I have a 92 Dodge Spirit, just replaced had the radiator replaced at a reputable mechanic.

I drove it about 2 miles before I noticed it overheating. Pulled over and the radiator was ice cold even though the temp gauge was on H.

Coolant level is adequate. No visible leaks from hoses/waterpump. Fan is blowing just fine.

Any ideas as to what could cause this? Can't get it checked out until monday. My first thought was that the place sabotaged my car, but that still doesn't help me right now. Thanks.

 

Sounds like the thermostat is sticking.

 

Thanks for the reply. I tried burping the cooling system and it seems to have helped a lil bit. It will only get up to the 3rd dash instead of the 4th one and then onto H.

Now i have noticed it doesn't really matter if the car is up, down, sideways, flat, etc. it will start creeping up to the3rd dash then creep or suddenly drop back down to right in the middle or slightly below.

So yeah, the thermostat sounds like a good bet. Not necessarily stuck open or shut, but not activating as quickly as it should. Picked up a Stant thermo, gasket, and some sealant at Advance Auto for $10 tonight, so I'm going to tackle the job tomorrow. I have the basic idea but it's my first time replacing a thermo, I'm really just learning as I go here--very limited experience with auto repair.

 

Ok, I replaced the thermostat. It's still creeping toward H then dropping back down. Is there anything else that could be causing this? Could it be the water pump going out on it, maybe not circulating the coolant properly?

 

What sis you find out, I have exactly the same problem
DC

 

If your Spirit has a 2.5, then you need to jack the front up so the radiator is higher than the thermostat. Then you burp the system, cause air bubbles in your head. So try that and thensee what happens.