ok, I got fresh antifreeze mix, both fans on Hi, working thermostat (hot hose and radiator mean that nothing is wrong with thermostat, right?).
bad radiator cap? how do I know? looks normal to me. car still overheats on the high way driving at 2500rpm. If I go down the hill in gear (3rd or 2nd) for about a minute, car cools down to normal temps.

bad water pump? how do I check if its bad?

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From Brixton Prison, Jebb Avenue London S.W. 2 Inglan

If the water pump is shot, it will sometimes weep coolant out under the timing belt shroud.

A bad radiator cap will have old cracked rubber, or just look old and shitty. a radiator cap is also only about 5 bucks, and not a bad place to start.

Are you loosing coolant?

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Bad decisions make good stories.
Look at it! LOOK AT MY @SS AND TELL ME IT'S PRETTY!

Also check your level to make sure you don't have any air pockets in the system. Might want to try a t-stat too if you havn't yet.

could be a clogged radiator, but then I would think your hoses would not get hot.

I dunno...

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Confucius say "Man who run behind car get exhausted, man who run in front of car get tired." Unless we are talking about a 3S. Then it's obviously "man who run is going to get another beer!"

you could just pull out the thermastat for now, and see if your problem changes to never getting hot enough.

I wouldn't think both hoses would get hot if it had a plugged radiator...

Do you have a lot of crap build up on the front? or a massive amount of bent fins?

_________________
Bad decisions make good stories.
Look at it! LOOK AT MY @SS AND TELL ME IT'S PRETTY!

thanks everybody for replies.

yes, I'm loosing coolant cuz its running very hot. I don't think I have a leak. or at least not that I know of. I don't know about bent fins cuz there is that thing in front of my radiator (condenser or what ever that is). so I don't think there are lots of bent fins, but I'm thinking about new radiator. I will get a new cap (stock or AM).
where exactly is my thermostat located? yes, I never had to deal with it and don't want to be guessing.

I refuse to believe that oil cooler in front of the radiator can cause that much of overheating.

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From Brixton Prison, Jebb Avenue London S.W. 2 Inglan

folow the upper radiator hose. See the aluminum part that it is clamped on to? Take that piece off and your thermostat is inside. You might need a screwdriver to pop it out of there...

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Confucius say "Man who run behind car get exhausted, man who run in front of car get tired." Unless we are talking about a 3S. Then it's obviously "man who run is going to get another beer!"

Oil cooler in front - lots of cars have that.


However - clogged radiator will do what you are describing. It happens, especially if it's never been flushed. Bad head gasket can also cause this. Check your oil - does it look like oil or milk? Is car smoking.

I vote water pump.

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Oil cooler is near the driver's fender well on TTs, A/C condenser is in front of the radiator.

Thermostat housing is directly underneath the coolant fill cap, not the overflow resivoir, the actual system. Three bolts to pull it apart. Parts stores don't have the gasket (they may say they do but it's the wrong one, trust me) Either use RTV to seal it up or get a gasket from Mitsu.

And what do you mean by loosing coolant but don't have a leak. Is your level low but you're just not seeing it on the ground? Are you seein it steam out from your engine bay? If not you are either burning it or it's low when you check it due to air pockets. Right now my money is on a thermostat since your saying that it will overheat and then sudenly drop back down. My guess is that it's starting to stick closed. However it will also do this if your coolant level is a little low. If you are worried about an external leak find someone who has a cooling system pressure tester and have them test your system for you.

I did flush my radiator some time ago. Oil looks fine but I'm burning it cuz of vss. So thermostat goes out today (hopefully) and will see if problem is still there. I will probably flush it again, just in case.

There is steam coming out, I think that is how I loose coolant. It used to be a lot worst with water only.

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From Brixton Prison, Jebb Avenue London S.W. 2 Inglan

Well aware of the location of stock oil cooler oint was that lots of people move it to in front of the radiator with no cooling issues...

Ahh, I see what you were getting at there. My bad.

you mean lower radiator hose? cuz that is where I found it.


anyway, after pulling thermostat out and driving for about 10 mins my gauge didn't go higher than 1/4 but I didn't take it on the high way yet. and my oil cooler was not hot just a little warm.

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From Brixton Prison, Jebb Avenue London S.W. 2 Inglan

oh, i suppose it could be...

_________________
Confucius say "Man who run behind car get exhausted, man who run in front of car get tired." Unless we are talking about a 3S. Then it's obviously "man who run is going to get another beer!"