I have a 1997 Cadillac El Dorado with Northstar V-8 and am having cooling problem with the car...

Question

While driving my Eldo I 1st had a check engine light come on then temp gauge kept rising until I got the following messages..."low coolant level, engine temperature high then idle engine followed by stop engine" checked coolant in radiator and was not low and no leaks but hoses very hot... could the thermostat be stuck in the closed position???

Answer 1

maybe  boy that sucks your car is broken

Answer 2

The northstar engine has the waterpump mounted near the radiator, with a fanbelt running to the rear of the front valve cover. make sure the belt is not broken or loose.

EDIT:

Don't forget to check to make sure your cooling fans are working!

                "BRILLIANT"!!!!

Answer 3

While the motor is running check the hose which is connected to the thermostat. If at a temperature where it should be open (195°) then the hose should be easy to press in. If it is hard and feels under pressure then it is the thermostat. Typically they should be changed every 3 years.

Answer 4

yes. good thinking. you are correct. obviously though if the fluid in the radiator was hot, it was getting through somehow. maybe check the water pump too. both can cause problems. probably the thermostat though

Answer 5

Maybe. That's easy enough to check. It could be a sensor too though. You need to find out if the engine is actually overheating by measuring the temperature of the radiator and a few other components using an infra red meter like air conditioning guys use. Id the heat from your heater hot? That's a quick check if the thermostat is opening or not. The heater will not blow warm air if the thermostat does not open. Did you feel both large hoses on the radiator?