Overheating Sebring

[tcrist]

Yumski,

Let's see if I am following you correctly.

1) Before the work was done it only over-heated going slow in traffic (city streets) and then when you would be driving faster (freeway speeds) it would cool down and not over-heat.

2) After the work was done it stays cool when going slow in traffic (city streets) and now over-heats when driving faster (freeway speeds).

3) You are still using the same radiator as before.

4) The only change was the water pump and electric fan with a shroud.

Did you have a fan shroud before the work was done?

Maybe a bad water pump? I know it is new but there have been bad ones before.

What size thermostat is in it? 160°-180°-190°?

Is the water pump spinning in the correct direction? There are normal and reverse direction water pumps. (should be ok because it is not over heating at slow speeds)

Is the fan turning in the correct direction? (again, should be ok because it is not over heating at slow speeds)

If it ran cool at higher speeds (freeway driving) before than one of the changes messed that up.


Edit:
In addition, If you are not a member of the Yahoo Sebring Group, you should join. Nothing like getting answers from people with the same exact car as yours.

[PDUB]

Originally Posted by tcrist

Yumski,

Let's see if I am following you correctly.

1) Before the work was done it only over-heated going slow in traffic (city streets) and then when you would be driving faster (freeway speeds) it would cool down and not over-heat.

2) After the work was done it stays cool when going slow in traffic (city streets) and now over-heats when driving faster (freeway speeds).

3) You are still using the same radiator as before.

4) The only change was the water pump and electric fan with a shroud.

Is the fan turning in the correct direction? (again, should be ok because it is not over heating at slow speeds)

If it ran cool at higher speeds (freeway driving) before than one of the changes messed that up.

Terry could be onto something here... if the fan is rotating backwards, i.e. blowing out the front, it might cool fine at slow speeds where it has enough power to overcome the motion of the air being pushed at the radiator. Once you get up to speed, the fan might be working against the forced air, effectively making a dead zone for air-flow at the radiator. This would allow colling at low speeds and overheating at high speed.

It would be a simple fix, if it is wired backwards...

Good luck!