for some bizarre reason (some) 3.5L Intrigues act bizarre in the cold. Maybe you will need to put this car away for a month when it acts up again due to the cold weather. It's below freezing weather where I am and my 3.5L Intrigue is an absolute champ = never had an overheating problem and changing the coolant to universal actually brought the temp down a click or two (1 click = width of the coolant indicator needle)
You would think more Canadian 3.5L Intrigues would be having more problems = maybe they have different programming etc. than the U.S. ones.
The tranny is also cooled by the radiator in the Intrigue. If your tranny is not cooling well (bad tranny pump etc) it will also heat up the coolant. (doubtful in your case)
http://www.carforums.net/showthread.php?t=39764&page=1 (insight about Intrigue overheating)
-temps go down with the heater off.
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/t322107.html (overheating due to engine coolant passages being clogged)
-there should be places that can power flush your engine coolant -and ask them to do it 2-3x normal
-DexCool when in contact with Oxygen breaks down very quickly (must change out radiator fluid if working on car)
-DexCool is incompatible with other coolants
-change out the DexCool and go universal since the last Intrigue was built in 2002 (5years ago)
Quote:
|
Has the water pump been changed yet? I have seen cases where the pump impeller has become loose on the shaft and didn't pump water efficiently at low RPM. I have also seen impellers literally eaten away by old coolant. It could also be partially clogged radiator passages. I'd pull the thermostat and verify good coolant flow.
|
-the car will cool down better if driven at high RPMs = bad coolant pump.