Last summer I replaced the thermostat with a Hypertech 160 degree stat. Since then I have put like 10K miles on the car. The temp needle never makes it to the first mark on the guage while driving through town. However last night it was at 210 degrees (the halfway mark). I took it out on the interstate to get some air moving through it and it dropped a little but very very slowly. The coolant level is good. My guess is that if the stat wasn't openning at all the needle would go intot he red at 260 degrees wouldn't it? Could the stat not be openning all the way? I need to get this figured out because I am going to Bowling Green, KY on Thursday. Thanks

 

I'd check the coolant again. Wait until the engine is COLD and then fill your radiator all the way to the top.

 

Could be many things...

1) Low coolant
2) Air in the system
3) Bad water pump
4) Bad thermo
5) Bad fans/blown fuses

Start your car, the coolant line runing through the TB should being to get hot almost immediatly because it's always pumping coolant. At around 160*, the big hoses going into the block should become hot and pressurized. Keep looking, and eventually the fans should come on. It's hard to hear them, but you can feel the air. Check the fan fuses, I'm not sure how they since they aren't in clear cases... If none of these things happen, tell us. Maybe you could change the coolant, and bleed the system while you are at it.

 

It could also be a bad radiator cap - if it's not holding pressure you'll overheat.

 

make sure your fan is turnning on!

 

Check to see if you picked up a plastic bag or something that is blocking the radiator. This happened to me once several years ago.

 

BINGO!!! We have a winner. I checked everything out, so figured I would check for radiator blockage. Well I get under there and I see a huge sheet of plastic exactly the size of my radiator covering the whole thing!! Like it was custom made for it or something

 

Is there a prize

Glad you figured it out!