# 91 stanza overheating



## pandadoe (Apr 7, 2008)

Please help me. This is my only means of transportation and I'm in a bind. Car overheating within 10 minutes. Smells like oil from exhaust when it gets real hot. There is no red on the temp gauge but it climbs way up like all the way. I shut car off then continue driving. Whats probably going on? I don't know what to do. Please help...


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## PapaCap (Dec 8, 2007)

Check your radiator fans to see if they are coming on. Turn the AC switch on and they should come on immediately. If they are coming on, then you may have a thermostat stuck closed.

pc


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## EhBrah (Jun 10, 2008)

This may be too late for you but in case anyone else reads this you might check the following. If the car is heating up and you know there is coolant AND the radiator fan isn't coming on, check the connector on the temperature sensor. Oftentimes there is corrosion in the plug and this can interfere with activating the radiator fans.

With the car running and temperature going up at least halfway or slightly more.

1. Open the hood
2. Stand on the right side (passenger) of the car where the wheel is
3. Look under the hood and just the left of the valve cover/engine closest to you
4. Look at the manifold/look for a fitting with a red top screwed into the silver aluminum looking thing (manifold), there will be wires plugged into it
5. Carefully (watch the heat and moving parts) reach in and place lateral pressure on the plug, maybe wiggling it in the process
6. If the fans start to come on at all then turn off the engine. You need to pull this plug, clean the connections inside and clean the prongs on the sensor. WD40 can be used to help remove the corrosion and is a decent solvent.
7. Lubricate the plug seals with some dielectric grease and you should be good to go.

If the fans don't go on even with wiggling the plug (when you are sure the engine is hot enough that they should definitely be on). You can try pulling the plug and inserting a paper clip to 'jump' the connectors in the plug, the fans should come on. If not then the problem lies elsewhere in the cooling fan circuit.


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