Thermostat bad?

[Underdog]

On the way home from Bellevue today, the freeway turned into stop and go traffic. About 5 minutes into the stop and go traffic i notice my temperature gauge is about 3/4 of the way up. About 5 minutes later the temperature gauge is in the red and I pulled off at the next exit and parked it at a grocery store. I popped the hood and the fan was running. I let it cool down and then drove it home along backroads so that I could be moving instead of stopping every 5 feet. While the car is moving, the temperature stays below halfway, but if I stop for too long the temperature starts to creep up. My dad thinks it's the thermostat. This isn't the first time this has happened, but this is the worst it's gotten. Thank God there was an exit nearby and the car didn't overheat.

[Mac]

It sounds like the thermostat is bad. When you get a new one, make sure you get the rubber gasket with it.

[AccordEpicenter]

On the way home from Bellevue today,

i wouldnt go around telling everyone that

[Underdog]

i wouldnt go around telling everyone that
why?

[3gn86lxi]

I have a similar problem, fine on the freeway, heats up in traffic. I've replaced the thermostat, and the fans kick on to prevent an overheating situation.
I think that it is due to an old, poor flowing radiator, with a new radiator, I bet our problem would be gone.

[Underdog]

I have a similar problem, fine on the freeway, heats up in traffic. I've replaced the thermostat, and the fans kick on to prevent an overheating situation.
I think that it is due to an old, poor flowing radiator, with a new radiator, I bet our problem would be gone.
The only thing is that I think if I wouldn't have pulled off the freeway that it would've overheated. I could watch it rising and it was past the red when i stopped.

[gekko]

if you got to drive slow in traffic , turn the heat up to max and the fan to ... a temp fix to the problem

[acranox]

You should flush and refill the coolant when you replace the thermostat.

[danronian]

I agree with the heater comment, whenever your car's coolant temp is rising to much you should always turn the heater to warm and all the way up since the heater core is simply a small radiator that helps the engine dissipate heat. My Malibu always runs a bit hot when it is around 100 degrees F so I just always keep the heater on, the passengers hate it but it doesn't bother me since it makes the engine run at a slightly better temp.

[Blkblurr]

Your problem sounds very much like a clogged radiator. You do not have enough cooling capacity left in your radiator. Turning the heater on full will help to cool it when this happens. The other thing to consider is a bad waterpump. A bad thermostat will usually cause the same problem whether your moving or not. With a stuck thermostat in the closed position using the heater is about the only way to cool the engine at all. The heater core uses coolant from the engine block rather than the side of the system on the outside of the engine. If the thermostat is stuck open you will barely move the temp guage and most likely get poor fuel economy.

[HondaBoy]

i though bellevue was a mental hospital? is that why you said "i wouldnt go around telling everyone that". anyways, that sounds just like a broken thermostat. the good thing about that is that its easy to fix yourself. its so simple, its rediculous to take it to a mechanic! if your going to do it yourself, you'll need to make sure and get the bubbles out of the system after you hook things back up and then also refill the fluid. if you dont know how to perge the coolant system, i think there's a how to somewhere here. if not i can help you out with that. personally, i have a Motorad Failsafe T stat, and i know from experience they do break in the open position. also has a warrenty with it i think, i kept the receipt incase i have problems.

[Underdog]

Bellevue is a large city right outside of Seattle. Anyways, I'm going to first replace the thermostat. Just picked it up today so we'll see if that helps. I just got a Prestone Generation 2 one from Schucks, hopefully it's ok. I got the gasket too.

[HondaBoy]

i'd say you should get one of those repair manuals. i got one a few years ago and now i never have problems fixing my 3gee. just a suggestion if you ever have trouble and need help at that moment. just make sure you open that bleeder valve when your refilling the coolant or else it can cause things to not work right. can make an air pocket in there somewhere. anyway, tell us how it goes.

[Underdog]

i've got the chiltons