96 3.5 Overheating

[jsober61]

Hello,

As stated, my work car is a 96 3.5L. Today it started overheating on my way home from work. I think that the water pump has gone out. When I go out to warm it up in the mornings the temp gauge doesn't move until I run it. Today it was overheating. I have noticed that the pump might be behind a cover. Any help would be much appreciated in fixing this problem. I want to avoid taking it in.

Jon S.

[jsober61]

Well, put a new thermostat in to see it that would help. It didn't. The temp gauge does fluctuate. I will try bleeding the air out next.

Jon

Still no takers yet?

[KimMG]

For the waterpump try http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiBr...3d80181cc0.jsp
Do you have a repair manual?
Have you checked the radiator for cold spots, indicative of a clogged or restricted radiator? Is the radiator fan working? Are the fins to the radiatore clear of debri and bugs?

[jsober61]

Yeah, I had checked all of that prior. I guess I was just trying to avoid what my gut was telling me....blown head gasket. I was getting good flow but loosing fluid while driving and not through leaks but out the exhaust. Caught early enough that all I had to do was pour a product called 'Mentadine' into my cooling system and drive the car for awhile for it to circulate and voila...problem fixed.

Jon S.

[LMP]

I wish you end up with that as a final solution....but alas the 3.5 is prone to head gasket failure and the symptoms you described were very indicative of such. The ritual of changing everything from radiator to thermostat to waterpump to heater core..end ending finaly with facing the actual problem is too common. I wish you can avoid this trouble...but if the problem persists, consider head gasket before changing everything else for nothing....look for bubbles when removing radiator cap...if you have random heating efficiency..like episodes of no heating and fair heating, and fluctuating temperature needle, this is most indicative of head gasket failure.

[jsober61]

I just may have to change the head gasket down the road but for now it is running great at steady operating temp. Since the problem, I have put 1000 miles on the car without a hitch but now the radio doesn't work.

Jon S