Overheating issue...

My 99 Chevy Metro overheats at an idle but is fine on the freeway. I had the radiator replaced yesterday (brand new) and the mechanic placed a gasket sealant in the radiator mixed with water because the car was still overheating...fixed it for about a half day but now it is over heating again...not sure what to do because I think the guy was trying to screw me. Could I please get some help/thoughts?

Only couple things cause overheating. Radiator, water pump, stuck thermostadt, head gasket. As far as the stopleak crap. Snake oil. It will plug your heater core. Fans not working. I would guess since it overheats at idle, and not driving down the road. Fans.

Only couple things cause overheating. Radiator, water pump, stuck thermostadt, head gasket. As far as the stopleak crap. Snake oil. It will plug your heater core. Fans not working. I would guess since it overheats at idle, and not driving down the road. Fans.

Thank you...the guy did say that there was a fan not working and instead of addressing it, he went straight to the stopleak stuff...this irks me quite a bit actually...goddamn it. Now I have to see if I can limp it around for a day or so before I can talk to the guy about it...

I am also curious...will that stop leak stuff screw up my new radiator?

I am also curious...will that stop leak stuff screw up my new radiator?

Yes it can stop up new rad or old rad and heater core and some times eat up water pump.

If not to late flush the crap out.

Check fan/fan clutch for proper operation.

Yes it can stop up new rad or old rad and heater core and some times eat up water pump.

If not to late flush the crap out.

Check fan/fan clutch for proper operation.

I figured...Thank you; Will have it flushed out and will hopefully have the fan fixed tomorrow. I hope it isn't too late to save the car...and that mechanic is on my shiester list...I should have come here first...

I figured...Thank you; Will have it flushed out and will hopefully have the fan fixed tomorrow. I hope it isn't too late to save the car...and that mechanic is on my shiester list...I should have come here first...

I have used stop leak from time to time. on older vehicles this product made by BARS OR PORTER SEAL when used in a cleaned system and added in small amounts does seal most leaks for a time by 95%...not 100%...this would be leaks in the radiator or exterior gaskets that are weak..

adding too much and using some of these stop leaks can damage the water pump seal and if used in an old dirty coolant system plug it up.


most times when a properly maintained engine begins to over heat only at idle this would be a fan or controller of the fan/fuse /wiring sensor etc....

thermostat or head gasket would overheat at the higher speeds...

with a vehicle this old flushing this would be good any way..make sure you use the same coolant as was used when new... do not mix coolants..

only use distilled water with the coolant ..50- 65% coolant no less..replace the radiator cap to the original pressure cap or if not available to the next lower pressure...if it was 15psi then get 14 psi if that pressure is only available...also make sure the fan shroud is in place..

Thank you very much...very useful information as the guy was trying to sell me on a head gasket...over heating has yet to happen at high speeds...though I think a cylinder is now out. This may be his fault as there are white splotches all over my engine from the sealant or whatever spraying everywhere during stop and go traffic overheating...which has been traced to a seam in the radiator by another mechanic (a mobile one at that and who immediately seemed more knowledgeable as he critiqued the work done). Which means he may have sold me a messed up radiator and if so he screwed me up even more...:(

Thank you very much...very useful information as the guy was trying to sell me on a head gasket...over heating has yet to happen at high speeds...though I think a cylinder is now out. This may be his fault as there are white splotches all over my engine from the sealant or whatever spraying everywhere during stop and go traffic overheating...which has been traced to a seam in the radiator by another mechanic (a mobile one at that and who immediately seemed more knowledgeable as he critiqued the work done). Which means he may have sold me a messed up radiator and if so he screwed me up even more...:(


when you have a bad fan operation the coolant temp will rise at vehicle speeds stoped or low. the coolant pressures rise rapidly , this then causes the weak gaskets/radiator joints to fail.

keeping the engine temp at the proper OEM design is important to protect the engine from failures.

too cold an operating temp is also damaging..

using the proper coolant with distilled water reduces any metal corrosion ...this helps prevent gaskets/radiator/engine metal from being damaged ...weakening these sealing areas.

How was the update of your Chevy?Have you fix it already? My dad said firing order can also cause over heating.

How was the update of your Chevy?Have you fix it already? My dad said firing order can also cause over heating.

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