something crazy because I will really be screwed here as I do not have the money to fix something like that. All help is appreciated!

Pics were too big to upload so i just put them on flckr

https://www.flickr.com/photos/59138546@N08/albums

RawCarnage · Jul 9, 2015

Hard too tell from pics but doesnt look like coolant to me.
Also you say it went from bad to worse when you changed the thermo, did you burp the engine after you did that?
I would check the temp sensor also. Could just be faulty if the engine is running fine.

xci.ed6 · Jul 9, 2015

But your fans don't work, and it only happens while stopped...

I'd check the electrical side of the fans, maybe the temp sensor?

twofast4u · Jul 9, 2015

I would also see how it performs with A/C on. When A/C is on, both fans are running.

2000BlackCoupe · Jul 9, 2015

did you put the tstat in the right way?

james'99 · Jul 9, 2015

If you pop off the radiator cap, is it full to the cap?

DizzyP · Jul 13, 2015

If you are losing rad fluid then the radiator and/or rad fluid resivior would be low. So that might be one thing. If that is the case then fill it up and check the electrical components.

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bairdandrew77 · Jul 13, 2015

The jiggle hole thing on the thermostat goes on top, did you possibly install it upside down? What brand is the thermostat? I try to stick with oem, don't trust a crappy brand like duralast in something as critical as the cooling system. Also try bleeding the system

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