overheating issue- need help please!!!

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kitbuf

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Ok I am in need of some desperate help asap as the ls in broke down. I have searched some of the forums and I know all about the issues with degas bottle cracks and other leaks. This is what has happened. About six months ago car wanted to overheat one night while idling while I was waiting for it to warm up because it was like 30 degrees out. I checked it out and found that the degas bottle was empty. Now let me say that I had rarely checked it in the couple years I have had the ls. So I filled it back up never went through the bleed process. It done fine for six months (@ 15,000 miles) and then one day going down the road about 45 mph it done it again. Pulled over and checked degas bottle and it was empty again. Let it cool and filled it back up, now mind you it only took like 1-2 quarts to fill it so it was barely out of the degas bottle. Concerned about a leak I checked the manual and found that you should check the degas bottle monthly and care it in for service if it takes more than 1 quart to keep it topped off monthly. Well obviously it is not taking that much I just need to check it more often that previous and keep it topped off. So this time after it being topped off, I done the bleeding procedure. Ok it done fine for 3 or 4 days and then run hot again. This time the degas bottle was still full. So I tried to bleed the system again. Checked for leaks and of course didn't find any considering the bottle was still full. While I was bleeding the system I thought about the hydraulic fan. So this is what I done. I cut the car off and took a screwdriver and held one of the fan blades and started the car up so the fan would not be free spinning with the car idling with air conditioner off. Then while holding the fan still I got someone to cut the a/c on wide open and was still able to hold the fan. Should there have been enough pressure while holding the fan and turning the a/c on to of not been able to hold the fan and it force the scredriver to slide off so it could turn. Also on the instructions for bleeding the system (step #6 says to replace the degas bottle cap on all engines) so do you have the degas bottle cap on during engine idle with heater to max while bleeding the heater air bleed or does it matter if the cap is off. The reason being is it also mentions to keep the degas bottle full during this procedure but I am not sure it you leave the cap off the whole time of just when topping it back off or does it really matter wether it is off or not. I know this is a long post but I tried to explain everything I have found so fair and I need help asap as my wife is relying on the ls to get back and forth to school.

Thank you for any help. Also if somone knows a sort of troubleshooting step procedure to find out what it could be that would be great also.
 
overheating issue

Lincoln Jealous said:
what a good story
Click to expand...

:mad:Oh, come on man, damn. I am in desperate need of help here and tried to post what was going on and you put your 2 cents worth in and all you can say is "good story". If your trying to be sarcastic, carry your useless posts somewhere else besides replying to mine, and if you weren't then post something usefull or else don't post at all. I hate when someone post on here and needs some help and then gets silly ass comments such as this one you posted. Being you don't have nothing else to do, go stick your head up your ass so I can't hear what you have to say.:mad::mad::mad:
 
All i can say is if the heat gauge is past full it might be your temostat
 
I do wish people would post what year their car is, it makes a difference. I'm going to assume it's a gen I, since it's hard to imagine you holding the electric fan and not losing a hand or two.

1. Be aware that it is nowhere close to normal to have to add anything close to a quart of coolant a month to the car. I usually don't have to add anything between flushes (done every three or so years). You don't continue to ignore a small problem and then be surprised when it turns into a big problem.

2. It sounds like your hydraulic cooling fan system is shot. Most likely you will wind up replacing the pump and the fan motor. That won't be cheap. Probably some or all of the plastic parts in the cooling system are starting to crack, starting with the degas bottle. All will need to be replaced. No offense, but it doesn't sound like you will be able to do much of this yourself, so this is probably going to cost big time. Sorry...
 
First of all, thank you for your input. Ok, I understand it is not normal to put a quart in every month. I was simply stating what the manual said which was that it need to be checked once a month and if you have to add more than a quart once a month then it needs servicing. I said mine went down between 1 to 2 quarts over a period of more than 6 months. And yes I have looked all over for a leak and can't seem to find one anywhere. I change my oil my self about 1 time every month (I know the wife puts alot of miles on it) and I have never seen anything dripping from this thing underneath. And well "continuing to ignore it" is not really what I am doing if I am on here asking qustions about it, you think. Remember it only happened once before and when topped off was fine and I saw nothing wrong, that is why I am digging deeper this time. Please read careful!! I also read a little about only replacing an actuator and that fixing some others problem so why would you assume replacing the pump and fan motor. Almost sounds as if you work at the stealership, lol! Replace it all that will fix it, only it makes more sense to replace what is broke. That is my intent for gaining knowledge about this cooling and fan system on this vehicle. And you can believe if I have to replace something I WILL be doing it my self and not at the stealership. I can handle replacing stuff, I just am not all that familiar with this air tight coolant set up and hydraulic fan as I have only dealt with electric and clutch ones. Btw, the rearend I completely rebuilt about a year ago (30,000+ miles) MYSELF is still holding together perfect. As well as the sway bar bushings, window regulators, moon roof drains, all 8 coils. I custom build mini modified pulling tractors so taking something apart to replace stuff doesn't intimidate me at all to say the least, hell I would snatch the motor out of this car if it needed to come out. I work on my own stuff unless I can't at least get the info if it is something I am not already familiar with.
 
