Overheating 1996 Toyota Corolla - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

deadpool · 02-22-2005, 10:31 AM

Recently bought 1996 Toyota Corolla. It overheats, and I can't figure out why. The only thing that will bring the tempature guage down is to turn on the heater at full blast. A/C doesn't do anything to it. Also, even if the tempature stablilizes at a stop light, accelleration actually causes the tempature needle to spike upwards!

Pineapple · 02-22-2005, 10:42 AM

Check if you got enough coolant. Check thermostat, maybe it stuck close. Check coolant and see if its brown. Check if rad fan is running.
A/C will only increase overheating cause it put more load on engine.

***REN69*** · 02-22-2005, 09:02 PM

can't figure out why?? what have you looked at so far?? Have you changed your thermostat?? maybe low coolant?? maybe the rad is dead!

virtualkuz · 02-22-2005, 09:26 PM

this definitely sounds like a thermostat problem, or possibly your radiator is clogged

dexter_5000 · 02-22-2005, 09:35 PM

could be the water pump too. possible head gasket not as likely as the water pump though.

deadpool · 02-23-2005, 12:47 PM

Coolant level is fine, no leaks from the radiator as far as I can tell color is green as it should be. All hoses are fine.

lilmadafaka · 02-23-2005, 05:50 PM

my gauge goes up high...but i ignore it... car runs fine, plus it my mistake anyway...um have u been playing around with ur gauges...if not then i suggest u run a test...i dont know what the tool is called, but u put it in the radiator and if it changes colors it means u have a bad gasket, my other suggestion would be changing ur coolant, but then u would have to get a coolant flush... change it from green to orang, the orange coolant takes more heat, which will make ur car run a lot cooler

karugs · 02-23-2005, 09:11 PM

Sounds like an open/broken thermostat.

If the temp needle seems to easily be moved up and down with varying engine conditions, the thermostat is broke and coolant is flowing either too much or the wrong way, leading to hot coolant going in the engine--hence the rise in temperature.

The engine should hold a temperature and not have vastly varying temps. A few millimeters up or down is best.

deadpool · 03-05-2005, 06:01 PM

Turns out it was the thermostat, which was bought for $20.00 after shelling out $120.00 for a radiator and $75.00 for a switch for a fan.

***REN69*** · 03-05-2005, 06:45 PM

Always start at the thermostat!!

fredk · 03-05-2005, 07:38 PM

put your hand on as much of the radiator as piossible after the thermostat opens, unplug the fans first, look for cold areas and watch that it doesnt get hot, dont forget to plug the fans back in

***Tercel GTS*** · 03-05-2005, 07:48 PM

Do NOT use orange coolant!

karugs · 03-05-2005, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deadpool

Turns out it was the thermostat, which was bought for $20.00 after shelling out $120.00 for a radiator and $75.00 for a switch for a fan.

You can still return them I think. Then again, you might be better off with a new radiator and water pump.