Still having cooling problems? help?

[GrrrCnD085]

Ok well i changed the thermostat and ive been reading on here that a lot of people are having cooling problems in the 90+ grand am's and mynes a 92 with the 3.3l engine and ive now replaced the thermostat and its still doing exactly the same thing and i read that most people have had to replace the radiator? and i need a cheap place to get a radiator from sum1 said that you could get one for about 125 but i cant find anywhere for that umm theres also this wierd noise comming from where the belt is i think it might be the water pump the car did drain out most of its water but it started making the knocking noise before that? has anyone else had this problem or could possibly know what it might be? if its the water pump then i'll have to change it as wells but i wanted to see what you guys thought? thansk ~Doug

[richtazz]

The weird noise could indicate the water pump impeller ( the part in the engine that looks like a propeller and circulates the coolant) has come off the shaft and is rattling around in the timing cover. I would remove the water pump, as this is a fairly common occurrance with 3.3 and 3800 waterpumps. The water pump leaking means the bearing seal has failed, and the water is coming out the weep hole. Change the water pump and you should be good.

[GrrrCnD085]

well the waterpump isnt leaking and the sound does kind of sound like its comming from that direction....if the impeller was off would that cause it to over heat and everything? or could it still be a blockage in the radiator...cause up until recently the radiator was fine this just happend like all of a sudden type of thing

[richtazz]

without the impeller attached, the water pump doesn't circulate water, hence the overheating problem.

[GrrrCnD085]

ok..also i dont know if this matters but the knocking only happens when the car is idled when we rev it or are driving it doesnt knock or anything well it does but not near as loud you have to be outside with the car stoped to hear it...hopefully its just the impeller im gonna go get a new water pump here in a little bit so i'll let you know if this fixes it in a little while

[GrrrCnD085]

ok...i took off the waterpump...that was a pain lol and it looks fine! looks almost brand new in fact the impellar was in tact and everything ther was a little tiny tiny tiny bit of play but it was so tiny i know it wouldnt cause any problems.....i mean i hardly noticed it....so i put a new gasket on it cause the other one was trashed and put the rtv sealer on and then bolted the old one back on...i did a flush on the radiator and the engine.....and neither have a block in them anywhere....so wtf is going on? why is the car running hot? i replaced the thermostat checked the waterpump and flushed the system to see if there was any blocks? what else could cause it to run so hot? im just lost now i dont know what else to check...unless the cap isnt provideing enough psi to the system? but that doesnt make since because when i turn it off and wait a little bit and open it there is still pressure in it so please any ideas would be awsome? thanks

[dlwdkh]

I feel your pain I have two 93's with the 3300 v6. Over heating nightmares, both of them. One at 50k the other much later but still the same problem. I changed water pump, it was bad though, i changed hoses, i flushed and flushed, i changed thermostat after thermostat. NOTHING fixed it until i changed the Radiator, NOTHING. They both run cool as can be now days. I have read that the soldier that was used to fuse the plastic tanks to the aluminum deteriators and breaks down. THis adheres to the inside of the aluminum piping and constricts the waterways and prohibits it from cooling properly. I dont know why you havent been able to get a radiator priced to you for $125 but here is the number of a local place to me that will sell you one for that. 1-800-934-4860 Arkansas Radiator Works and Distribution. I called this morning and verified the price. They should ship it to you where ever you are.

[RadioGeek1550]

Sounds like the water pump.It is a tough job to change a water pump on the '93 3.3L.
I did it because it was making a noise that sounded a lot like the power steering pump.Anyways,In the end I had to replace the radiator to get it to stop overheating.

[richtazz]

sounds like the radiator is clogged to me. Although, I would have put the new water pump on while I had it down that far. There should be absolutley NO play in the water pump, so you might be doing that job again real soon.

[GrrrCnD085]

there wasnt really play..donno why i used that term im telling you that water pump must have been put on recently cause it looked brand new....also the car stopped over heating now lol..but that rattleing is still there and its deffinately not the water pump so i dont know? need to find sum1 to call and hold the phone up to the car lol so they can hear it

[richtazz]

the rattling is probably the belt tensioner or timing chain, both common problems on high mileage 3.3/3.8l v-6's. Check the belt tensioner first, cheaper and easier to replace.

[GrrrCnD085]

yea i had the belt tensioner off and everything i put a new belt on the car the belt tensioner is fine...im praying that its not the chain...but i have a feeling it is =/...think it will last the way it is for about 4 or 5 months? hehe moms getting a new car then and i plan on parking this and takeing the engine out and painting it at school and then putting an engine from a 99 buick reviera which is the 3.8l 3800 with a supercharger in it so yea i just want it to last till then..i can get that engine for 1245 with shipping and it only has 12k miles on it so im getting a pretty good deal i think but i need the car to last that timeing chain thing is going to be hard to replace...i think id hafta pull the engine to get to it cause its too tight over there with the engine in the bay....donno?

[richtazz]

as long as it's just a little rattle, don't fret it too much, it should last that long

[GrrrCnD085]

little rattle...hmm lol what would you describle little? this kinda sounds like a piece of sheet metal is like loose and hitting up against somthing i dont know....

[richtazz]

if it doesn't drown out the sound of the motor, then it should last. If it sounds like marbles in a coffee can, she's about to blow Cap'n