Sorry Kitbuf,

but your posts are VERY hard to read.

Please hit Enter next time and break it

into different paragraphs...

I got lost 2 times trying to read it.
 
Overheating

The cap must be on the degas bottle to pressurize the system in order to get air out through the bleed valve. Close the valve before removing the cap to top off (carefully). Replace the cap and re-open the bleed valve while increasing engine RPM.

My high speed was restored with a new control actuator on the pump ('02 V-8). If the fan turns but just will not go to high, the fluid in the reservoir is clear and uncontaminated, and the pump is not leaking..........and in the absence of quantitative diagnostic information (hydraulic pressures, air flows, codes control module issues), there is a high probability that control actuator replacement will restore high speed operation. Note that a recent poster was not getting a command from the control module to the actuator though.

The actuator can be removed with the pump in place. Bleed the hydraulic system after replacement.
 
overheating

rt2barbers said:
The cap must be on the degas bottle to pressurize the system in order to get air out through the bleed valve. Close the valve before removing the cap to top off (carefully). Replace the cap and re-open the bleed valve while increasing engine RPM.

My high speed was restored with a new control actuator on the pump ('02 V-8). If the fan turns but just will not go to high, the fluid in the reservoir is clear and uncontaminated, and the pump is not leaking..........and in the absence of quantitative diagnostic information (hydraulic pressures, air flows, codes control module issues), there is a high probability that control actuator replacement will restore high speed operation. Note that a recent poster was not getting a command from the control module to the actuator though.

The actuator can be removed with the pump in place. Bleed the hydraulic system after replacement.
Click to expand...

Ok, thank you very much. This is very useful info. I may have taken off the degas cap before when the bleeder valve was open so I went out this morning and tried it again making sure the degas cap was closed the whole time and I got fluid coming out the bleeder valve as soon as I start turning the bleed screw. I don't even have to screw the screw out, just start loosing it and the fluid starts pouring out a steady stream. I tried like 4 or 5 times over maybe 10 minutes and got fluid immediately each time. So I am thinking the bleed job is good this time.

Now for the second part, the fan. You may be exaclty right about the actuator. When I cut the a/c on I can't tell that the fan spins any faster than it already is with the motor just idling. Should I really see a noticable difference when the a/c is turned on. I may need to know a little more about changing this actuator as far as location and procedure.

Again thank you.
 
overheating

You will hear the fan speed up when you turn on the AC if the system is normal.
 
overheating

rt2barbers said:
You will hear the fan speed up when you turn on the AC if the system is normal.
Click to expand...

Ok, thank you for the info.

I will check the fan operation out and see if I can figure out where the problem for it lies.

Also I have found the problem with my coolant very slowly dissapearing. After doing a bunch of searching today and getting the motor warm I found a very slow drip under the thermostat housing.

It was so slow that the heat from the engine would dry the drop up before the next drop would fall so that is why it was so hard to find, you actually had to be looking down in there when it would drip or it would dry right up. Plus it would only seem to do it with the engine warmed up and the cooling system then had a little pressure on it.

Appears to be dripping from underneath the housing where it goes together. Not sure yet if I need to replace the half of the housing that the big hose fastens to or the half that bolts on top of the engine (engine fill tower half). I will have to pull it and see what is messed up.

Also will definately throw a new t-stat in while I am at it.

Anyway I just wanted to post to be helpful to others on my findings.
 
Last edited:
Same problem!!!!

Hey kitbuf

I am new to this forum so bear with me....

I am having the same problem as you kitbuf (2001 LS V8). So please let me know if it is the actuator or something else..

I've read nightmareish things about throwing thousands of dollars in to it to find out it was the actuator!!!
 
overheating issue

Hey kitbuf

I am new to this forum so bear with me....

I am having the same problem as you kitbuf (2001 LS V8). So please let me know if it is the actuator or something else..

I've read nightmareish things about throwing thousands of dollars in to it to find out it was the actuator!!!
Click to expand...

I am not sure yet if it is the actuator that is causing my problems with the fan, although by doing some research on here it is likely. I found a very slow leak around the thermostat housing that is causing air in the coolant system which is my main concern right now because that is why the cht sensors are showing overheating and also I believe the fan on low speed moves enough air unless sitting still for long periods with a/c on. So I am getting parts to fix the leak first.

Hey Kitbuf... lol...how many words per minute do you type?...just out of curiosity
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About 20000000000000000000000000000000 per minute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololol:shifty::):p;):D:rolleyes::cool::eek:
 
To check if its the actuator, check the ohm reading for it.
It should be between 8.5-11 ohms.. Mine was reading at 16.7 or something so I went ahead and bought the part.
 
overheating issues FIXED

Got the thermostat housing replaced and fixed the leak.:D

Also replaced fan actuator and FIXED the fan!!!:D

No more overheating.:D
 
My LS just overheats with fans on high! doesn't even blow hot air through vents!
 
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