I have a 95z with 117k on it, today the car started to get hotter than usual. I have a 160* t-stat so the temp gauge doesn't move much. I was pulling into the driveway when it happened so I shut it off and let it cool down. I started it later and noticed the hoses were not getting hot, so I pulled the thermostat and checked it in some hot water an it opened fine.

It got dark on me and I had to stop, is there any chance it got an air bubble out of nowhere I'm gonna start it in the morning and see if he pump is pulling anything, anything else I should do? I'm already dreading trying to get the rubber elbow back on

 

I haven't seen many water pump failures due to a broken impellar or something else that would cause it to not pump. However, if it wasn't pumping it would overheat fairly quickly not just run a little hotter then usual. Check for obstructions in front of the radiator and be sure the air deflector is still there. When is the last time you flushed the radiator? Also, how hot is "hotter then usual"?

 

My dad took it to a local place before I moved away for College and had alot of maintenance done including flushing the radiator. However, everything in it looks pretty nasty so I don't know if they really done anything or not.

It got to about 210-215 before I noticed it and was pulling into the driveway, so I shut it off, it never runs above 180ish though. I ran it without the thermostat and it stayed really cool on the way back to the apartment tonight, however once again as I was pulling into the lot, I notice the power steering is getting real hard to move and it starts to warm up again to 185. The whole 50 miles home it sat on 165ish and never moved. Also once I got off the interstate it had a real bad hesitation in the lower rpms and even backfired a couple times. I get out at home and see there is some antifreeze pooling up at the front but it's too dark to tell where it's coming from.


The power steering issue happened on Friday as well as the hesitation

 

It seems like the power steering issue is only happening when the car starts to warm up, could it be something as simple as a belt slipping, causing all of this?

 

if anything keep the t-stat off and take off the radiator cap and run a hose through it and see if theres alot of flakes. have you used any stop leak recently? if so that stuff can clog the water pump if you use too much. i did this and i have a 160 t-stat and my car doesnt go above 180.

 

I have never used stop leak or anything like it. I just got back from a little drive and it's not getting hot without the t-stat however it is running warmer w/o it than it did with it, but it never hit 185.

The hesitation is still there, but only under normal acceleration and after the car has warmed up, WOT it seems fine. Bad o2 sensor?

The power steering issue only appears to happen after the car has warmed up as well and only when the rpms are low. While driving it seems fine.

It's 3 different things at once and it's getting annoying

 

Coolant can leak onto the serpentine belt, causing it to slip, which could explain your power steering issue. It would be more noticeable at lower rpms.

Also, temperature is likely to creep up higher than your thermostat's setting at low speeds (city driving - as you're pulling into your driveway?), especially if your tune hasn't been adjusted to match the thermostat - is that the case?

If you have noticed a pool of coolant, I'd start by finding it and fixing it.

 

Tune was adjusted for the thermostat, it was all done at once. Right now though I'm going with no thermostat.

The pool of coolant only seems to happen once again as the car is warmed up, and I honestly can't see where it's coming from. Since I moved away for school, I don't have a jack or anything to get underneath it and see if I can find it from the bottom. I can let it idle and see nothing leaking but after taking it out and pulling into wherever it appears to start leaking then.

 

i guarantee you one of your hoses has a crack in it or its real old. when the car heats up some of the older hoses can expand and will cause a leak/drip.