Engine over heating

[Bouffer]

I just replaced the thermostat in my car (99 cavalier) It was taken out in the summer because the car was over heating. Now that snow is here, obviously i need heat in the car, but for some reason the car keeps over heating... even with the cold weather. My fiances step father is a heavy equipment mechanic and he said he thinks the water pump is shot, also some fan is not running. Since the water pump is expensive to fix, apparently... anyone know how much it would be to fix the fan ( the one thats supposed to cool down the engine) or would it even be worth fixing? The temp goes down when i am driving, but as soon as i am idling it starts creeping back up to the red zone. Please help! lol

[J*B]

Sounds like a few hundred dollars for parts and labor.. is it worth it to you??
Bring it somewhere that you trust and get an estimate, then you'll know for sure.

[Anapeg]

If I understand you, your fans not running. If that is in fact the case, run a 'hot' wire to the plug (electrical) for the fan and try direct power. If it still fails to operate, hit the scrape yard and get a replacement. It's not a hard job and doesn't have to break the bank either.

[Bouffer]

I'm just wondering more about the parts than i am the labour... my dad or his step dad can fix it, i just want to know if its an expensive part to fix.

[Barry Morris]

Hot wire the fan before you do anything else.

And do it quick before you lose a head gasket.

Oh yeah, an engine will run COOLER with a 195 thermostat than with none. BTDT.

[euro]

All good advice. I had a car overheat in cold weather once and it was because the coolant was too dilute. I had a small leak and over the summer kept topping up with water. By the time freezing weather arrived, the 'anti-freeze' was not up to the job anymore. Something froze solid and the coolant could not circulate, resulting in the overheating. Might want to check it out.

[Guest]

Hot wire the fan before you do anything else.

And do it quick before you lose a head gasket.

Oh yeah, an engine will run COOLER with a 195 thermostat than with none. BTDT.

Agree totally with this.

If the fan doesn't work when fed direct power, then the fan is toast. New one will likely be a little over $100. Or you could chance a used one from a scrapyard.

[MikeMan24]

I had an overheating problem with my car. Turns out the radiator was compleatly shot. Bought a new one for about 200$ and had my buddy put it in, I couldnt drive without it. In this case if your looking for a fan try calling bickles scrap yard, there likely to have it at a good price.

[Anapeg]

So, hows the patient? You came here with a problem, got some advice and went away, never to be heard from again.