Lately I've been having problems with our 1993 V-6 with 123,000 miles overheating. I've pulled the plugs to look for signs of coolant, but there is none present. Nor is there signs of water in the oil. I've changed the lower hose,water pump,thermostat,radiator cap, and have had the radiator flushed. When the temp goes up, and I open the hood, the upper hose is hard. When I loosen the cap, the pressure goes away and the hose softens. If I crack the cap and start the car, the upper hose collapses. Is the hose bad, or do I still have a blockage in the radiator somewhere? Please help me. Thanks, tsm

Does the coolant level stay the same from day to day? How does the car run before it over heats?

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70 camaro 307 (350soon) /350th

Sounds like to me that the radiator could be the culprit, you say that the rad was flushed, but do you know for sure that the radiator doesn't have restictions? And moreover, when does the car overheat, at idle, during crusing, or both? The answer to these questions will give us a better diagnosis.

The upper hose issue is a bit weird, but if you remove the pressure when hot then recap and fire away, the cooling will produce a vacuum and MAY collapse due to flow and cooling, but if the cap is vented when you are running and getting the collapse, then it sure sounds like the pump is running the wrong way? The hose should not collapse when running, even if bad.

So, check the thermostat to make sure it's opening, the pump is correct, the radiator has sufficient flow and the hose issue last.

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STEVE JACK
SOUTHEASTERN GOODGUYS REP

[This message has been edited by HOTRODSRJ (edited 11-24-2001).]

I'm not familiar with your V-6, but the upper hose should NOT collapse; it's supposed to be under pressure. I've seen this only once before on a V-8, and it was because the parts store sold the guy a reverse rotation water pump designed for serpentine belts when he had V-belts. Was the collapsed hose syndrome there before you changed the water pump, or did it happen later?

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JohnZ
'69 Z28 Fathom Green

[This message has been edited by JohnZ (edited 11-25-2001).]

About 6 months ago my wife's camaro('97,v-6)started over heating and gradually loosing water. You couldn't see the leak or find water in the oil. It ended up being the intake gasket was bad. I have heard the v6's will start loosing intake gaskets at high mileage. This may not be your case but could be soon.

I've had two factory aluminum intakes go bad-one in a v6 El Camino and one in a Monte SS.Engines started "drinking" coolant.Also,look at the condition of the radiator itself-they do get old and loose their effectiveness.If it shows a green tint or you can see through it because the cooling fins have rotted away it may be the culprit.

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HDZ/28

I had an over heating problem with my 93 lt-1 with it running and pumping coolant I opened the purg screws untill coolant came out and that did it must have been air locked

I had a 54 ford that used to overheat, I blew all the hay seeds out of the radiator fins and that cooled it right down.
Rob

Is the thermastat install correctly? I had a upper hose do that on me after the thermastat was installed wrong.