[MinnesotaMike]

Yo, i have a 2006 impala ss, thats half the problem...lol

I start up the car go 2 blocks and the heat gauge redlines, message center says Engine hot AC off.... Then if i coast for awhile the temp gauge goes down...Both fans are working coolent is full, Help a white kid out here, Thanks!!

 

[triple x]

thermostat is my first thing i would think of then next would be the water pump

 

[Achiyan]

thermostat was my first guess too. sounds like its not opening up.

 

[MinnesotaMike]

Thanks...easy to replace??

 

[wde3477]

Thermostat sounds like the primary suspect - however, have some concerns on only taking 2 blocks to overheat.

Water pump - eh, maybe - but still hung up on the two blocks thing.

Perhaps a coolant temperature sensor on the fritz? Or, if you've recently fooled with the coolant - perhaps all the air hasn't burped out?

Keep us posted - the solution would be good stuff to file for future reference.

 

[Achiyan]

i gotta agree with wde3477 with the two blocks thing.....but how big of a block? i drove my 2000 impala ls with a broken bracket (which means no belt attached to anything) all the way to the shop without overheating

-did you ever find the fix?

btw, thermostats are almost always easy to replace...unless you drive a 99' camaro :/

 

[MinnesotaMike]

havent had time to bring it in yet, but thermostat in this car looks fucking hard to change, i dont even know where to start, 06 ss the engine bay is packed full lol

 

[emmaiden2005]

thermostat is where i would start ... if it was the water pump it would suck up all the coolant ... if you need to drive it i recommend turning on the heat full blast and roll down the windows that should help cool it down

 

[McAdams]

yeah i second the camaro haha... i had a 96 mine was a pain in the ass... my main concern would be the thermostat as well..... an if not then the water pump... that two blocks is weird... whats your temp gauge read on it?...

 

[MinnesotaMike]

hot lol i dont know...it just heats up and redlines

 

[77Impala]

If I am understanding right, that it will cool off after it red lines then I would check for air in the system.

If it continues to get hot and cool down while driving then you have either a bad thermostat and/or a bad hose between the engine and radiator. If high mileage I would replace both the hoses, heater hoses and thermostat at one time.

 

[MinnesotaMike]

yes ill be driving and it will slowly heat up, then if i kinda coast a bit it will drop to the midway point, then back up to redline, i dont know how to get at the thermostat though, ill have to take off part of my headers it looks like lol

 

[77Impala]

GM must have done research as to how to make it impossible to change the thermostats for I have seen more and more cars that have very difficult to get to them.

 

[zerominak]

had same issue, overheating, AC shut down etc BUT it was thermostat AND water pump AND rotten belt. I'd change one then the next would go out... Dropped a ton in coolant from the ejecting to leaking but everything is kosher now

 

[TSS]

I am guessing thermostat as a start too.

Gm really does try, I agree, to make things tough. Only a mechanic can check the tranny fluid on my SLS. No dipstick. WTF?

 

[kingnutin]

Chargers don't have one either, I'm not looking forward to their first round of tranny services...

Everything seems pretty easy, if not time consuming, to work on on the 3.5's at least.

 

[zerominak]

If you've changed an Impala thermostat a couple of times it becomes pretty easy... Drain coolant (plug on lower passenger side of radiator) detach lower hose from engine. Un-bolt thermostat, replace, reattach hose, refill coolant system and bam... Would suggest a flush if you've high mileage...

 

[MinnesotaMike]

Again Not that simple, I have an SS, Therego No room in the engine bay, i had to take one header off to get the lil bastard out lol, then i found out my water pump went out too, and had bad radiator hose's. sucks lol

 

[notachevyguy68]

I don't see why a 5 year old thermostat is already bad? or water pump? does it have half of a million miles on it or something? Is this a usual for you chevy guys? I would first suspect air in the cooling system.

 

[MinnesotaMike]

Yea it was bizzar cause i have 80,000 miles on it, so idk why that shit went out